Sean Niewold Sets Dutch 50m Freestyle Record at Pro Swim Series Westmont

Westmont, Illinois – University of Alabama freshman Sean Niewold has rapidly ascended the ranks of sprint freestyle, recently establishing a new personal best and solidifying his position as the second-fastest Dutchman in history in the 50-meter freestyle. The performance occurred at the 2026 Pro Swim Series stop in Westmont, Illinois, from March 4-7.

Record-Breaking Swim

Niewold clocked a time of 21.66 seconds in a time trial, surpassing his previous best of 21.99 seconds set at the Eindhoven Qualification Meet in April 2024. This new record places him fifth in the world this season. SwimSwam reported on the achievement.

Dutch Rankings

With this swim, Niewold moves to second place in the all-time Dutch rankings for the 50m freestyle, trailing only national record holder Thom de Boer, whose record stands at 21.58 seconds (set in 2021).

All-Time Dutch Performers, Men’s 50 Freestyle (LCM)

• Thom de Boer, 21.58 – 2021
• Sean Niewold, 21.66 – 2026
• Kenzo Simons, 21.73 – 2024
• Jesse Puts, 21.82 – 2016
• Renzo Tjon A Joe, 21.95 – 2024
• Nyls Korstanje, 21.98 – 2020
• Pieter van den Hoogenband, 22.03 – 2000
• Stan Pijnenburg, 22.04 – 2023
• Johan Kenkhuis, 22.14 – 2003
• Jasper van Mierlo, 22.30 – 2013

Additional Personal Bests

Niewold’s strong performance in Westmont extends beyond the 50m freestyle. He has also achieved personal bests in the 50m butterfly (23.04) and 100m butterfly (51.83), finishing second in the 50m butterfly on Wednesday. He is scheduled to compete in the 100m butterfly semifinals and the 50m freestyle again on Saturday.

NCAA Success

This success builds upon a solid collegiate season with the University of Alabama. At the recent SEC Championships, Niewold finished 7th in the 100m butterfly (45.13), 9th in the 50m freestyle (18.94), and 12th in the 100m freestyle (42.02).