Destin Lasco Cracks American Record in 200 IM, Wins NCAA Title with 1:37.91

by Spencer Penland 9

March 28th, 2024 College, National, News, Pac-12

2024 MEN’S NCAA SWIMMING AND DIVING CHAMPIONSHIPS

200 YARD INDIVIDUAL MEDLEY — FINAL

Top 8:

  1. Destin Lasco (Cal) — 1:37.91 *American and Pool Record* 
  2. Owen McDonald (Arizona State) — 1:39.23
  3. Hubert Kos (Arizona State) — 1:39.66
  4. Arsenio Bustos (NC State) — 1:39.83
  5. Gal Cohen Groumi (Michigan) — 1:39.87
  6. David Schlicht (Arizona State) — 1:40.17
  7. Nate Germonprez (Texas) — 1:40.89
  8. Baylor Nelson (Texas A&M) — 1:41.54

Following Leon Marchand‘s awe-inspiring 4:02 in the 500 free, Cal senior Destin Lasco made history of his own, breaking his own American Record en route to winning the 200 IM. Lasco finished in 1:37.91, bettering his won AR of 1:38.10, which he had swum at last year’s NCAAs. In addition to the American Record, Lasco’s swim also marks a pool record at the legendary IUPUI Natatorium.

While Lasco didn’t move up in the all-time rankings (he’s still #2, behind Marchand), he did become only the 2nd swimmer ever to go under 1:38 in the event. The other is, of course, Marchand, who holds the NCAA Record with the 1:36.34 he swam at last year’s NCAAs. Lasco’s swim tonight also marks the 4th-fastest performance of all-time, behind a trio of Marchand swims. He bumped his 1:38.10 from last year for the #4 performance all-time.

Here is a split comparison between Lasco’s American Record tonight, his previous record swim from last year’s meet, and Marchand’s NCAA Record:

Splits Destin Lasco – 2024 NCAA Championships (American Record) Destin Lasco – 2023 NCAA Championships (Previous AR) Leon Marchand – 2023 NCAA Championships (NCAA Record)
50 21.42 21.53 21.09
100 45.60 (24.18) 45.97 (24.44) 44.07 (22.98)
150 1:14.35 (28.75) 1:14.79 (28.82) 1:11.73 (27.66)
200 1:37.91 (23.56) 1:38.10 (23.31) 1:36.34 (24.61)
FINAL TIME 1:37.91 1:38.10 1:36.34

Compared to last year, Lasco was a tick faster on fly, back, and breast, and a quarter-of-a-second slower on freestyle. If we compare Lasco to Marchand, whether it’s Lasco from tonight or from last year, Marchand has a significant edge on every 50 except for freestyle.

Shifting focus to the bigger picture this week, Lasco’s swim in this 200 IM tonight is very exciting. Coupling his American Record tonight with the 1:29.60 he split on the 800 free relay last night, Lasco appears to be at the absolute top of his game this week in Indy. Tonight was also the 1st of 3 showdowns between Lasco and Arizona State sophomore Hubert Kos. The pair happen to be racing the same 3 events this week (200 IM, 100 back, 200 back), and they happen to be among the favorites in all 3 events. Lasco is now 1-0 against Kos on the week, so we’ll see how he fares in the 100 back tomorrow, where Kos is the top seed with a 43.75.

Moreover, Lasco’s swim tonight has set up what ought to be an awesome 200 back on Saturday. Kos broke Ryan Murphy’s legendary NCAA Record in the event at Pac-12s but, even so, Lasco’s career best is only 0.18 seconds slower than Kos’.

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Andrew
29 days ago

I want whatever zazas the officials are on to not DQ lasco

Andrew
29 days ago

Bro had the most obvious double-dolphin kick on BOTH pullouts a la Reece Whitley / Cameron VDB, but because he’s on Cal, of course, there are no repercussions. In fact, I’m surprised the officials didn’t give him a reswim.

Meanwhile Coll Marti DQed for a twitch you had to slow the video down to 0.25 and zoom in just to see a smidge of a twitch (Marchand twitched way worse last year in 2 breast final)

Stewart Fenwick
29 days ago

Destin is a snack

Justin Pollard
29 days ago

More than the American record, this was just a great race & strategy for Lasco. He didn’t over swim, bided his time on his best stroke (back), then kicked it into gear on breast. His free is clearly great (2nd best stroke?) so by holding back on the first 100, he gives himself a weapon of a breaststroke, then closes the door on free. World take note; this guy is for real.

Jeeves
Reply to  Justin Pollard
29 days ago

Was the breaststroke pull down legal? He seemed to go much further than the others. I can’t tell when it’s a double kick and when it’s legal.

Jim
Reply to  Jeeves
29 days ago

Both pullouts were flagrant double dolphin kicks

oxyswim
Reply to  Jeeves
29 days ago

https://youtu.be/GNfbnolL4co?si=9HcxAv84F5JDKLhW&t=49
The pullout off the back to breast turn absolutely was not. Completely follows through with his feet on the body angle change during the actual pulldown when he already did his dolphin kick.

Patrick
Reply to  oxyswim
28 days ago

The second one looked fine, but that was an awful lot of snap on the first. With lighting and turbulence the end judges have a hard time seeing it, and lane lines block a side judge view – not that a side judge should be DQ’ing a lane 4 swimmer anyway.

swim2
Reply to  Jeeves
29 days ago

Idk what the officials were on cuz he obviously dqed, maybe durden slipped them a hundo or smth.