World Championships: Santo Condorelli Beats Martin Kartavi in 50 Free Swim-Off
Given the unusual journey that Santo Condorelli has taken to the 2025 World Aquatic Championships, a swim-off would seem par for the course.
The American (again, at least, in the eyes of World Aquatics) prevailed in a 50 freestyle swim-off against Martin Kartavi of Israel, Condorelli going 21.83 Friday morning to secure the 16th and final spot in the semifinals. Kartavi was 21.94 in the swim-off. They’d tied at 21.91 in prelims.
Perhaps less surprising than Condorelli landing in a swim-off was that he found a swimmer with whom he hasn’t been an international teammate. Condorelli was born in Japan and has swum at the Olympics for Canada in 2016 and Italy in 2021. At age 30, he set a lifetime best at trials in June by going 21.68 to earn his place at Worlds.
He was slower than that in prelims, which was not out of the ordinary.
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The 50 free was chaotic, even by its usual standards on Friday morning. David Popovici and Maxime Grousset scratched. Josh Liendo and Kyle Chalmers crashed out. The field included ties for second (the other American Jack Alexy and Egor Kornev in 21.52), 11th, 14th, 20th and a four-way tie for 22nd.
So why not a swim-off?
Kartavi, a Paris Olympian who swims at the University of North Carolina, was .01 off his best time with the prelims 21.91. He is Israel’s second sprinter, behind Meiron Cheruti, who got through in sixth in 21.64, .04 off his national record.
In the swim-off, Condorelli attacked from the get go, turning up his quick arm turnover more than usual. He was well ahead at the midway point, but Kartavi closed hard. A long finish almost did Condorelli in, but he got his hand to the wall first.
