Dressel Splits 17.99, Held Leads Off In 18.58 In 200 Free Relay Prelim

2017 MEN’S NCAA CHAMPIONSHIPS

Caeleb Dressel hit the 4th-fastest 50 free split in history and Ryan Held moved to #4 all-time in the 50 with his leadoff leg in prelims of the 200 free relay at men’s NCAAs.

Dressel swam second on Florida’s relay, splitting 17.99 for the fourth split ever under 18 seconds. Dressel owns three of those four, including his best of 17.86 that sits tied with 2013 Vlad Morozov for the fastest split in history.

Florida’s relay qualified second overall, two tenths behind Texas.

Held, meanwhile, led off for NC State, going a lifetime-best 18.58. That moves him up to #4 all-time in the individual 50, leapfrogging three big names: Nathan Adrian, Kristian Gkolomeev and Morozov himself. NC State qualified 3rd overall, four one-hundredths behind Florida.

Held also sits #11 in all-time performances. Update: Dressel pushed Held to #12 with his 18.38 from 50 free prelims a few events later.

This event has gotten ridiculously fast, with an 18 at this point being a pretty average A final swim. This morning, 18 swimmers broke 19 in their splits and one (Held) did so on a leadoff leg.

Other key splits from this morning:

  • Caeleb DresselFlorida – 17.99
  • Jack Conger, Texas – 18.45
  • Justin Ress, NC State – 18.73
  • Brett Ringgold, Texas – 18.75
  • Chad Mylin, Florida State – 18.85
  • Daniel Speers, Notre Dame – 18.85
  • Kyle Decoursey, Tennessee – 18.88
  • Dean Farris, Harvard – 18.89
  • Cameron Craig, Arizona State – 18.91
  • Santo Condorelli, USC – 18.91
  • Jan Switkowski, Florida – 18.92
  • Luke Mankus, Missouri – 18.92
  • John Shebat, Texas – 18.93
  • Blake Pieroni, Indiana – 18.96
  • Sam Lorentz, Indiana – 18.96
  • Robert Howard, Alabama – 18.97
  • Patrick Park, Arizona State – 18.97
  • Matt Josa, Cal – 18.98

And a couple key leadoff legs:

  • Ryan HeldNC State – 18.58
  • Pawel Sendyk, Cal – 19.00
  • Zach Apple, Auburn – 19.01
  • Dylan Carter, USC – 19.08
  • Michael Chadwick, Missouri – 19.16
  • Paul Powers, Michigan – 19.19

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Hmmmmm
7 years ago

Talk about a fast aggregate 200 free relay
18.58
17.99
18.45
18.73
1:13.75

Beverly Drangus
7 years ago

Has Dressel’s tattoo changed? Has this been discussed before and I missed it?

dressels suit
Reply to  Beverly Drangus
7 years ago

he added a gator to his forearm

bobo gigi
7 years ago

Held very impressive so far. Hopefully he saves energy for the 100 free on the last day.

JP input is too short
7 years ago

Texas is really saving Schooling up as much as they can, aren’t they?

Steve Nolan
Reply to  JP input is too short
7 years ago

He’s like the X-24 in Logan, can only bring him out when absolutely necessary.

bobo gigi
Reply to  JP input is too short
7 years ago

While Conger doesn’t save anything…. 😆

JP input is too short
Reply to  bobo gigi
7 years ago

At least they didn’t swim him in the medley too!

PVK
7 years ago

Conger 18.45….faaast.

About Jared Anderson

Jared Anderson

Jared Anderson swam for nearly twenty years. Then, Jared Anderson stopped swimming and started writing about swimming. He's not sick of swimming yet. Swimming might be sick of him, though. Jared was a YMCA and high school swimmer in northern Minnesota, and spent his college years swimming breaststroke and occasionally pretending …

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