Russian Egor Kornev equaled the short course world record in the 100m freestyle at the opening stop of the World Aquatics Swimming World Cup.
Kornev, 22, clocked 44.84 seconds in Baku, Azerbaijan, tying the world record set by Australian Kyle Chalmers in October 2021.
The three-stop World Cup is held in short-course (or 25-meter) pools as opposed to 50-meter (long-course) pools used at the Olympics.
Kornev is a recent breakout sprinter. In long course this year, he became the third-fastest man in history in the 100m free and 50m fly and the fifth-fastest ever in the 50m free.
He took silver in the 50m and 100m frees and gold in the 50m butterfly in long course at the European Championships in August.
He was fifth in the 50m and 100m frees in his long-course World Championships debut in 2025.
The World Cup stop in Baku concludes Saturday with finals at 10 a.m. ET, live on Peacock.
