Drew Kibler is a competitive swimmer who represents the United States internationally. He is a 6x NCAA champion and a world champion.
Kibler was first on SwimSwam at the age of 13 when he went 22.08 in the 50 free.
Highschool
2017 Indiana High School State Meet
Kibler broke the National Federation of State High School Associaton’s national public school record in prelims of the 50 free at the 2018 Indiana Boys State Meet, and helped the Carmel boys to a new public school record in the 200 medley relay. In the 50 free, he touched in 19.38, breaking both Indiana state and public high school records. The medley relay went 1:28.00, with Kibler splitting 20.64 on the butterfly leg.
Commitment to Texas
On February 27, 2017, Kibler announced his verbal commitment to the University of Texas. This was in the middle of Kibler’s junior year of high school, and at the time he had best time of 19.38, 42.99, 1:33.30, and 4:15.36 in the 50-500 freestyle.
First High Schooler Under 1:33
In what was perhaps a view into the future of things to come, Drew Kibler became the first high schooler ever to break 1:33 in the 200 free on March 3, 2018, and did it in Austin, Texas, which would later serve as is college home. Competing at the American Short Course Championships, Kibler hit the wall in 1:32.66, lopping over .6 off his best time and becoming the 2nd fastest 17-18 male in history, behind Maxime Rooney, who had swam a 1:32.18 his freshman season at Florida.
College (Texas)
2018-2019
In his freshman year at Texas, Kibler scored in all 3 of his individual events at the 2019 NCAA championships. In the 50 free, he tied for 9th with Cal swimmer Michael Jensen in 19.15. In the 200 free, Kibler cracked the top 3, touching in 1:31.76 ahead of his Texas teammate (and 3-time defending champion in the event) Townley Haas to place 3rd overall. In the 100 free, Kibler placed 16th with a 42.63 after making the B final in the morning with a 42.17. Kibler was also a valuable relay piece for the horns, leading off the 800 free relay (1:32.06) that went onto to break the American and NCAA record, going 2nd on the 3rd place 200 free relay (18.62), and leading off the morning 400 free relay (42.54) that would place the longhorns comfortably in the top 8, priming them to win the event.
2020-2021
At his 2nd NCAA Championships (2020 was cancelled due to the COVID-19 Pandemic), Kibler placed 6th in the 500 free (4:10.04), and 2nd in the 200 free (1:30.39) and 100 free (41.59, tied with his Texas teammate Daniel Krueger). He also swam on Texas’ winning 800 free relay and 4th place 400 free relay.
2021-2022
At his senior year NCAA Championships, Kibler won his first individual NCAA title, taking first in the 200 free in 1:30.28. He also placed 6th in the 50 free (18.87) and 100 free (41.33). He also aided Texas in breaking the NCAA, US Open and American records in the 800 free relay (6:03.89) and winning a title in the 400 free relay (2:46.03).
National/International Competition
2016 Jr Pan Pacific Championships
At the 2016 Jr pan pacs, when he was just 16, Kibler brought home a haul of hardware. He placed 3rd in the 200 free (1:49.04), 10th in the 100 free (49.04), 2nd in the 4×200 free relay, 1st in the 4×100 free relay, and 9th in the 50 free.
2018 Jr Pan Pacific Championships
At his 2nd Jr Pan Pacs, Kibler was named 1 of 5 captains for the 18-under team USA squad. In Fiji, Kibler garnered even more hardware than 2016, earning gold in the 200 free, 100 free, 4×100 free relay, 4×200 free relay, and 4×100 medley relay, as well as silver in the 50 free.
2019 Pan American Games (Lima, Peru)
Kibler qualified to compete at the 2019 Pam American Games, where he swam the 200 free individually. Kibler touched for bronze in a time of 1:47.71, his first senior international medal. He also helped USA win silver medals in the 4×100 (48.83, 2nd) and 4×200 (1:47.31, lead off) free relays.
2022 World Championship Trials
Kibler qualified for his first world championship team on the first night of trials by placing 4th in the 100 free with a PR of 48.25. The next night, he qualified for his first individual event in the 200 free in another PR, 1:45.32.
2022 World Championships
At his first World Champs, Kibler was crowned world champion, leading off USA’s winning 800 free relay in 1:45.32. Kibler placed 4th individually in the 200 free final (1:45.01), just .03 behind 3rd place finisher Tom Dean. He also earned a bronze medal as a prelims swimmer in USA’s 400 mixed free relay.
2022 Short Course World Championships
In Melbourne, Kibler once again helped USA to a world title in the 4×200 free relay, anchoring in 1:41.16 en route to a new world record (6:44.12). He also led off USA’s bronze medal 4×100 free relay in 46.84. Individually, he placed 17th in the 100 free (47.05) and 4th in the 200 free (1:41.11), once again right behind Tom Dean.
2023 U.S. International Team Trials (Indianapolis, Indiana)
Kibler ran the gamut of freestyle, earning second swims in all 4 of his races: 50, 100, 200, and 400 frees. Despite making it back in all of the races, he only made the Worlds team in his signature 200 free. He swam 1:45.75 for 3rd, just .12 back from runner-up Kieran Smith. Luke Hobson, his former teammate at the University of Texas before Kibler returned to Carmel, won the event in 1:45.18 while another former teammate, Carson Foster, was 1:45.64 in prelims, presumably getting a spot on the 4×200, before dropping the finals. Earlier in the meet, Kibler had missed in the 100 free, posting a 48.42 in the final for 8th. Kibler posted best times in the 50 and 400 free of 22.12 and 3:49.88 respectively.
2023 World Aquatics Championships (Fukuoka, Japan)
Kibler was solid on the prelims 800 free relay with a 1:46.44. The finals squad clinched the silver.
