2022 NCAA DIVISION I WOMEN’S SWIMMING AND DIVING CHAMPIONSHIPS
- March 16-19, 2022
- McAuley Aquatic Center, Georgia Tech, Atlanta, Georgia (Eastern Daylight Time)
- Prelims 10AM /Finals 6PM
- Short Course Yards (25 yards)
- Championship Central
- Official Psych Sheets
- Live Results
- Live Video (ESPN3): Swimming / Diving
NC State junior Katharine Berkoff won her fourth NCAA title last night as she won the 100 backstroke in a time of 48.74. That time set new American, NCAA, Meet, US Open, and Pool records. Father, like daughter, her dad, Dave Berkoff also won two NCAA titles in the 100 backstroke in 1987 and 1989.
Katharine Berkoff defended her title in the event as she won the event last year in a 49.74. She was exactly one second faster this year than a year ago.
The biggest difference between Dave Berkoff and Katharine Berkoff is that back in 1987 and 1989, underwaters were not limited to 15 meters. This meant that Dave Berkoff was able to swim about 35 to 40 meters underwater. Dave Berkoff went times of 48.20 in 1987 and a 47.02 in 1989. His time in 1989 also set the American, US Open, Meet, and Pool records.
The 100 backstroke was not the only event she won last year. She also won the 200 medley relay leading off in a time of 23.27. That relay finished in a total time of 1:33.18. In addition to the 200 medley relay, Berkoff led off the 400 medley relay in a 50.07 to help the Wolfpack sweep the medley relays. That relay finished in a final time of 3:24.59.
View Dave Berkoff‘s win from 1987 below:
Katherine was faster on the second 50 of her 100 than her dad was in 1987: 25.0 to 25.6.
Oxygen debt is a thing 🙂
Having swum against Dave in college (and prep school), this is fun to see. It would be great if someone had the old splits on those races (or the announcer called out the split). I miss my standing starts but touching before the flip turn was a pain in the ass. Great to see his daughter come right up on his heels. Congrats to her.
Dave went 22.6/25.6 in his 100 back win in 1987. Katherine actually closed faster than her dad: 25.0 to 25.6.
That ’87 video is WILD. Reminded me of the Jonty Skinner ’76 WR video someone posted a bit ago. (I found it!!)
I’m livebloggin’ this video, too:
- They’re all doing the splash around warm-up thing – which is what reminded me of the Skinner video!
- But I did forget the “caps but no goggles” thing, crazy that some guys had goggles and some didn’t.
- Hearing the announcer say there won’t be a WR, ya ya I know that because yards; I know how swimming works
- Wait, he said backstrokers can start wherenow??
- I had heard they’d go the entire length underwater – which Berkoff did for the first 25 – but I was real surprised how much
… Read more »Looks like she would have made the podium in that race from 1987 too!
what were daves times from his title winning swims?
Not only did NC state not win either medley relay, but both the time provided for both Berkoff and the medley overall are wrong
They’re talking about last year…
For the swim geeks, a video of Dave’s win- https://www.youtube.com/watch?fbclid=IwAR2zzIHn5P0hoKZXndQNSqyq0tuFN4Eu7odvUBWq2AFI5bDzhRuR3dGitCw&v=F-OPR_yoOEM&feature=youtu.be
Stand up starts, unlimited underwaters, and a hand-touch required at the turns. It would be fun to see how fast Katherine could go swimming exactly the same way.
Would be curious what the records would be right now if there wasn’t any 15m rule
Definitely. Imagine Neil Walker or Natalie Coughlin (and many others, of course) with unlimited underwaters and stand up starts.