Brendan Burns Opting For 100 Back/Fly Double At NCAAs Over 2 Back/Fly Double

2023 NCAA DIVISION I MEN’S SWIMMING & DIVING CHAMPIONSHIPS

  • March 22-25, 2023
  • Jean K. Freeman Aquatic Center | Minneapolis, MN
  • SCY (25 yards)
  • Meet Central
  • Pre-Selection Psych Sheets
  • Live Results

Despite winning the 200 back and 200 fly double at Big Tens three years in a row, Brendan Burns is opting to do what he has also done three years in a row—swim the 100 fly/100 back double over the 200 fly/200 back double at NCAAs. He is set to swim the 100 fly and 100 back on day three, and then race the 200 fly on day four. At Big Tens, he raced the 100 back on day three while racing the 200 back and fly on day four.

While the 100 fly/100 back is less yardage than the 200 fly/200 back, the 100 fly is arguably much more competitive than the 200 back. Burns hasn’t race the 100 fly at a taper meet yet this season, his best time of 44.54 in the event would have had him seeded fifth . Meanwhile, his best time of 1:38.22 in the 200 back would have had him seeded third this year and placed second last year.

That being said, dropping the double on day four gives Burns a chance to focus on the event he has the best shot at an NCAA title at—the 200 fly. While racing the 200 back/200 fly could give him more points, it might cost him a first-place finish in the 200 fly, and it might not be worth it to go all-out in the 200 back when Destin Lasco is a heavy favorite to win. This year, Burns is seeded second in the 200 fly behind Gabriel Jett, though his best time of 1:38.71 over half a second quicker than Jett’s personal best of 1:39.27.

Brendan Burns, 2023 NCAA Lineup:

  • 100 fly: 45.81 (41st seed)
  • 100 back: 44.65 (4th seed)
  • 200 fly: 1:39.51 (2nd seed)

Last year at NCAAs, Burns finished 9th in the 100 fly (44.54), second in the 100 back (44.15), and first in 200 fly (1:38.71).

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Drewbrewsbeer
1 year ago

Who wouldn’t?

Shaddy419
1 year ago

Scratching the 2 back to focus on winning the 200 butterback. I respect it

TNM
1 year ago

100 fly/back double is easy. I did it all four years in college. 200 fly/back double on the other hand…

FTW
1 year ago

makes sense

James Beam
1 year ago

I can see where he is coming from to not do the 200 double at NCAA’s- he can cruise in the AM at Big10’s and get away with it…Has to be the favorite in the 2 fly though.

When was the last time the NCAA changed the order of events? Probably been set in stone for decades.

Lab Counter
Reply to  James Beam
1 year ago

Correct for individual events. Relays have changed a lot.

H20PoloFan2
Reply to  James Beam
1 year ago

With Fly/Back similar with underwaters being the focus I’d like to see 200 Ba or Fly on day 2 as IM, 500 Free aren’t usually Ba or Fly guys usually. IM/Breast Guys have more flexibility in current schedule.

Noah
Reply to  H20PoloFan2
1 year ago

That would be good except lots of 2 IMers also swim 200 of strokes. 2 back would probably make the most sense over 2 fly, feels like less overlap.

About Yanyan Li

Yanyan Li

Although Yanyan wasn't the greatest competitive swimmer, she learned more about the sport of swimming by being her high school swim team's manager for four years. She eventually ventured into the realm of writing and joined SwimSwam in January 2022, where she hopes to contribute to and learn more about …

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