Israeli Olympian Denis Loktev Verbally Commits to Louisville Cardinals

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Israeli Olympian Denis Loktev, who set Israel’s 200 free record while leading off its 4×200 relay team last month, announced his verbal commitment to the University of Louisville Cardinals today.

I’m excited to announce that I plan to continue my academic and athletic career as a student-athlete at the University of Louisville! I want to thank everyone who has supported my journey to get to this point and I’m excited for the next chapter in my career. GO CARDS! πŸ”΄βš«οΈ
@uoflswim_dive

Loktev confirmed that he plans on joining the team sometime around the end of this December, which is a fairly common timeline for international recruits. Loktev is primarily a freestyler who seems to be best at the 100 and 200 distances, but his converted times suggest he could end up making an impact in either the 50 free or the 500 free.

Here’s a look at Loktev’s best times in long course and short course, with approximate yards conversions for each course as well.

Best Times (LCM)

  • 50m free – 23.09 (19.77)
  • 100m free – 49.42 (42.49)
  • 200m free – 1:46.64 (1:31.84)
  • 400m free – 3:51.45 (4:15.05 – 500 yard free)

Best Time (SCM)

  • 50m free – 22.49 (20.24)
  • 100m free – 48.15 (43.16)
  • 200m free – 1:44.64 (1:34.46)
  • 400m free – 3:45.13 (4:17.86 – 500 yard free)

Loktev led off Israel’s 4×200 free relay in prelims at the Olympics, clocking a 1:46.64 that set a new Israeli national record He also swam the 200 free individually, placing 27th in prelims with a 1:47.68.

Louisville doesn’t have any ranked domestic recruits coming in this fall that we know of, but Brazil’s Murilo Sartori, who split 1:46.09 on the second leg of Brazil’s 4×200 relay in the Olympic finals, committed for this fall, and he and Loktev could provide a big boost the Cardinals’ already-strong relays.

The Cardinals are returning all four legs of their NCAA 8th-place 800 free relay, but Loktev and Sartori could still find themselves on that relay, depending on how quickly they adapt to short course yards. He could also provide additional flexibility and depth on the 200 and 400 free relays.

Joao de Lucca won Louisville’s first NCAA title in swimming in the 200 free in 2013 and repeated a year later in 2014. He was, essentially, the swimmer who put the Cardinals on the proverbial NCAA map, and that’s the same specialty as Loktev.

Additionally, Loktev clearly has the potential to be a big scorer at ACCs for the Cardinals, who won their first team title in 2021, ending NC State’s six-year streak. Loktev’s converted times would roughly put him in the C-final of the 50 free, the A- or the B-final of the 100 free, the A-final of the 200 free, and the A- or the B-final of the 500 free, making him a potential 50-75 point scorer.

Loktev joins Louisville’s incoming class of freshmen that includes which includes Tommy Bried, Ryan Hogan,Β Eli Shoyat,Β John Bossler,Β Luke Shourds, Gustavo Saldo, andΒ Owen Taylor.

If you have a commitment to report, please send an email with a photo (landscape, or horizontal, looks best) and a quote to [email protected].

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Haridi
2 years ago

Nooooooooo

Swim fan
2 years ago

With this addition and the other Brazilian, nc states incoming class, uva getting Matt King, and vt the acc is definitely the most interesting conference this year

Admin
Reply to  Swim fan
2 years ago

I agree.

Brian
Reply to  Swim fan
2 years ago

I can see 4 teams being top 10 and possibly 6 teams in the top 15. The ACC is going to be fun to watch!

samulih
2 years ago

This is starting to look like pre-season in football forums, everything is great and such, only sky is the limit.

Chineeese boy
2 years ago

I thought he verbally commited to the lane rope

Jim john
2 years ago

21 year old freshman, nice………….

Yjswimmer
Reply to  Jim john
2 years ago

Hes 21 because all isrealis have a 2 and a half years of mandatory military service when they turn 18..

Xman
Reply to  Yjswimmer
2 years ago

This guy probabaly had a long in swimming terms layoff

Hswimmer
2 years ago

πŸ‘€πŸ‘€πŸ‘€

Doconc
2 years ago

21 yo freshman. Me thinks will be gone 2024

CAFFEINATED
Reply to  Doconc
2 years ago

Israeli swimmers have to complete mandatory military service before they can come over to swim. There are oodles of Israeli swimmers currently in the NCAA who had this path.

DLswim
Reply to  CAFFEINATED
2 years ago

Right, there’s an exception in NCAA rules for military service time.

Yee Yee
2 years ago

i hear the lane lines in louisville are great for pulling

Bogo
Reply to  Yee Yee
2 years ago

This is THAT guy?

Bruh
Reply to  Bogo
2 years ago

Yes, if you click on his name in red at the top, the article comes up and you can double check yourself

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