2017 MEN’S NCAA CHAMPIONSHIPS
- Wednesday, March 22 – Saturday, March 25
- IUPUI Natatorium – Indianapolis, IN
- Prelims 10AM/Finals 6PM (Eastern Time)
- Defending Champion: Texas (results)
- Championship Central
- Psych Sheet
- Live stream: Wednesday/Thursday Prelims & Finals, Friday/Saturday Prelims / Friday/Saturday finals on ESPN3
- Event Previews
- Live Results
Texas senior Clark Smith scratched (technically, a declared false start) the preliminaries of the 200 free Friday morning, leaving lane one of heat three empty, the morning after Smith swam the fastest 500 free ever, blasting a 4:08.42.
Today’s scratch, while notable, wasn’t too surprising. Â While Smith did make the B-final as a sophomore in 2015, swimming a 1:33.66 in prelims and finishing 11th overall, he’s clearly better at the the longer distances. Additionally, Smith appeared to be favoring one leg one while walking around the deck after last night’s swim, and giving him an extra day of rest before the mile tomorrow make sense. Â Right now, it doesn’t look like Texas is going to need the points, and even if they do, a rested Smith may make up any points he may have earned today in the mile tomorrow.
It’s not as if the Longhorns will be lacking for points in the 200 free, though.  Sophomore Townley Haas, the top performer all-time in the event, cruised to a top seed this morning.  Smith’s scratch (assuming he would have made a final) allowed Texas sophomore Jeff Newkirk to sneak into the B-final, as he finished 16th in a personal best of 1:33.58.
He is doing all he can to rest because he knows FELIX is coming for him!
He will need all the rest he can get because FELIX has already scared him! Fear the cat!
He said he was fine in an interview last night.
Every athlete says they’re fine when the game’s on the line 🙂
But Dean Farris had a virus Monday!
I hope this is just to rest up for the 1650 and that he’s not hurt, seemed to be limping after the 500 last night
He was clearly in a lot of pain after the 500. Labored to get out of the pool & walk.
Favoring his right thigh. Have a feeling it cramped up on him the last 25 and he still had to gut it out. Those suckers hurt a lot more the next day.
Doesn’t make any sense to me. I feel like this is such a Clark Smith thing to do though
Makes total sense to me. When you combine his 200Fr split on Day 1 compared to the others in that relay plus the way he exited the pool (and struggled to stand on the podium) after that 500 last night…yeah, it makes sense. Texas is way ahead on points, so it’s not 100% necessary for him to swim what could be another taxing event for little-to-no gain prior to the 1650.
stop looking at what u feel he shouldn’t do – he does what he does because he feels like it . Trials will be another story in 3 months time .
Not even 24 hours and the haters back out. 2 NCAA titles, holds 3 American records, and an Olympic gold medalist. Care to send in your resume?
AR in 500 and 800 F.R… What else?
1,000
1000 free AR done in a fashion way…
And think about this, if he break 1650 free AR tomorrow(I know this is harder but just think), he will hold 500 1000 1650 free AR at once…
Texas doesn’t need the points. It allowed Newkirk to make B final in event Clark himself probably wouldn’t have A finaled in, and he looked hurt. Glad you don’t coach the Texas team. Eddie has 12 NCAA titles, I’m sure he has no clue what he’s doing.
You don’t believe that Clark Smith would made the A finals in the 200 free? I am glad you don’t coach the Texas team because you have no faith in your swimmers. What about winning the 500 free last night and going 1:33.40 Wednesday night in the 800 free relay for Texas and he swam it poorly he could of gone 1:32 mid if he swam correctly.
I am tired of hiring about Clark Smith extraordinary practices at Texas. We are talking about him swimming 8 laps…really?. One or two 200 free isn’t going to tired him out physically that he won’t swim a great 1650 tomorrow. This moves tells me that he is weak mentally. Instead of riding high after his 500 free win and gaining confidence for his 200 free, Eddie is protecting him for the 1650 free.
Extra rest doesn’t translate to American Record in the 1000 and 1650 free. I hope Michigan freshman Felix wins the 1650 free. That kid is more tough than Clark Smith.
Of course it makes sense! He was clearly hurting after his 500 free. He needed to rest.