Reported by James Sutherland.
MEN’S 200 BREAST FINAL
- Junior World: 2:09.39, Qin Haiyang (CHN), 2017
- Meet: 2:11.25, Daniel Roy, 2017
- AJ Pouch, TRA, 2:12.52
- Josh Matheny, PEAQ, 2:12.69
- Jake Foster, RAYS, 2:13.76
Taking over the lead on the second 50, AJ Pouch of Team Rebel looked to have the men’s 200 breast final under control, extending his lead through the 150. However, Josh Matheny of Pittsburgh Elite, who won the 100 breast, made a huge push on the last 50, closing in a scorching 33.95 to make up over a second on Pouch. He just ran out of room, with Pouch taking it in 2:12.52 to Matheny’s 2:12.69.
Pouch was 2:11.96 last week at Nationals, which has him 3rd all-time in the 17-18 age group, while Matheny’s swim moves him up to 3rd for the 15-16s after getting into 7th in the prelims. Coming into the meet with a best of 2:17.73, Matheny took off three seconds in the heats and then two more tonight for a massive five-second drop.
Jake Foster was right in the thick of it the entire way, being overtaken by Matheny on the final 50 to take 3rd in 2:13.76. Foster swam the two fastest times of his career at Senior Nationals with a pair of 2:13.2s.
