Hugo Gonzalez Swims 3rd-Fastest 400 Yard IM Ever at SEC Championships

Braden Keith
by Braden Keith 22

February 16th, 2018 College, News, SEC

2018 SEC CHAMPIONSHIPS

  • Wednesday, February 14 – Sunday, February 18
  • Rec Center Natatorium, College Station, TX (Central Time Zone)
  • Prelims 10AM / Finals 6PM
  • Defending Champion: Florida (5x) (results)
  • Championship Central
  • Psych Sheet
  • Live results
  • Live Video (finals)

After swimming one of the fastest 200 IMs ever, especially by a freshman, and being almost an afterthought to Caeleb Dressel’s all-time great swim, Auburn rookie Hugo Gonzalez took center-stage in the 400 IM. In that race, he swam a 3:35.76 to break the A&M Pool Record held by Olympic gold medalist Tyler Clary (3:35.98). That jumps Gonzalez to 2nd on the all-time list in the 400 yard IM, with the 3rd-fastest performance in history.

Top 5 performance, 400 Yard IM, All-Time

  1. Chase Kalisz, Georgia, 2017 NCAA Championships – 3:33.42 (RS Senior)
  2. Chase Kalisz, Georgia, 2014 NCAA Championships – 3:34.50 (Sophomore)
  3. Hugo Gonzalez, Auburn, 2018 SEC Championships – 3:35.76 (Freshman)
  4. Josh Prenot, Cal, 2016 NCAA Championships – 3:35.82 (Senior)
  5. Tyler Clary, Michigan, 2009 NCAA Championships – 3:35.98 (Sophomore)

In the process, Gonzalez beat last year’s NCAA 3rd-place finisher Mark Szaranek from Florida, who swam 3:37.50 for 2nd, and another freshman Brandonn Almeida of South Carolina (3:39.09). Almeida owns 4 Brazilian National Records, though none in the 400 IM. The top 4 finishers all represent foreign countries internationally, including Gonzalez, who is a Spaniard.

Race Video:

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Evan
6 years ago

What kind of insane person doesn’t breathe the first three strokes of a 400 IM?!

IM FAN
6 years ago

Split Comparison:
Kalisz 2017: 49.73, 54.83, 1:00.45, 51.20
Gonzalez 2018: 49.55 54.56, 1:00.18, 51.47

By 50
Kalisz 23.40, 26.33, 27.90, 26.93, 30.00, 30.45, 25.99, 25.21
Gonzalez 22.74, 26.81, 27.43, 27.13, 29.83, 30.35, 26.17, 25.30

Yabo
Reply to  IM FAN
6 years ago

I think it’s crazy that he outsplit him on the breaststroke

Dee
Reply to  Yabo
6 years ago

So do I; I saw him swim in Marseille less than 12 months ago and I think his 400IM (LCM) breast split was 1.14/1.15… Cant quite believe he is now splitting as fast as Kalisz! It looked at nice stroke then, with plenty of potential, but how quickly he has hacked away at that is unreal.

Quite an incredible job by the coaches at Auburn; Congrats to them.

Tammy Touchpad Error
Reply to  Dee
6 years ago

Sergio baby… At it again. Y’all think Bolles was a fluke? Or Singapore? (the Quah’s?!)

KeithM
Reply to  Dee
6 years ago

Very impressive Breast split from Hugo. Chase went 53.90 for that split on his American record from NCAA’s last year so Gonzalez isn’t far off that at all. Keep in mind Chase is a much better long course swimmer (by his own admission). Bridging the gap LC will be a bigger task. Not that he can’t get there eventually but I don’t see him going 4:05 this summer but he could be at Chase’s level in yards as soon as next month.

Coach Mike 1952
Reply to  KeithM
6 years ago

Are you sure Chase went 53.90 for BREAST stroke?

KeithM
Reply to  Coach Mike 1952
6 years ago

Ack, no that was his backstroke. Need some coffee.

KeithM
Reply to  KeithM
6 years ago

Correction 59.41 on his breaststroke split…Peaty can sleep easy.

Coach Mike 1952
Reply to  IM FAN
6 years ago

You are comparing the meet record, not the AR. Hugo still has another 2+ seconds to go for the US Open record, which is Kalisz’s AR also.

IM FAN
Reply to  Coach Mike 1952
6 years ago

That was purposeful, as the record he broke was the meet record. I was comparing where he was to Kalisz last year.

Kalisz’s 3:33 splits are
49.78, 53.90, 58.61, 51.13

bobo gigi
6 years ago

I’m impressed by his first year in US college swimming. Clearly the biggest rival for Kalisz in 2020 in IM events.

JP input too short
6 years ago

And he circle swam the backstroke!

DRESSEL IS GOD
6 years ago

He’s insane. Let’s bask in the brilliance of Kalisz and Dressel for now, but come 2021- this man may break 1:36 and 3:30. I really hope he keeps improving

Tom from Chicago
6 years ago

I think Gonzalez will offer more competition to Kalisz than the Japanese guys in 2020.

Joel Lin
Reply to  Tom from Chicago
6 years ago

I’d agree. He’s at an age and in a training environment where you can expect further drops in time. He’s a real player for Tokyo.

JimSwim
6 years ago

How old is he?

Dee
Reply to  JimSwim
6 years ago

5yrs younger than Kalisz; 18 but he’ll be 19 in a few days.

Question
6 years ago

What citizenship does Hugo have?

E+Gamble
Reply to  Question
6 years ago

Hugo is from Spain….like Rafa.

About Braden Keith

Braden Keith

Braden Keith is the Editor-in-Chief and a co-founder/co-owner of SwimSwam.com. He first got his feet wet by building The Swimmers' Circle beginning in January 2010, and now comes to SwimSwam to use that experience and help build a new leader in the sport of swimming. Aside from his life on the InterWet, …

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