D3 Champion Jack Wadsworth Has Dropped 20 Seconds in 500 Free Since Transferring to ASU

2023 MEN’S PAC-12 SWIMMING & DIVING CHAMPIONSHIPS

The time drops keep coming in bunches for Arizona State junior Jack Wadsworth.

After setting a Division III record in the 100 back (46.45) last season, the Ithaca College transfer may have found a new specialty in the 500 free. Wadsworth has now dropped more than 20 seconds in the 500 free since arriving in Tempe last fall, punctuated by a B-final victory in 4:17.87 at Thursday night’s Pac-12 Championships.

Wadsworth joined the Sun Devils with a lifetime best of 4:38.44 from 2019. He only raced the event once at Ithaca, clocking a 4:53.43 last January. Then at the NC State Invite last November, Wadsworth blazed a 4:23.72 to shave nearly 15 seconds off his previous best. In prelims this morning, he posted a personal-best 4:19.33 before lowering that mark by another second and a half in the final.

Wadsworth’s 500 Free Progression

  • 4:17.87 – Pac-12 Final, March 2023
  • 4:19.33 – Pac-12 Prelims, March 2023
  • 4:23.72 – NC State Invite, November 2022
  • 4:38.44 – Speedo Champions Series, 2019

Wadworth has also dropped more than three seconds off his best 200 back time (1:40.90) this season.

At Ithaca, Wadsworth was primarily a backstroke and IM specialist, dropping an impressive amount of time during his two years in Ithaca, New York. Along with his 100 back title as a sophomore, he was also runner-up in the 400 IM (3:49.26) and third in the 200 back (1:44.44) at last year’s NCAAs. His times at NCAAs represented enormous improvements from those with which he arrived at Ithaca in the fall of 2020.

  HIGH SCHOOL ITHACA COLLEGE
50 back 23.17 21.98
100 back 48.99 46.45
200 back 1:47.14 1:44.07
200 IM 1:52.07 1:48.37
400 IM 3:56.99 3:49.26

6
Leave a Reply

Subscribe
Notify of

6 Comments
newest
oldest most voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
ArtVanDeLegh10
1 year ago

Looks like he hasn’t really swim the 500 rested in 4 years which is partly why he’s dropped so much.

612
Reply to  ArtVanDeLegh10
1 year ago

I haven’t swam rested in 6 years. Can’t wait to drop

d3hist0rian
1 year ago

still making his boy kev proud

draft chaser
1 year ago

I guess 3 grand threshold practices work plus 4 grand aerobic day after day after day?

PFA
1 year ago

Wow Bob really must have had him grinding and yardage throughout the season to obliterate his PB. Excited for his backstroke because he’s arguably better there.

Edit: also there’s another former D3 swimmer at the meet. Luke Rodarte for Cal already split 23.4 on the medley relay for their EXH could make noise in the 100 and 200 breast.

Last edited 1 year ago by PFA
samuli
Reply to  PFA
1 year ago

when you change your training group you get new stimulus and times might get better, long time improvement much harder to achieve.

About Riley Overend

Riley is an associate editor interested in the stories taking place outside of the pool just as much as the drama between the lane lines. A 2019 graduate of Boston College, he arrived at SwimSwam in April of 2022 after three years as a sports reporter and sports editor at newspapers …

Read More »