Australian Olympic champion Cam McEvoy says the excitement of becoming the world’s fastest man in the 50m freestyle has given way to renewed determination as he sets his sights on defending his Olympic title at Los Angeles 2028. Speaking during the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, McEvoy revealed that the emergence of strong new rivals has reignited his competitive spirit.
Earlier this year at the China Open in Shenzhen, the 31-year-old made history by clocking 20.88 seconds in the men’s 50m freestyle, breaking the 17-year-old world record by 0.20 seconds. The sensational swim made McEvoy only the third swimmer in history to break the 21-second barrier, cementing his place among the greatest sprint swimmers of all time.
Despite his record-breaking achievement, McEvoy acknowledged that the road to LA28 will be far from easy. Rising talents, including Russia’s Egor Kornev, who recently posted an impressive 21.06-second swim, have intensified competition in the event. McEvoy admitted that witnessing the rapid progress of younger swimmers has restored the motivation he briefly lost after setting the world record.
Confident that he is still in the best shape of his career, McEvoy believes he has room for further improvement before the next Olympic Games. With a world record already to his name and a new generation of challengers pushing the pace, the Australian sprint star is determined to continue making history as he prepares for what could be his fifth Olympic Games.
