In the fastest race in the world this year, McAllen’s Shaine Casas captured a bonze medal for Team USA today during the 19th FINA World Swimming Championships in Budapest.
Casas’ time of 1 minute, 55.35 seconds in the 200-meter backstroke finals was 0.83 seconds behind four-time Olympic gold medalist Ryan Murphy, who touched the wall first in 1:54.42, the fastest time in the world this year. Great Britain’s Luke Greenback won the silver in 1:55.16. The times are three of the four fastest times in the world this year with Murphy also holding the second-fastest time.
Casas, a six-time medalist in the short-course world championships held at the end of last year, added to his medal collection and continued to secure his spot as one of the best swimmers in the world. During Thursday’s race, at the turn, Casas made the turn in 0.52 seconds while Murphy, along with Switzerland’s Roan Mityukov both turned it in 0.51 seconds. Mityukov finished seventh out of the eight competitors who advanced to the finals.
During the heat races Wednesday, Casas won his heat, touching the wall ahead in 1:56.66 while Murphy captured third during the heat in 1:56.96. Then, in the semifinals, Murphy’s time of 1:55.43 garnered him the top ranking for the finals while Casas held the sixth-fastest semifinal time of 1:56.90.
Casas, 22 years old and a McAllen High graduate, is also a three-time NCAA champion, swimming for Texas A&M. He announced his intentions last year to transfer to the University of Texas to compete but, after rethinking his decision, instead turned pro and be coached by legendary swim coach Eddie Reese. Reese is the head coach of the Texas Longhorns but also serves as coach to several professional swimmers. He coached the men’s U.S. Olympic team in 2004 and 2008 and has been an assistant coach at the Summer Olympics in 1992, 1996, 2000 and 2012.
“I felt to get better that this was the best choice for me,” Casas said during an interview with The Monitor. “I plan to still get my degree but right now I want to focus on swimming and winning.”
After a disappointing showing at the U.S. Olympic Trials, Casas earned a spot for Team USA in the Short Course Meters World Championship in Abu Dhabi, held in December 2021.
He reached the finals in all eight of the events he competed in, winning medals in six of them including gold in the 100 short course meter back and the 4×50 short course medley relay. He also snagged three silver and one bronze medal.
Casas qualified for Team USA during the World Championship Trials in Greensboro, N.C. in the 200 backstroke. His time of 1:55.57 in the prelims of the 200 back was the fastest time in the world at that point. In the finals, Murphy, a four-time gold medalist, turned in a time of 1:55.01 to take over the top spot in the world. Meanwhile Casas improved on his prelims time, finishing in 1:55.46, the-then second fastest time in the world.