ZUMO Performance of the Week: Mehdy Metella Rockets to #1 In 100 Fly [RACE VIDEO]

Mehdy Metella at the 2015 FINA World Championships, Photo Courtesy: Maria Dobysheva

This week’s ZUMO Performance of the Week goes to Mehdy Metella for his 100 fly at the 2019 French Nationals.

Metella came into this meet already qualified for the 2019 World Championships courtesy of his medal performances at the 2018 European Championships, but that didn’t stop him from turning heads on the last day of the meet.

The 26-year-old Olympic medalist vaulted to #1 in the world in the 100 fly with the first sub-50 second performance of his career, breaking his own national record with a 50.85. That was about 2-tenths faster than his old record (51.06) from the 2017 World Championships. That also gives him the fastest 100 fly in the world by about half a second.

Natation ? Championnat de France élite – Rennes
? @MMetella pulvérise le record de France du 100m papillon !
⏱️ 50’85 !!
? Meilleure performance mondiale de l’année pour celui qui était déjà qualifié pour les Mondiaux pic.twitter.com/zYL4w3gJXB

— beIN SPORTS (@beinsports_FR) April 21, 2019

2019 World Rankings:

Mehdy Metella, FRA, 50.85
Sebastian Sabo, SRB, 51.34
Marius Kusch, GER, 51.35
James Guy, GBR, 51.42
Naoki Mizunuma, JPN, 51.43
Caeleb Dressel, USA, 51.51
Chad Le Clos, RSA, 51.52
Piero Codia, ITA, 51.75

Metella was actually out slower than his old record pace, touching in 24.02, but came home faster than he ever has with a sizzling 26.83 on the second 50. That is 3-tenths faster than his closing 50 (27.14) at the 2017 World Championships.

Congratulations to Mehdy Metella on earning ZUMO’s Performance of the Week!

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