2023 NCAA Championships: Day 3 Times to Make It Back Soften In Several Events

2023 NCAA DIVISION I MEN’S SWIMMING & DIVING CHAMPIONSHIPS

After a day 3 last year that saw every event take a leap forward from the year before, today’s prelims times were a bit of a mixed. Several events were tougher to earn a second swim this year than last year, while several were easier.

8th/16th Prelims Time Comparison, 2019-2023

2019 2021 2022 2023
400 IM (8th) 3:40.78 3:40.80 3:39.62 3:39.09
400 IM (16) 3:42.77 3:44.05 3:41.10 3:41.67
100 Fly (A) 45.31 45.10 44.78 44.65
100 Fly (B) 45.64 45.64 45.16 45.24
200 Free (A) 1:32.42 1:32.68 1:32.00 1:32.28
200 Free (B) 1:32.93 1:32.98 1:32.58 1:32.61
100 Breast (A) 51.93 51.73 51.40 51.12
100 Breast (B) 52.25 52.03 51.92 51.66
100 Back (A) 45.09 45.04 44.72 45.05
100 Back (B) 45.37 45.53 45.36 45.54

The only event where it was more difficult to make both finals this year than last year was the 100 breast. This wasn’t too unexpected, as this qualifying time was essentially the same as last year’s 16th-place time in prelims. Last year’s 8th place time of 51.40 would’ve only placed 15th morning, barely a quarter second ahead of making the B-final. Minnesota’s Max McHugh is in line for yet another title in the event after going 50.26 to lead this morning’s prelims.

Both the 400 IM and the 100 fly proved to have mixed results. The times to make the A finals for each were more difficult this year, while it was slightly easier to make the B-final in both events. ASU’s Leon Marchand led the 400 IM prelims with an “easy” 3:34.47, setting a new pool record, while Florida’s Josh Liendo popped a new lifetime best of 43.80 to lead the 100 fly prelims.

Both the 200 free and the 100 back were slightly easier to make this year for each final. Note that both events featured a swim-off: that time of 1:32.28 to make the 200 A-final involved a tie, which was resolved when ASU’s Patrick Sammon defeated IU’s Rafael Miroslaw, and the 16th place 100 back time of 45.54 was a tie between Tommy Janton of Notre Dame and Leon MacAlister of Stanford. Janton advanced to the B-final with a 45.12, a time that would’ve put him 9th in prelims had he swam that initially.

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Gummy Shark
1 year ago

51.66 just to make it back for breaststroke is wild. 44.65 to make the A final is fly in also absurd.

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