Luca Urlando Was Only at Full Training 6 Weeks Before SECs

2022 NCAA DIVISION I MEN’S SWIMMING AND DIVING CHAMPIONSHIPS

Reported by Michael Hamann.

400 medley relay

  • NCAA Record: 2:59.22 (TEX- 2017)
  • NCAA Meet Record: 2:59.22 (TEX- 2017)
  • American Record: 3:01.51 (CAL- 2017)
  • US Open Record: 2:59.22 (TEX- 2017)
  • Pool Record: 3:00.68 (TEX- 2016)

Top 8 finishers:

  1. Cal: 3:00.36
  2. Indiana: 3:00.76
  3. Florida: 3:01.00
  4. Texas: 3:01.22
  5. NC State: 3:01.53
  6. Stanford: 3:01.70
  7. Louisville: 3:02.03
  8. Arizona State: 3:02.81

While top-seeded Indiana won the final heat, it wasn’t fast enough to overcome Cal’s 3:00.36 from heat three, making the Bears the NCAA champion in the event. This is the second time that Cal has won an NCAA relay after not racing in the final heat, after doing the same at last year’s meet in the 400 free relay.

Indiana was led by Brendan Burns‘ 44.45 leadoff and was followed by Josh Mathey (50.93), Tomer Frankel (44.19) and Rafael Miroslaw (41.19).

Texas, who notably scratched Alvin Jiang from the B final of the 100 back to seemingly save him for this relay, ended up leaving Jiang off the relay all together. The Longhorns instead opted to use Zachary Van Zandt on the fly leg, who split 44.79. While Van Zandt’s split probably justifies using him on the relay, it also means that Texas threw away guaranteed points in the 100 back.

Cal won the third heat in dominant fashion, touching first in 3:00.36, the fastest time with one heat to go. Destin Lasco led off in 44.64 and was followed by Reece Whitley (50.64), Trenton Julian (44.44) and Bjoern Seeliger (40.64).

The biggest storyline of heat three was Georgia’s Luca Urlando leading off in 43.35, breaking Ryan Murphy’s American Record and becoming the fastest 100 yard backstroker of all time. Urlando did not swim the 100 back individually, opting for the 20o IM instead of attempting the 100 fly/back double.

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Dolphin
2 years ago

Stories like this always make me wonder if we are still overtraining the majority of athletes at major college programs. Every responds to training differently, so it stands to reason that at a historically high volume program like Georgia, at least some swimmers top end racing speed could unexpectedly benefit from some unplanned rest.

Mr Piano
Reply to  Dolphin
2 years ago

Tom Dean also comes to mind lol

Sprint lord
Reply to  Dolphin
2 years ago

I 100% agree. My best ever training at club was 6 practices a week and 3 lifts. The club was notorious for high yardage 8/9 practices a week, but my body was so broken down during doubles I just opted for more sleep and only went to afternoons. My training had never been better and I was making strides and leaps. I broke my wrist that summer and only went on runs. I ended up dropping 4 tenths to a 21.1 that summer while having swum just a couple times.

Xman
Reply to  Sprint lord
2 years ago

I think we miss the importance of getting a full night’s rest. Sometimes I think not having morning practice and giving kids an extra 2 to 3 hours of sleep will result in improvement. You coaches can find a way to squeeze in extra yards in the afternoons.

GrameziPT
2 years ago

Every athlete I know when I was swimming always would say “hey man I had so many troubles, haven’t trained for a long time, I going to terrible results, you know? My dog run away for an hour and I got depressed for 3 months so I couldn’t really train you know?”….just to make a PB 5 minutes later. Most of swimmers are like that. Just to take pressure or to play a few mind games with the other competitors

B1Guy!
2 years ago

What does that even mean!? I don’t know, but it’s provocative! -SwimSwam probably before posting this article

steer
Reply to  B1Guy!
2 years ago

no its no- IT GETS THE PEOPLE GOING!

K chilly
2 years ago

Any athlete will tell you how hard it is to have a good year with missing time in December. Incredible he came back from this!

About Coleman Hodges

Coleman Hodges

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