Hugo Gonzalez on Training at Cal: “They just go hard every day”

2021 PRO SWIM SERIES – MISSION VIEJO (#3)

Reported by Nick Pecoraro.

MEN’S 200 METER BACKSTROKE — FINALS

  • Pro Swim Series Record: 1:55.04, Xu Jiayu (CHN) — 2017
  • Wave II Trials Cut: 2:00.81
  • Wave I Trials Cut: 2:02.99

Top 3:

  1. Ryan Murphy (Cal Aquatics), 1:56.27
  2. Hugo Gonzalez (Unattached), 1:57.51
  3. Bryce Mefford (Unattached), 1:59.61

The Cal Bears finished 1-2-3-4-6-8 in the men’s 200 back final, led by Olympic champion Ryan Murphy at 1:56.27. Placing second out of the outside lanes was Cal junior Hugo Gonzalez, swimming 1:57.51. Murphy remains the 5th-fastest swimmer in the world and top American this season with his San Antonio winning time of 1:56.06.

Gonzalez, who represents Spain internationally, now ranks No. 17 in the world as well as No. 2 in his home nation. At the 2021 Spanish Nationals, Nicolas Garcia won the title at 1:57.06 while Manuel Martos placed second at 1:58.05.

Bryce Mefford touched out Cal teammate Daniel Carr by six one-hundredths to place third 1:59.61 to 1:59.67. Carr sits at No. 3 on the US season rankings at 1:58.44, just four-tenths behind Shaine Casas (1:58.04). Meanwhile, Mefford remains the No. 4 American with his SB of 1:59.49.

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mds
3 years ago

Has Hugo been faster somewhere in this event? I just looked at the FINA “A” cuts (Are Spain’s any different?) and his Mission Viejo time was 0.01 seconds off that standard. (1:57.50 cut; Hugo’s time 1:57.51)

SWIMMING RULES
3 years ago

I am still a little annoyed that he went the fastest time in the 400Im, but did not really contribute because he did not swim fast enough in the prelims. Cal could have really used those points!!!!!

WestMISWIM
3 years ago

Interesting that he says ‘they’ instead of ‘we’.
Wonder if he feels a part of the team?

ArtVanDeLegh10
Reply to  WestMISWIM
3 years ago

It could just be that English isn’t his first language and using the correct pronouns can be very difficult.

Backstroke Backflop Start
Reply to  WestMISWIM
3 years ago

Did you watch the video? He was referring specifically to how his teammates impacted him for NCAAs.

Yep
Reply to  WestMISWIM
3 years ago

If you watch the short interview, he uses “we” and “teammates” fairly frequently. He’s referring to the rest of the backstroke training group when he says “they just go hard everyday.”

hambone
3 years ago

Is Pebley still active?

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