Swim of the Week is brought to you by arena, a SwimSwam partner.
Disclaimer: Swim of the Week is not meant to be a conclusive selection of the best overall swim of the week, but rather one Featured Swim to be explored in deeper detail. The Swim of the Week is an opportunity to take a closer look at the context of one of the many fast swims this week, perhaps a swim that slipped through the cracks as others grabbed the headlines, or a race we didn’t get to examine as closely in the flood of weekly meets.
There were a number of jaw-dropping swims last week that came out of the ACC and SEC Championships, as superstar names such as Kate Douglass, Maggie MacNeil and Jordan Crooks continued to deliver record-breaking performances.
One swimmer that unexpectedly joined in on the action was Kentucky freshman Levi Sandidge, who made history in more ways than one in the men’s 1650 freestyle at SECs.
Sandidge, who came into the meet seeded fourth and more than 11 and a half seconds back of top seed Victor Johansson, opened up an early lead in the timed final heat and never looked back.
After a swimming a personal best time of 4:20.24 in the 500 free earlier in the meet, Sandidge opened up the mile in 4:22.26, putting him out ahead of the field early, and his lead only grew from there, as he split 4:26.42 and 4:25.00 over the next two 500s. His split of 8:48.68 at the 1000 was a new school record.
The 18-year-old then finished things off over the final 150 to clock 14:31.47, dropping more than 18 seconds from his previous best time of 14:49.75 while also breaking the boys’ 17-18 National Age Group Record of 14:34.36 set by PJ Ransford in 2015.
The fastest 18 & under American 𝐄𝐕𝐄𝐑 in the 1650 free! 🇺🇸🤯
Levi Sandidge, ladies and gentlemen. #WeAreUK 🔵😺 pic.twitter.com/39LY84pZ0A
— Kentucky Swim & Dive (@UKSwimDive) February 22, 2023
Additionally, Sandidge became the first-ever Kentucky swimmer to win the mile at SECs and just the seventh to place first in any event at the conference championships.
Sandidge’s Splits
- 24.03
- 50.29 (26.26)
- 1:16.87 (26.58)
- 1:43.20 (26.33)
- 2:09.69 (26.49)
- 2:36.13 (26.44)
- 3:02.52 (26.39)
- 3:29.12 (26.60)
- 3:55.71 (26.59)
- 4:22.26 (26.55)
- 4:48.71 (26.45)
- 5:15.40 (26.69)
- 5:42.06 (26.66)
- 6:08.71 (26.65)
- 6:35.40 (26.69)
- 7:01.95 (26.55)
- 7:28.61 (26.66)
- 7:55.48 (26.87)
- 8:22.16 (26.68)
- 8:48.68 (26.52)
- 9:15.32 (26.64)
- 9:41.78 (26.46)
- 10:08.25 (26.47)
- 10:34.54 (26.29)
- 11:00.89 (26.35)
- 11:27.17 (26.28)
- 11:53.93 (26.76)
- 12:20.65 (26.72)
- 12:47.19 (26.54)
- 13:13.68 (26.49)
- 13:40.17 (26.49)
- 14:06.19 (26.02)
- 14:31.47 (25.28)
Sandidge, who also swam a best time of 3:46.79 at the meet to finish 20th (he was 21st in the 500 free), currently holds the top time in the country by over four seconds, with NC State’s Will Gallant (14:34.82) sitting second.
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