Jordan Crooks and Cayman Islands: Meet the breakout performer at the 2022 Short Course World Championships
Jordan Crooks has become a record-breaker in the recently concluded 2022 Short Course World Championships.
Crooks improved upon his hour-old Cayman Islands record in the 50-meter freestyle on the fourth day of the 2022 Short Course World Championships by nearly a second, swimming a 20.36 to lead all qualifiers. He entered the top five participants in the event's history thanks to his new lifetime best. He was ranked 114th before the race.
With this victory, Crooks earned the first gold medal for the Cayman Islands at the World Championships, a significant accomplishment that made him someone to keep an eye on going ahead in the sprints at all international competitions.
Jordan Crooks - The breakout Star Performer
The 20-year-old Tennessee sophomore smashed the record three times in the previous three days, first in the semifinals and then in the 100-meter freestyle final. Jordan Crooks ran a midway time of 21.70 in the 100-meter freestyle prelims before running 21.32 in the final, where he tied for sixth place with a time of 45.77.
Before the 50-free final, Jordan Crooks had a sizable lead over the competition. He qualified 45 hundredths faster than second-place finisher and defending champion Ben Proud (20.76), while his winning time from the second semi was six-tenths quicker than Kyle Chalmers' required time to win the first heat (20.91).
Crooks clocked a lightning-quick 9.80 to begin the 50-meter freestyle preliminary race and 10.56 to complete it. He was barely one-tenth of a second slower than Florent Manaudou's Championship record of 2014 and two-tenths of a second slower than Caeleb Dressel's global record of 2020.
At the University of Tennessee, where he is currently a sophomore, Jordan Crooks set a record for being the fastest NCAA freshman ever in the SCY 50-yard freestyle (18.53) last season. After setting a new record of 18.27 in November, he moved into an all-time tie for second place.
Cayman Islands Record
The Cayman Islands 50-meter freestyle record stood unchallenged for nearly ten years before this event. It took Jordan Crooks nine years to just barely beat Brett Fraser's 21.73 mark, which he recorded at the 2013 Island Games.
Crooks also holds SCM national marks in the 100-meter freestyle (45.55 from the 100-meter freestyle heats), the 50-meter back with a time of 25.23, and the 100-meter back with a time of 55.53.
His 20.36 was the top seed in tonight's 50 free semifinals, including Dylan Carter's 20.70, Ben Proud's 20.88, and Manaudou's 20.94.
Jordan Crooks established a record of 18.53 to become the fastest NCAA freshman ever in the SCY 50-meter freestyle in February 2022. As of right now, his winning streak has continued into his Short Course Worlds debut.
Jordan Crooks and his sister Jillian Crooks are the sole members of the tiny Cayman Islands delegation now present in Australia. He will only be swimming the 50-meter and 100-meter freestyle, while she is enrolled in the 100-meter freestyle and the 50-meter butterfly. Jillian is also having a solid start to the meet. At 16, she already has national records in the 50-meter Butterfly, clocking 26.40, and 100-meter freestyle, clocking 54.20 events.