British Breaststroker Oscar Bilbao Joining Arizona State This Fall

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British breaststroker Oscar Bilbao is bolstering the Arizona State men’s roster this season as the Sun Devils seek to defend their first-ever NCAA crown in 2024-25.

Bilbao grew up in England before moving to Dubai in the United Arab Emirates, where he trained with Hamilton Aquatics Dubai. He had a huge performance for Team England at the 2023 Commonwealth Youth Games, winning four gold medals in the 50 breast (28.60), 100 breast (1:03.12), 200 breast (2:15.57), and 4×100 mixed medley relay (1:02.56 breast split). It was a historic sweep as only one other British athlete, cyclist Hannah Barnes (Pune 2008), had ever tallied four titles at the event.

At last year’s European Junior Championships, Bilbao made semifinals in the 50 breast (28.85, 11th place), 100 breast (1:03.09, 9th place), and 200 breast (2:18.42, 11th place). He also competed at the 2022 European Junior Championships, placing 11th in the 200 breast (2:18.13), 19th in the 100 breast (1:03.63), and 34th in the 50 breast (29.58).

Best LCM Times (Converted to SCY)

  • 50 breast – 28.55 (24.81)
  • 100 breast – 1:02.46 (54.46)
  • 200 breast – 2:15.57 (1:58.53)
  • 200 IM – 2:05.07 (1:49.79)

Bilbao’s best converted times would have placed 7th in the 200 breast, 8th in the 100 breast, and made the C-final of 200 IM at last season’s Big 12 Championships. The conference will look a lot different this season with powerhouse Texas leaving the Big 12 and Arizona State, Arizona, and Utah joining from the Pac-12.

The Sun Devils are entering their first season under head coach Herbie Behm after Bob Bowman left to replace Eddie Reese at Texas right after winning the NCAA title in late March. The ASU men return big names like two-time Olympic bronze medalist Ilya Kharun, but they’ll be without stars such as Leon Marchand, Hubert Kos, and Owen McDonald this season.

Bilbao is one of 11 freshmen arriving in Tempe this fall along with diver Carson Christiansen, Isaac Fleig, Michael Hochwalt, Brady Johnson, Finn Kemp, Jacob Pins, Quin Seider, Lucien Vergnes, Leo Verschooten, and David Young.

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Concerned for Team USA
1 month ago

People don’t want to say it but age group coaches talk about this all the time. College coaches cherry picking from other countries rather than developing our own talent. A 17 year old boy cannot compete w 20 year olds but they are both being recruited as incoming freshmen. Why not limit the number of foreigners on a NCAA team?

Concerned for team USA
1 month ago

Good for Oscar but when are we going to put a cap on foreign swimmers on NCAA teams. Should be one per team. It is hurting the development opportunities for US swimmers. Many great 17 year old boys never have a chance to develop to their potential because there aren’t spots on great NCAA teams. Too many spots given to foreign athletes especially in top 20 NCAA teams.

Admin
Reply to  Concerned for team USA
1 month ago

There are no Team USA-caliber swimmers who aren’t getting spots on college teams.

bobthebuilderrocks
1 month ago

They picked up a 53 LCM backstroker too, should be swimming this fall I think

Former Big10
Reply to  bobthebuilderrocks
1 month ago

only converts to 48, might make the conference “c” final…

Dan
Reply to  Former Big10
1 month ago

for me, it said that 53.5 LCM converts to a 47.1

Former Big10
Reply to  Dan
1 month ago

was making a joke, but the point still stands

good luck everybody
Reply to  Former Big10
1 month ago

On the SwimSwam chart, :53.50LCM converts to :44.68SCY.

I try to stay up fairly well on ASU’s recruiting, but I’m unaware of such an addition. Just today they updated their online roster for 2024-25, which doesn’t include any :53+ names. I know they lost a :53.1 fellow that broke into the 52s this summer, and won Gold in the 200(Kos to Texas), and also lost a :54.51LCM(:44.25 SCY – McDonald to Indiana).

But they fight back with additions in other ways, such as improvements from guys already on the roster. For example, Quinlan Gould, a sophomore out of Oregon, was :56.78 at ’23 Jrs. and qualified for Trials this summer at :54.83. A ways to go yet, but pretty… Read more »

bobthebuilderrocks
Reply to  good luck everybody
1 month ago

Jonothan/Jonno Adams is the recruit, not sure if he’s 2024 or 2025.

good luck everybody
Reply to  bobthebuilderrocks
1 month ago

There is a ‘Jono Adam’ from Great Britain who has been sub :54.00 6 times between 12/22 and 12/23 (PB :53.45). At the British Trials he had :54.68P and :54.88 in final for 7th. After being 53+ so consistently the year prior, it sounds like possible injury or other health issues.

He did his :53.45 leading off a relay at the U23 European Championships(8/23) (wasn’t in individual 100 Bk) where a group of Americans was allowed to participate including ASU’s Patrick Sammon.

Might they have met there? I’m just spit-ballin’ here, but it would be interesting if he were added to an already deep Sun Devil squad.

Sorin
1 month ago

Those conversions aren’t honest to what I think he could actually go, depending on how his turns are. If he has decent turns and pullouts I’d watch out for him in the future

Post grad swimmer
Reply to  Sorin
1 month ago

2:15 is way better than1:58

BR32
1 month ago

Those conversions are awful

Dan
Reply to  BR32
1 month ago

If a person has Short Course Meters times, I think they are more appropriate to convert as the number of turns and underwater are closely related to yards

About Riley Overend

Riley is an associate editor interested in the stories taking place outside of the pool just as much as the drama between the lane lines. A 2019 graduate of Boston College, he arrived at SwimSwam in April of 2022 after three years as a sports reporter and sports editor at newspapers …

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