Alabama Snags NZ Breaststroker Max Kennedy-Till for 2017-18

As reported in the New Zealand press, Max Kennedy-Till of the Auckland suburb, Newmarket, has committed to swim for the University of Alabama next year. Kennedy-Till told Fairfax Media reporter Sam Hewat, “I feel so honoured and grateful to have been given the opportunity to train under the world’s best. The collegiate system in America isn’t like anywhere else. It’s the perfect way to integrate academics and that high performance treatment. Olympic representation has always been my number one goal,” he said. “I think America is just the next step to get there.”

Kennedy-Till swims for Igor and Larissa Polianski at United Swimming Club. He specializes in breast, and was the bronze medalist in the 50/100/200 LCM breaststroke events at the New Zealand Age Group Championships in March. Between that meet and the New Zealand Open Championships in April, he has updated his PBs in the LCM 100 free, 200 back, 50/100/200 breast, and 200 IM.

Kennedy-Till graduated from King’s College, a private secondary school in Auckland. He plans to study mechanical engineering at Alabama.

His best times are:

  • 50 LCM breast – 30.12 (26.23)
  • 100 breast – 1:05.41 (57.12)
  • 200 breast – 2:23.14 (2:05.35)
  • 200 IM – 2:11.26 (1:55.36)

Kennedy-Till will join fellow commits Alex Robinson, Andrey Tretyakov, Cade Auerbach, Christian Strycker, Jack Blake, Josh Lenzmeier, Michael Burris, Sam Disette, Tyler Sesvold in the Alabama class of 2021.

If you have a commitment to report, please send an email with a photo (landscape, or horizontal, looks best) and a quote to [email protected]

 

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Dawgpaddle
6 years ago

Good pick for the Rammer Jammer Roll Tide Krew

About Anne Lepesant

Anne Lepesant

Anne Lepesant is the mother of four daughters, all of whom swam in college. With an undergraduate degree from Princeton (where she was an all-Ivy tennis player) and an MBA from INSEAD, she worked for many years in the financial industry, both in France and the U.S. Anne is currently …

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