Proud stakes claim as fastest swimmer on the planet with world title

In the same pool where he won his first world title back in 2017 in the 50m butterfly, Proud lived up to his billing as the fastest qualifier by coming home quickest in the final.

He got off to a flying start and never looked back on his way to victory in a time of 21.32, beating America’s Michael Andrew and Frenchman Maxime Grousset to the title.

And having put so much focus into the 50m freestyle, Proud was understandably elated at achieving his dream and bringing home Britain’s first gold medal of these Championships.

“Five years ago, I won the 50m butterfly here and that was a complete dream, because that was what I started swimming for. But I've put so much work into this freestyle over the last eight or nine years, and to be able to say when I retire that I've been the world champion at the 50m freestyle is a very, very special thing,” he said.

“A lot more people work for the 50m freestyle [than the other 50m events], because it's an Olympic event - we don't have the other 50s at the Olympics, so this is a real specialist event in swimming, possibly the blue riband event - although I do think the 100m free is more like that,” he added.

“At a World Championships, it's all about getting through the rounds and getting your hand on the wall. I'm absolutely chuffed to be able to say I've done that today, I'll go back to my team, show them the medal and everyone has supported me this last few months really deserved something.”

Following two medals on Thursday, it was almost a case of déjà-vu on Friday night as the 4x100m mixed freestyle relay came close making the podium.

In the end, the team of Tom Dean, Lewis Burras, Anna Hopkin and Freya Anderson had to settle for fourth place in a race won by Australia in a new world record.

Hopkin had earlier booked her place in the final of the women’s 50m freestyle on the final night of action in Budapest on Saturday.