UPDATE: GOLD for the Cayman Islands, Jordan Crooks is the new World Champion

Sporting history for the Cayman Islands was made today. Caymanian, Jordan Crooks won the final of this blue ribbon event, the men’s 50 meter freestyle at the FINA World Championships (25m) in Melbourne, Australia.

Jordan started out in an unseeded preliminary heat where he raced and established the fastest semi-final qualifying time 20.36. This time ranks Jordan’s swim as the 5th fastest performance ever in this event. Later that afternoon in the second of the semi-finals a calm and collected Crooks took to the blocks once again, this time turning in a blistering 20.31 assuring him this time of the top seed going into finals.

Jordan’s gold medal swim this morning was against the fastest in the world, shoulder-to-shoulder with Olympic medalists and reigning champions. The pressure was intense from start to finish and Jordan hit the wall first in 20.46 seconds to take this historic Gold medal for the Cayman Islands.

Minister Bernie Bush congratulates Jordan Crooks, “On behalf of the Ministry of Youth, Sports, Culture & Heritage (YSCH), the Cayman Islands Government and Caymanians everywhere I wish to extend congratulations to swimmer Jordan Crooks on this historic achievement. Watching Jordan win the gold in the Men’s 50M Freestyle at the FINA World Championships in Melbourne, Australia this morning was nothing short of impressive and phenomenal. This young Caymanian’s stellar achievements over the past week has made him the fastest man in this event! We are with you Jordan and wishing you continued success on the road to the 2024 Paris Olympics.”

Jordan started his World Championships campaign swimming the 100 meter Freestyle as an unseeded swimmer in heat six of eleven. He went on to post the fastest preliminary time – a blazing 45.61 which is a new personal best for Jordan as well as a new National record. Swimming in the semi-finals later that same day, Jordan stepped up on the blocks and showed that his time was not a fluke – he again went out and finished fast – dropping his best and National Record and securing his place in finals as the fastest qualifier in a time of 45.55. In the finals he went out in a blistering 21.31 and led for the first 75m but was unable to hold off the defending world champion – Kyle Chalmers – and finished in 45.77, in tied 6th place.

And while Jordan was making his name known as a serious contender for the upcoming summer Olympics, sister Jillian – who swam the 50m butterfly and 100m freestyle made some big statements of her own. Jillian set two new national records. The first in the 50m butterfly at 26.40 and the 100m freestyle at 54.20.

Cayman Islands Aquatic Sports Association president Steve Broadbelt commented on Jordan’s swims, “Jordan’s swims show that he can swim at world record pace and is now the new World Champion in the elite world of swimming.”

Broadbelt continued, “after the 100m freestyle, the president of World Aquatics (formerly FINA) Husain Al-Musallam asked to meet Jordan. He, along with the president of PanAm Aquatics Maureen Croes met with Jordan, his sister Jillian and Cayman Swimming’s Technical Director and National Coach Jacky Pellerin and, after congratulating our swimmers he spoke of his support for the continued development of swimming in the Cayman Islands, and in the CARIFTA and PanAm Aquatics regions.”

See also below:

Grand Cayman – Saturday, 17 December 2022 – As Minister for Youth, Sports, Culture & Heritage and on behalf of my Ministry, the Cayman Islands Government, and Caymanians everywhere, I want to extend our warmest congratulations to swimmer Jordan Crooks Men’s 50 Meter Freestyle World Champion.

Watching his historic gold medal performance, earning a time of 20.46 in Melbourne, Australia this morning, was nothing short of phenomenal. In fact Jordan’s swimming over the past week has been an early Christmas present to all Caymanians. Now officially the fastest man at this distance, this young Caymanian’s stellar achievement on the world stage has come from hard work and dedication over many years. 

We watched Jordan lead for the first 75 Meters of Thursday’s Men’s 100 Meter Freestyle ahead of the gold medalist and current world champion, only missing out on a place on the podium by hundreds of a second – less than a blink of an eye. On Friday, Jordan qualified for semi-finals and finals in his 50 Meter Freestyle heat. Those events had us all holding our breath as we watched him continue to make his mark. We are with you Jordan and wishing you continued success on the road to the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Applause and congratulations must also go to Jillian Crooks on her outstanding performances at FINA, having set new National/ Cayman Islands Aquatic Swimming Association (CIASA) records in the 50 Meter Women’s Butterfly (26.40) and the 100 Meter Freestyle (54.20). The Olympian is truly a phenom in her own right, once more proving that these swimming siblings are a formidable duo. Much credit must also to their parents on their unending dedication to their success. 

I must also thank CIASA on its continued commitment and support to our swimmers.