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Nikolett Padar, who hails from Szeged, Hungary, has kicked off Class of 2025 recruiting with a verbal commitment to Arizona State University. She wrote on social media:
“I’m so excited to announce my verbal commitment to continue my athletic career and studies at Arizona State University! A huge thanks to @coach_bowman , my family, coaches, teammates and friends for supporting and helping me through this journey! Can’t wait to be a Sun Devil, Forks Up!😈🔱 #sundevils #forksup”
Padar is a freestyle specialist who trains with the club team Szegedi Úszó Egylet and represents Hungary in international competition. She had an outstanding summer, winning the 200 free (1:57.59) and 400 free (4:08.06) and placing 5th in the 100 free (55.76) at Euro Juniors in July before going on to World Championships in Fukuoka, Japan, and breaking the European Junior Record in the 200 free with 1:56.55.
Last summer, she won the 100 free (55.11) and 200 free (1:58.19) at World Junior Championships in August, a month after winning the same events (54.69/1:58.43) at 2022 Euro Juniors. In addition, she snagged three more gold medals in Lima at Junior Worlds in the girls’ 4×100 and 4×200 free relays and the mixed 4×100 free relay.
Padar is a national record-holder as a member of Hungary’s 4×100 free relay from the 2021 Short Course World Championships in Abu Dhabi.
Padar is the first public verbal commitment from the high school class of 2025. She will join the Sun Devils in their second year with the Big 12. Her converted 200 free time would have won the 2023 NCAA Division I title. She would have been an A-finalist in the 500 free and a B-finalist in the 100 free. In addition, she would have been an invaluable member of ASU’s relays.
Best LCM times (converted):
- 100 free – 54.69 (47.82)
- 200 free – 1:56.55 (1:42.11)
- 400 free – 4:08.06 (4:37.93)
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Saw her 100 free and literally LOL’ed and said what. 47 and 1:42 is dirty, even if it is converted. ASU is about to become a consistent powerhouse.
Is it good for swimming if most of the champions end up in the same club? Not stating, asking…
Of course not, life moves in cycles… Who remembers Arizona, Auburn, NC State, Louisville etc. slated for unstoppable greatness or were great, yet there they came down or regressed and it-school was chosen by commentariat here
Yes please
Immediate finalist in 3 events. Geeze
cray considering she’s only going in 2 years from now
ASU’s coach Bob Bowman seems to have magic touch at least with developing European swimmers to to be World Champions! How many university swimming programs have had undergrads win a total of 4 World Champion gold medals in the modern era? I guess that is what we should expect as Michael Phelps said his old coach still has a few secrets!
Texas Men and Stanford Women are the only ones I can think of.
Virginia women are not too far away after the 2022 & 2023 WC
No, there were some close calls in 09 with Auburn (Cielo 2 gold, Coventry 1 gold and Coventry 1 silver) and Florida (Lochte 2 golds, Spofforth 1 gold and Lochte 1 bronze)
Cal Men in 2016???
Bob Bowman has an unusual system where his pro group, which includes both male and female Olympic gold medalists and World Champions, train with and often provide tips and compete with the undergrad swimmers. See Hurbert Kos SwimSwam podcast interview from last Tuesday,who was a freshman this past year, yet won World Champion in 200 back in only his 3rd LCM meet in that stroke! Even Hollywood would find that a bit too improbable for a film! Hubert, in the interview, gives credit to Coach Bowman and the way the two groups train together for his success. As Leon Marchand said after winning 3 NCAA events: “We are doing something special at ASU”!
A surprise to be sure, but a welcome one.
Wow, huge pickup for ASU. That Hungry to ASU pipeline will continue to be promising.
A certain 200 flyer might be a good addition to the pro group at least post Paris…