New England Swimming Specialty Meet
- April 24-26, 2026
- Zesiger Center, Boston, Massachussetts
- Long Course Meters (50 meters)
- Meet Results (PDF)
Bates College senior and team captain Marrich Somridhivej showed up at a local meet at MIT over the weekend and ripped off a pair of lifetime bests and Thai national records.
While he was born and raised raised in the United States and attended high school in Connecticut, Somridhivej’s parents are both Thai.
In the 50 breaststroke, he swam 27.19, which broke the old record of 28.44 set last year at the Thai Age Group Championships by Thanonchai Junruksa.
In the 100, he swam 1:01.25, which broke one of the older records on the books in Thailand: Nuttapong Ketin swam 1:02.01 at the SEA Games in 2011 when he was only 19.
The 50 breaststroke time is particularly noteworthy because it is under the World Aquatics “A” standard (27.33) for 2025, while it clears the “B” standard (1:01.84) in the 100 breaststroke.
While 2027 World Championship standards have not yet been released, the times wouldn’t technically count either way – because the meet is not an AQUA-approved qualifying meet.
Somridhivej has untapped potential in long course – his coach Peter Casares says this is only his second time ever racing in the 50 meter pool.
‘This being only his second meet ever in LCM shows that his collegiate background can carry over into the international long course world too,” Casares told SwimSwam. “He has so much potential and we are excited to see what he accomplishes next.
“I truly believe the sky’s the limit and he could have some real fun chasing after the next stage in his swimming career.”
Somdirhivej is the NCAA Division III Champion in the 100 yard breaststroke. His 51.82 at D3 nationals is the second-fastest in D3 history, behind only US Olympian Andrew Wilson.
He also swam the breaststroke leg of Bates’ winning 400 medley relay that broke the NCAA D3 record. The team finished 6th overall at that meet.
Thailand is using a three phase selection procedure for its Asian Games team this year, with the third phase considering competition results between April 1 and July 15.
Thailand has 17 all-time medals at the Asian Games, though none since 2002.
Well done Marrich, LFG!! Thailand and the Olympics await you
Bob bowman here is another breastroker for you if you want
Noticing a pattern with non-D1 swimmers having the most success in breaststroke. I know it might’ve been talked about before from a technical standpoint but I’m wondering why it’s really the only event where we see this happening?
Similar to this: https://swimswam.com/a-brief-history-of-breaststrokers-from-weird-schools-at-ncaas/
My best theory is that because breaststroke is so technical, it’s less dependent on 1) a training partner to push an effort (you can go ‘harder’ in breaststroker and it doesn’t benefit you the same way it might in freestyle), and 2) a talented swimmer becomes a ‘big fish in a small pond’ and that benefits the technical aspects of the stroke more.
Could also just be a coincidence or confirmation bias, but feels like there’s something there.
I agree on most of this but the one thing that sticks out he’s a similar story to Andrew Wilson as in he was only a 58.7 in the 100 and 27.5 (yeah crazy slower in yards at the time from now in LC) in the 50 breast out of high school. Not only that last year alone he was only a 53.9 and 24.97 which suggests something was changed or clicked
New england prep school (Andover for Wilson, KO for Marrich) = only 3 months of swimming and requirement to do other sports in the other seasons. FAR less developed. I would take any prep school swimmer you would give me, I know in a high yardage program (like Bates) they will drop.
Bates also has had success with BR, most believe from the program that Vanessa Williamson brought with her but its worth noting that their BR success has continued or even improved since she left (and she has not seen the same BR success in her new stint)
Labeling Bates a “high yardage program” and taking a completely unnecessary shot at Vanessa….never change Polarbear
There’s no shot at Vanessa – she brought their BR program with her but they continue to have success even with her gone. And Cesares prides himself on saying they do a lot of yards. I think its good, how’s that a knock? Maybe the facts hurt?
He’s actually breaststroking in that pic? Looks like he is standing! 😂
Congrats Marrich, you are a BEAST