Josh Liendo Rips Fastest Prelims (Yards) 100 Fly Ever with 43.30, #3 Performance in History

2024 MEN’S NCAA SWIMMING AND DIVING CHAMPIONSHIPS

• March 27-30, 2024
• IUPUI Natatorium, Indianapolis, Indiana
• Short Course Yards (25 yards)
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• Day 1 Finals Live Recap
• Day 2 Prelims Live Recap | Day 2 Finals Live Recap
• Day 3 Prelims Live Recap

00 YARD BUTTERFLY – PRELIMS

• NCAA Record: 42.80 — Caeleb Dressel, Florida (2018)
• Meet Record: 42.80 — Caeleb Dressel, Florida (2018)
• American Record: 42.80 — Caeleb Dressel, Florida (2018)
• U.S. Open Record: 42.80 — Caeleb Dressel, Florida (2018)
• Pool Record: 43.58 — Caeleb Dressel, Florida (2017)
• 2023 Champion: Youssef Ramadan, Virginia Tech— 43.15

Top 16:

1. Josh Liendo (FLOR) – 43.30 ***NEW POOL RECORD***
2. Tomer Frankel (IU) – 43.90
3. Luke Miller (NC STATE) – 44.06
4. Ilya Kharun (ASU) – 44.50
5. Dare Rose (CAL) – 44.52
6. Youssef Ramadan (VTECH) – 44.58
7. Gal Cohen Groumi (MICH) – 44.62
8. Aiden Hayes (NC STATE) – 44.63
9. Tyler Ray (MICH) – 44.74
10. Djurdje Matic (GW)/ Jordan Tiffany (BYU)/Arsenio Bustos (NC State) – 44.80
13. Scotty Buff (FLOR) – 44.88
14. Connor Foote (TAMU) – 44.92
15. Kacper Stokowki (NC STATE) – 44.94
16. Finn Brooks (IU) – 44.99

After winning the 50 free last night and helping his team to victory in the 200 free relay, Florida sophomore Josh Liendo was back in action in the 100 fly this morning. The star Canadian sprinter didn’t waste the opportunity to put up a fast swim this morning, ripping a new career best of 43.30 in prelims of the 100 fly.

The swim took 0.10 seconds off Liendo’s previous best of 43.40, which he swam at NCAAs last year. Moreover, it puts him exactly half-a-second away from Florida alum Caeleb Dressel‘s legendary NCAA Record of 42.80. While Liendo still has work to do to get down to Dressel’s record, he did make history of his own this morning. Liendo’s 43.30 marks the fastest 100 fly swum in prelims in history.

The 43.30 is actually the #3 performance all-time in the yards 100 fly. Dressel’s 42.80 is, of course, #1, while Virginia Tech’s Youssef Ramadan‘s 43.15, which he swam to win the event at last year’s NCAAs, is the #2 time of all-time.

Top 5 Performances All-Time, Men’s SCY 100 Fly:

1. 42.80 – Caeleb Dressel (2018 NCAAs)
2. 43.15 – Youssef Ramadan (2023 NCAAs)
3. 43.30 – Josh Liendo (2024 NCAAs)*
4. 43.40 – Josh Liendo (2023 NCAAs)
5. 43.58 – Caeleb Dressel (2017 NCAAs)

Liendo also has a 43.80 on his resume, which he swam in prelims at last year’s NCAAs, and comes in a tie for the 9th-fastest performance of all-time. That makes Liendo the only swimmer currently with 3 performances inside the all-time top 10 in the event.

While Liendo made a statement with his swim this morning, he still has his work cut out for him in finals tonight. Ramadan is the defending champion and he was 6th this morning with a 44.58, so he’ll be in the ‘A’ final tonight looking to defend his title. That being said, Liendo has a history of going faster in finals than prelims. He did it in the event at last year’s NCAAs, going 43.80 in the morning and 43.40 at night, and he did it yesterday in the 50 free, swimming an 18.33 in prelims then winning with an 18.07 last night.

While it may be a bit of a tall order for tonight, given that Liendo is only a sophomore, it feels like we have a very real challenger to Dressel’s NCAA Record that has stood for 6 years.