CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – Harvard University men’s swimming and diving defeated Columbia University, 207-93, on Friday afternoon at Blodgett Pool in its home opener as the Crimson competed at home for the first time since Feb. 29, 2020 – a span of 629 days.
The Crimson (3-0, 3-0 Ivy) won 13 of the 14 swimming events and added 12 second-place showings and eight third-place finishes to top the visiting Lions (2-2, 2-2 Ivy), taking its third straight Ivy League dual win to begin the season.
Harvard swept the top three spots in three events (1,000 free, 100 free, 500 free), won 11 individual swimming events (1,000 free, 200 free, 100 back, 100 breast, 200 fly, 50 free, 100 free, 200 back, 500 free, 100 fly, 200 IM), and took both relays (400 medley, 200 free).
Sophomore Cole Kuster (1000 free, 500 free), junior Jared Simpson (100 breast, 200 IM), and junior Umitcan Gures (50 free, 100 fly) all won two individual events on the day. First-year Ben Littlejohn captured the 200 free while also helping the Crimson win the 400-medley relay and 200-free relay. Four other Harvard student-athletes – first-year Anthony Rincon (100 back), senior Jake Johnson (200 fly), senior Raphael Marcoux (100 free), and senior Dean Farris (200 back) – earned individual event wins.
On the boards, sophomore Luke Foster came in second in 3-meter diving while first-year Adam Wesson placed second in 1-meter diving.
Harvard Highlights
- Harvard took the top two spots in the 400-yard medley relay with the “B” relay of sophomore Will Grant, first-year Quinn Harron, first-year Ben Littlejohn, and sophomore Marcus Holmquist winning the event in 3:18.79.
- Sophomore Cole Kuster captured the 1,000-yard freestyle in 9:05.75 as Harvard swept the top three spots in the event. First-year Arik Katz (9:12.63) and sophomore Noah Brune (9:13.37) came in second and third respectively.
- First-year Ben Littlejohn claimed the 200-yard freestyle in 1:39.57 while first-year Corby Furrer finished third in 1:41.39.
- First-year Anthony Rincon won the 100-yard backstroke behind a time of 48.97, and first-year Jonathan Novinski placed third in 52.95.
- Junior Jared Simpson secured the top spot in the 100 breaststroke with a time of 55.44.
- Harvard went one-two in the 200-yard butterfly behind efforts from senior Jake Johnson (1:48.10) and sophomore Will Grant (1:51.83).
- The Crimson claimed the top two spots in the 50-yard freestyle with junior Umitcan Gures winning the race in 20.61, just ahead of senior Mahlon Reihman (20.72).
- Harvard swept the top three spots in the 100-yard freestyle with senior Raphael Marcoux (44.31) capturing first, senior Mahlon Reihman (44.93) taking second, and first-year Cameron Green (46.58) finishing third.
- Senior Dean Farris claimed first in the 200-yard backstroke in 1:43.25 with sophomore Will Grant supporting him with a second-place finish in 1:47.54.
- Sophomore Cole Kuster led a sweep of the 500-yard freestyle, finishing in 4:28.31 for his second win of the day. First-year Arik Katz (4:32.56) and first-year Shane Washart (4:33.98) came in second and third respectively.
- In his second victory of the afternoon, junior Umitcan Gures won the 100-yard butterfly in 49.94. First-year Aayush Deshpande came in second in 50.28.
- The Crimson went one-two in the 200-yard individual medley behind a victory from junior Jared Simpson (1:52.87) – his second win of the day – and a second-place finish from first-year Quinn Harron (1:55.49).
- Harvard closed the meet with a win in the 200-yard freestyle relay as the “B” relay of first-year Ben Littlejohn, sophomore Marcus Holmquist, first-year Anthony Rincon, and junior Ryan Linnihan finished in 1:23.12.
- In 3-meter diving, sophomore Luke Foster came in second with a score of 353.70 while first-year Adam Wesson placed third with a 352.58. In 1-meter diving, Wesson finished second behind a score of 341.40, and senior Hal Watts followed in third with a 322.50.
- In the 200-yard breaststroke, sophomore David Abrahams (2:03.21) came in second, and senior Jake Johnson (2:05.24) placed third.
- Harvard improved to 71-5 in the all-time series with Columbia.
Next Up
Harvard closes the calendar year at the Minnesota Invitational from Dec. 1-4 in Minneapolis, Minn.
Courtesy: Columbia Athletics
