Lynch, Carroll, and Coombs Win Swim-Offs After Day 3 Prelims

2016 MEN’S NCAA CHAMPIONSHIPS

• Wednesday, March 23 – Saturday, March 26
• McAuley Aquatic Center – Atlanta, GA
• Prelims 10AM/Finals 6PM (Eastern Time)
• Defending Champion: Texas (results)
• Championship Central
• Live stream: Wednesday/Thursday prelins & finals, Friday/Saturday prelims / Friday/Saturday finals on ESPN3
• Live results

While the rest of the swimmers were warming down in the adjacent pool, six men had to don their school colors once more for the opportunity for a finals swim.

First to the blocks was Auburn’s Arthur Mendes and California’s Justin Lynch. Senior Mendes entered prelims with a 45.72 while the sophomore Bear was seeded a tenth faster at 45.62. Both men touched in 46.18, tying them for the last spot in the consolation final after one of  Lynch’s teammates scratched tonight’s final. Lynch took the first 50 out in 21.37, a touch faster than Mendes’ 21.44, and Lynch out-split him on the second 50 as well, 24.28 over 24.46. The Bear stayed a full stroke cycle ahead of the Tiger, finishing his race in 45.65 versus 45.90.

Next up was a 200 free swim-off between Louisville’s Trevor Carroll and Wisconsin’s Cannon Clifton, who also raced for 16th place. In prelims, both juniors posted a 1:34.23, a mark slower than Carroll’s seed (1:33.52), but notably faster than Clifton’s seed (1:35.40). The Badger didn’t waste any time on this race, he blasted the first 100 at 46.60 compared to Carroll’s 46.90. The Cardinal, though, had a different strategy in mind, as he played it safe by hugging the lane line until the last 50. Carroll split the back-half in 23.84/23.85 and with a heavy leg drive, he soared to the wall first in 1:34.59 over Clifton’s 1:34.77. Carroll was the lead-off for the Louisville 800 free relay in 1:33.68, and if he can repeat the effort, he can hypothetically jump to 12th place tonight.

A 100 breast was the last of the swim-offs and there were originally three men in this race, but only FSU’s Jason Coombs and Kentucky’s George Greenhalgh competed for the second alternate position after their 52.80’s tied. The Seminole junior out-split the Wildcat senior on both 50’s, taking the first one in 24.39 versus 26.65, and on the second 27.95 versus 28.10. Coombs finished the swim-off in 52.34, off his seed of 52.15, but it gets him closer to a potential swim. Greenhalgh touched second to Coombs in 52.75.