Brian Benzing Drops 22.54 50 Breast Split For #2 All-Time, Toni Sabev Hits 22.63 At CAAs

2023 CAA CHAMPIONSHIPS

• Wednesday, February 22 – Saturday, February 25, 2023
• Hampton Aquaplex, Hampton, VA
• Defending Champions:
  • Women: William & Mary (1x)
  • Men: UNCW (1x)
• Live Results
• Live Video
• Championship Central
• Psych Sheets

Two of the fastest 50 breaststroke splits in history appear to have been dropped in the opening session of the 2023 Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) Championships in Hampton, Virginia.

In the timed final of the men’s 200 medley relay, Towson junior Brian Benzing and Delaware sophomore Toni Sabev went head-to-head, with Benzing splitting a blazing 22.54 on the breast leg and Sabev touching in 22.63.

UPDATE: hand timing of the race video aligns with the results

While it is surprising to see two relay splits of this magnitude come in the same race on the same leg at a mid-major championship meet, the results are confirmed on both Meet Mobile and the CAA results page.

• Full 200 medley relay results

Benzing’s split makes him the second-fastest performer of all-time, trailing only Minnesota’s Max McHugh (22.40), while Sabev now ranks tied for fifth.

McHugh, the two-time defending NCAA champion in the 100 breast, had his fastest 50 breast relay split come in at 22.40 at the 2021 Big Ten Championships.

Tonight, he split 22.57 at Big Tens.

Men’s 50 Breast Splits: Top Performers Of All Time

1. Max McHugh, Minnesota – 22.40 (2021)
2. Brian Benzing, Towson – 22.54 (2023
3. Caspar Corbeau, Texas – 22.55 (2022)
4. Carsten Vissering, USC – 22.58 (2018)
5. Derek Maas, Alabama / Toni Sabev, Delaware – 22.63 (2022)
6. –
7. Chuck Katis, Cal – 22.64 (2015)
8. Will Chan, Michigan / Trent Pellini, USC  – 22.67 (2021/2022)
9. –
10. Peter Stevens, Tennessee – 22.69 (2016)

In this event last year, Benzing split 23.39 for Towson, while Sabev was 23.54. Earlier this season, Benzing split 23.54 for the Tigers at the Patriot Invitational in mid-November, while Sabev was 23.69 at the Bucknell Invitational for the Blue Hens.

Benzing is also an NCAA Championship qualifier from last year, having placed ninth in the prelims (51.47) and then ultimately 13th in the final of the men’s 100 breaststroke (51.66).

Sabev, a native of Bulagaria, owns a best time of 52.17 in the 100 breast, set at the Bucknell Invite in November.

In the 200 medley relay on Wednesday, Sabev dove in nearly a full second clear of Benzing after sophomore teammate Gavin Currie gave Delaware an early lead in 21.49, and then Simeon Sabev (21.19) and Matvei Namakonov (19.61) brought the Blue Hens home for the victory in a conference record time of 1:24.92.

For the Tigers, Benzing was joined by backstroker Evan Bota (22.36), flier Noah Diacumakos (21.09) and senior Michael Fazio (19.18) as they finished second in 1:25.17, also under the previous CAA Record of 1:25.52 set by William & Mary in 2020.