The weeks of swimming World Cup thrill have reached the Hungarian waters for its concluding leg. Fans around the world have gathered in Budapest for the one final ride. In the midst of numerous swimmers gaining recognition during this event, Michael Andrew has stood out as the swimmer who has consistently upheld the American dream throughout the World Cup. On day 2 of the final leg, he continued to shine, living up to expectations. Andrew reigned supreme in the Duna Arena on Saturday and once again secured the podium finish.

Not only did he win the 50-meter backstroke, but he also left behind his Australian Olympian rival, who was considered a threat to Andrew. With the win, he was also crowned the king of the 50-meter backstroke, along with the additional cash bonus.

His swimming brilliance reaches the pinnacle

According to the live coverage provided by the FINA on their YouTube channel, Michael Andrew was on lane 4 for the start, and as soon as the buzzer was honked, he jumped in the pool to create his piece of history for American swimming, and he pretty much did so. The Edina native finished the race with absolute finesse after clocking an impressive finish of 24.64 seconds. He also left behind the 2020 Tokyo Olympics bronze medalist Isaac Cooper of Australia, who placed second with a 24.82-second finish. Miroslav Knedla of the Czech Republic came in third with 24.85 seconds on the clock.

Despite a less-than-ideal start with a reaction time of 0.62 compared to Copper’s 0.54, he swiftly gained momentum and ultimately secured first place in the race. The Minnesota-based swimmer was given the king of the 50-meter backstroke crown and an additional bonus cash prize of $10,000 for being so dominant throughout the World Cup. From the moment the event commenced, Michael Andrew dominated the men’s 50-meter backstroke, maintaining his lead until he achieved the ultimate victory.

Michael Andrew’s World Cup performances

In the pilot leg that kicked off in Berlin, Andrew started greatly in the tournament, winning the first 50-meter backstroke race in an incredible 24.47 seconds while earning 909 points for the race. However, he was followed closely by Isaac Cooper in that race as well, where the Australian touched the wall in 24.59 while gaining 896 points.

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The American held his nation’s flag high and kept going at the same pace. In the second leg in Athens, Andrew once again stood atop the podium after clinching another victory in the 50-meter backstroke. The swimming phenom clocked 24.79 seconds and got better than his South African rival Pieter Coetze while securing 874 points.

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