Lane 8, White Suit Gave Zalan Sarkany Stealth Factor in Outside Smoke 1,650 NCAA Win

2025 Men’s NCAA Swimming and Diving Championships

Zalan Sarkany defended his NCAA title in the 1,650 free but it looked very different this time around. Last year, the Hungarian distance specialist won out of lane 4, coming into the meet as the top seed. This year, Sarkany was in lane 8 and not one of the presumptive favorites. However, the combination of building an early lead from his outside lane and wearing a white suit made it hard for his competitors to see him. Sarkany once again led from wire-to-wire and defended his NCAA crown.

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Water Reflects Life
3 days ago

I’d like to see Sarkany and Mauer race right next to each other.

Brownish
Reply to  Water Reflects Life
2 days ago

Race?

pattycake
3 days ago

did he actually swim in a brief in thee 500 free prelims? or was it the same white suit

Gulf Coach
Reply to  pattycake
3 days ago

Same suit

DK99
3 days ago

Looking for a guy in distance. Lane 8. White suit.

Iufan
3 days ago

Wouldn’t have made a difference if they could see him!

man of isle
3 days ago

distance is like lifting a weight, in that you can’t fool the others, the clock, can’t get lucky. You have to have what it takes for every single inch to manage that time. He obviously didn’t win for his lane or his suit color, that’s just silly.

Last edited 3 days ago by man of isle
Andrew
Reply to  man of isle
3 days ago

He was the short course worlds champ in the 800 less than 6 months ago yet went into this race as a consensus underdog how did we as a swimming community allow that to happen

snailSpace
Reply to  Andrew
3 days ago

And he had the fastest PB in the field by quite a margin. Anyway, I don’t know if there ever was a “consensus” on him being an underdog when us Hungarians never bought into it.

man of isle
Reply to  snailSpace
3 days ago

If Betlehem hadn’t been forced back home, it would have been a fun race to watch

Frank Wilson
3 days ago

I watched him swim a number of times at meets when he was at ASU. He was always quiet when he got in the pool he started with a fast pace and just kept on going like the Energizer Bunny!

MIKE IN DALLAS
3 days ago

Given his positive comments about Kos/Bowman, who knows where he’ll be swimming in the fall of 2025. . . . .
Nice interview, for sure. Low key and honest. However, the white suit (can’t be seen) – not so sure about that one.

H2OPolo
Reply to  MIKE IN DALLAS
2 days ago

I think with Ellis and maybe Whitlock training at IU he’ll be fine to lead that group and stay. Hafnoui should have stayed too. Gonna be fun to watch again next year.

ACC fan
3 days ago

That suit! I thought he was in a brief! Congratulations to him on a gutsy swim!

About Coleman Hodges

Coleman Hodges

Coleman started his journey in the water at age 1, and although he actually has no memory of that, something must have stuck. A Missouri native, he joined the Columbia Swim Club at age 9, where he is still remembered for his stylish dragon swim trunks. After giving up on …

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