| Event: | Men's 50 metre freestyle |
| Competition: | 1998 FINA World Championships |
| Date: | 17 January 1998 |
| Competitors: | 81 |
| Nations: | 61 |
| Win Value: | 22.29 seconds |
| Gold: | Bill Pilczuk |
| Goldnoc: | USA |
| Silver: | Alexander Popov |
| Silvernoc: | RUS |
| Bronze: | Ricardo Busquets |
| Bronzenoc: | PUR |
| Bronze2: | Michael Klim |
| Bronzenoc2: | AUS |
| Prev: | 1994 |
| Next: | 2001 |
The finals and the qualifying heats of the men's 50 metre freestyle event at the 1998 World Aquatics Championships were held on Saturday 17 January 1998 in Perth, Western Australia.
| Rank | Heat | Name | Nationality | Time | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 11 | 22.58 | ||||
| 1 | 11 | 22.58 | ||||
| 3 | 11 | 22.61 | ||||
| 4 | 9 | 22.70 | ||||
| 5 | 10 | 22.76 | ||||
| 6 | 11 | 22.77 | ||||
| 7 | 9 | 22.79 | ||||
| 8 | 9 | 22.82 | ||||
| 9 | 11 | 22.85 | ||||
| 10 | 9 | 22.86 | ||||
| 11 | 5 | 22.90 | ||||
| 12 | 10 | 22.98 | ||||
| 12 | 11 | 22.98 | ||||
| 12 | 9 | 22.98 | ||||
| 15 | 10 | 23.08 | ||||
| 16 | 8 | 23.12 | ||||
| 17 | 9 | 23.12 | ||||
| 18 | 10 | 23.13 | ||||
| 19 | 10 | 23.15 | ||||
| 20 | 7 | 23.18 | ||||
| 21 | 8 | 23.29 | ||||
| 22 | 8 | 23.31 | ||||
| 22 | 10 | 23.31 | ||||
| 24 | 7 | 23.37 | ||||
| 25 | 8 | 23.40 | ||||
| 26 | 10 | 23.42 | ||||
| 27 | 11 | 23.47 | ||||
| 28 | 8 | 23.50 | ||||
| 29 | 8 | 23.54 | ||||
| 30 | 7 | 23.61 | ||||
| 31 | 7 | 23.64 | ||||
| 32 | 11 | 23.66 | ||||
| 33 | 8 | 23.74 | ||||
| 34 | 7 | 23.79 | ||||
| 35 | 8 | 23.83 | ||||
| 35 | 9 | 23.83 | ||||
| 37 | 6 | 23.88 | ||||
| 38 | 7 | 23.94 | ||||
| 39 | 7 | 24.14 | ||||
| 40 | 7 | 24.17 | ||||
| 41 | 5 | 24.29 | ||||
| 41 | 6 | 24.29 | ||||
| 43 | 5 | 24.43 | ||||
| 44 | 6 | 24.49 | ||||
| 45 | 6 | 24.52 | ||||
| 46 | 6 | 24.67 | ||||
| 47 | 5 | 24.73 | ||||
| 48 | 4 | 24.79 | ||||
| 49 | 5 | 24.84 | ||||
| 50 | 6 | 24.86 | ||||
| 51 | 5 | 24.97 | ||||
| 52 | 4 | 25.01 | ||||
| 53 | 6 | 25.05 | ||||
| 54 | 4 | 25.35 | ||||
| 55 | 5 | 25.36 | ||||
| 56 | 4 | 25.48 | ||||
| 57 | 4 | 25.66 | ||||
| 58 | 4 | 25.70 | ||||
| 59 | 3 | 25.90 | ||||
| 60 | 3 | 26.04 | ||||
| 61 | 3 | 26.11 | ||||
| 62 | 3 | 26.12 | ||||
| 63 | 6 | 26.38 | ||||
| 64 | 5 | 26.47 | ||||
| 65 | 3 | 26.55 | ||||
| 66 | 3 | 26.85 | ||||
| 67 | 3 | 26.94 | ||||
| 68 | 3 | 27.15 | ||||
| 69 | 4 | 27.16 | ||||
| 70 | 4 | 27.35 | ||||
| 71 | 2 | 27.64 | ||||
| 72 | 9 | 27.73 | ||||
| 73 | 2 | 28.79 | ||||
| – | 2 | DQ | ||||
| – | 2 | DQ | ||||
| – | 2 | DQ | ||||
| – | 1 | DNS | ||||
| – | 1 | DNS | ||||
| – | 1 | DNS | ||||
| – | 2 | DNS | ||||
| – | 10 | DNS |
| Rank | Name | Nationality | Time | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9 | 22.62 | ||||
| 10 | 22.67 | ||||
| 11 | 22.77 | ||||
| 12 | 22.82 | ||||
| 12 | 22.82 | ||||
| 14 | 23.01 | ||||
| 15 | 23.03 | ||||
| 16 | 23.07 |
| Rank | Name | Nationality | Time | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 22.29 | |||||
| 22.43 | |||||
| 22.47 | |||||
| 22.47 | OC | ||||
| 5 | 22.50 | ||||
| 6 | 22.54 | ||||
| 7 | 22.83 | ||||
| 8 | 22.84 |