Caeleb Dressel Splits 40.20 on Florida’s Meet-Closing 400 Free Relay

Braden Keith
by Braden Keith 18

February 19th, 2017 College, News, SEC

2017 SEC SWIMMING & DIVING CHAMPIONSHIPS

Caeleb Dressel has had a lot of heroic relay splits this week in a lot of tight spots (17.90 on the 200 medley, 17.86 on the 200 free relay,40.43 on the 400 free relay), and in each of those swims he had to make up ground on the competition for eventual Florida wins.

But in the meet’s final relay, he swam 3rd for the Gators, and actually hit the water in first place, and had about four-tenths’ worth of clean water when he left the block.

He took advantage of that to split 40.20 en route to another Gator relay swim, passing off to Jan Switkowski who held the team’s massive 2+ second lead.

While difficult to confirm for sure, we believe that swim to be the fastest 100 yard freestyle ever swum off a relay split, surpassing Vlad Morozov‘s 40.28 anchoring USC’s title-winning 400 free relay at the 2013 NCAA Championships; and Nathan Adrian‘s 40.23 from 2009 anchoring Cal’s 400 medley relay.

Last season, when Dressel swam the fastest-ever flat-start in the 100 free of 40.46 (three tenths faster than Morozov did three years earlier), he led off Florida’s 400 free relay and swam breaststroke on their medley relay.

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Patrick
7 years ago

In reading tonight over several articles of uncertainty whether some relay splits were indeed the fastest in history as expected. around 8 yrs ago I was in contact with Jason Marsteller at Swimming World. He knew me back then as frequently contacting him in comments section below his online articles, mostly in misquoting facts, times, splits, etc, or inadvertently having an entire statement false in its entirety. He privately emailed me to ask if I would be willing to offer help on my downtime to Bill Bell, who for YEARS was THE ultra statistician. If I recall correctly, Jason explained to me of a sensitive issue involving mr bell’s eyesight very poor and getting worse. He typed in extremely large… Read more »

Person
7 years ago

Predictions for NCAAs: 18.1/40.2 individually, 17.6/39.9 for his best relay splits. The 18 and 40 second barriers hold up for his individuals, not the relays.

swimfan
7 years ago

Nice to hear some of the bests in the business are sharing their knowledge on relay start. American sprinting has a bright future!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lOBzKpSMkzQ

dude
7 years ago

I can totally do that for a 75 when I’m suited and shaved.

Jason Z
7 years ago

What a beast! Wow these guys just keep getting better and better

Rick Allred
7 years ago

As a devoted fan of The University of Alabama swimming and diving program, I am extremely proud of the results from the men’s team. The men continue to impress with amazing improvement in arguably the strongest conference in the nation. They showed balance in every stroke and were so close to finishing in the top three. I am equally proud of BAMA’s two divers in the platform finals.

I am in awe and have the upmost respect for the University of Florida’s sprint phenom, Caleb Dressel. He will be the next Olympic superstar for USA swimming. I admire his humble attitude as he puts the team’s needs over his own as he praises his coaches and teammates for his success.… Read more »

nihongo sensei
7 years ago

or simply “the fastest 100 ever swum in history, of forever, by anyone” works too

Aquajosh
7 years ago

He maxed out on the possible number of points for the high point award (3 individual wins and 4 relay wins). When is the last time that was done at SECs?

About Braden Keith

Braden Keith

Braden Keith is the Editor-in-Chief and a co-founder/co-owner of SwimSwam.com. He first got his feet wet by building The Swimmers' Circle beginning in January 2010, and now comes to SwimSwam to use that experience and help build a new leader in the sport of swimming. Aside from his life on the InterWet, …

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