Luke Hobson Goes A Massive (Unofficial) Best Time Of 1:45.59 In The 200 Free

2022 DUEL IN THE POOL

  • Friday, August 19 – Sunday, August 21, 2022
  • Sydney, Australia
  • Sydney Olympic Park Aquatic Centre (pool swimming, Aug. 20-21)
  • Bondi Beach (open water, Aug. 19)
  • Start Times
    • Friday – open water: 9:00 am local / 7:00 pm ET on Thursday
    • Saturday – 7:00 pm local / 5:00 am ET
    • Sunday – 7:00 pm local / 5:00 am ET
  • LCM (50m)
  • Meet Central
  • Full US roster
  • Full Australian roster

MEN’S 200M FREESTYLE, TRADITIONAL

The American trio was 1-2-3 at the 50m turn, led by Grant House. House would lead the race at the 200 as well, actually pulling away from the field just a bit on the 2nd 50. Teammate Luke Hobson had a fantastic 3rd 50 to take over the lead, while Trenton Julian put up a huge last 50 to overtake House as well. In the end, it was Hobson winning the race in a sizzling 1:45.59, with Julian touching 2nd in 1:46.66, and House 3rd (1:47.02). Australia’s Zac Incerti touched the wall 4th, leaving Mack Horton in 5th.

Above excerpt written by Spencer Penland.

In the men’s 200 free race at the 2022 Duel In the Pool competition, American swimmer Luke Hobson had a huge showing, winning in a mark of 1:45.59. And while the times from this competition aren’t counted as official, what Hobson put up is a 0.55-second drop from his official lifetime best of 1:46.14 set a few weeks ago at U.S. Nationals.

Hobson, who finished seventh in the 200 free at April’s U.S. trials and narrowly missed qualifying for the the 2022 World Championships, has now become a favorite to make future international squads. In fact, the time he went today would have finished third at trials, ahead of actual third-place swimmer Carson Foster‘s 1:45.66 time.

The only three American men who have been faster than Hobson this year are Drew Kibler, Kieran Smith, and Carson Foster. Both Kibler and Smith represented the United States in the 200 free individually at the 2022 World Championships.

Men’s 200 Free, 2021-22 U.S. Rankings:

  1. Drew Kibler — 1:45.01 (2022 World Championships)
  2. Kieran Smith — 1:45.16 (2022 World Championships)
  3. Carson Foster — 1:45.57 (2022 U.S. Trials — Prelims)
  4. Luke Hobson — 1:45.59 (Duel In The Pool, Unofficial time)
  5. Jake Magahey — 1:46.62 (2022 U.S. Nationals)

In 2022, Hobson’s improvement trajectory has been huge in the 200 free, as he came into the year with a personal best time of 1:49.10.

Also swimming an unofficial best time today was Trenton Julian, who took second behind Hobson in 1:46.66, which is 0.03 seconds faster than his official best time of 1:46.69.

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Willswim
2 years ago

My guess is the US finals lineup in Paris is gonna be Kibler, Foster, Hobson, Smith.
The two prelim spots are up for grabs between Pieroni, Magahey, Julian, Mitchell, Carrozza, Freeman, and Urlando.

PhillyMark
Reply to  Willswim
2 years ago

And Diehl, Maximus, Heilman, Winkler and McFadden

Willswim
Reply to  PhillyMark
2 years ago

Possibly, but they might still be a little young to make this relay in 2024. I’d love to see it though.

Swimmer
Reply to  Willswim
2 years ago

Not really, they will all be either already in college or going into their senior year. and given their improvement it’s likely that at least one of them will be close

SAMUEL HUNTINGTON
2 years ago

Eddie must be so happy – what an incredible 200 free group he has right now – Drew, Carson, Luke, and Coby.

Willswim
Reply to  SAMUEL HUNTINGTON
2 years ago

It’s so good. Larson would be the ace in most team’s lineup and he didn’t even make the relay last year.

Tomek
Reply to  SAMUEL HUNTINGTON
2 years ago

To break the current world record they would have to average faster than 1:44.6375, 2009 super suited time 6:58.55 set by Phelps, Berens, Walters, and Lochte. Perhaps in Paris?

Last edited 2 years ago by Tomek
Weinstein-Smith-Ledecky-Sims
Reply to  Tomek
2 years ago

The new standard is sub 1:46 flat start times not sub 1:47 flat start times.

R&R
Reply to  SAMUEL HUNTINGTON
2 years ago

Yes, except all his distance swimmers keep getting so good at the 200, they move towards the 100 instead of the 1650, and Eddie is sad, but happy. 😀

PFA
2 years ago

All of the sudden the US has become one of the deepest teams in the world in the 200 free after missing the medals last year. We have about 10 guys under 1:47 which only Australia and maybe the UK can claim.

Last edited 2 years ago by PFA
Riccardo
Reply to  PFA
2 years ago

I mean last year they would have medaled easily if they just had Seliskar instead of Apple.

No one knee Apple was going to die obviously, it is what it is.

Applesandoranges
Reply to  PFA
2 years ago

But very few under 1:45, only a minuscule number in the 1:44 range, and nobody here is going 1:43 or 1:42.

Swimmer
Reply to  Applesandoranges
2 years ago

To be fair nobody other than popovici has been 1:43 or 1:42, but 1:44 range might very well see many new Americans soon

bubo
Reply to  Applesandoranges
2 years ago

This is what I fail to understand. We have 11 swimmers under 1:47, great. That does nothing on the international stage. We need 1:44s to be competitive. 1:45 is no doubt a very elite time but let’s not get ahead of ourselves when teenagers are going 1:44 or faster.

Weinstein-Smith-Ledecky-Sims
Reply to  bubo
2 years ago

Three males have gone under 1:45 in calendar year 2022:

Popovici
Hwang
Dean

OLOAP
2 years ago

Mmm I think Magahey went 1:46.62 last month so he’s a bit behind in the ranking.

In any case, as I said other times, probably the Americans do not have as of now the superstar capable to go 1:44 low but a lot of people in the 1:45.0-1:45.6 range that makes the realy very very solid and all of them are guys in their early 20s with lots of room for imporvement up until Paris Olympics

swimfan
Reply to  OLOAP
2 years ago

Of the group that was at worlds and add Hobson and others to this list….they are still improving. And with the competition to make the next world’s team in this event…more barriers will be broken. That record is going down.

OLOAP
Reply to  swimfan
2 years ago
Noah
2 years ago

Why arent they official?

James Beam
Reply to  Noah
2 years ago

I was thinking the same thing…so if someone broke an American record, world record etc, it wouldn’t count either? Seems odd. Yanyan, any thoughts?

FlynDie
Reply to  Yanyan Li
2 years ago

Sounds a lot like ISL all over again
Though this definitely way more fun and compact

Last edited 2 years ago by FlynDie
oxyswim
Reply to  Yanyan Li
2 years ago

Not showing times for a swim meet is one of the dumber ideas I’ve ever heard. Glad they went away from that.

Marcy Spann
2 years ago

keep your eye on him folks!!!!!! Hobson’s a stud from what i just witnessed at duel in the pool!!!!!

also the other Texas dude David Johnston was super impressive!!!!!

yay usa woohoo

Did not Cali UT
Reply to  Marcy Spann
2 years ago

Indeed!

About Yanyan Li

Yanyan Li

Although Yanyan wasn't the greatest competitive swimmer, she learned more about the sport of swimming by being her high school swim team's manager for four years. She eventually ventured into the realm of writing and joined SwimSwam in January 2022, where she hopes to contribute to and learn more about …

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