Matt Fallon: “To feel like that on the last 100 again, that’s just the goal”

2021 U.S. OLYMPIC SWIMMING TRIALS

Reported by James Sutherland.

MEN’S 200 BREAST SEMI-FINALS

  • World Record: Anton Chupkov (RUS) – 2:06.12 (2019)
  • American Record: Josh Prenot – 2:07.17 (2016)
  • US Open Record: Josh Prenot (USA) – 2:07.17 (2016)
  • World Junior Record: Qin Haiyan (CHN) – 2:07.35 (2017)
  • 2016 Olympic Champion: Dmitriy Balandin (KAZ) – 2:07.46
  • 2016 US Olympic Trials Champion: Josh Prenot – 2:07.17
  • Wave I Cut: 2:17.89
  • Wave II Cut: 2:15.28
  • FINA ‘A’ Cut: 2:10.35
  1. Matt Fallon (GSCY), 2:08.91
  2. Nic Fink (ABSC), 2:09.13
  3. Kevin Cordes (ABSC), 2:09.31
  4. Will Licon (TXLA), 2:09.39
  5. Andrew Wilson (ABSC), 2:09.48
  6. Daniel Roy (ALTO), 2:09.57
  7. Jake Foster (RAYS), 2:10.13
  8. AJ Pouch (VT), 2:10.76

Allow me to introduce you to Matt Fallon. But seriously, what a swim from the 18-year-old.

Fallon dropped more than a second off his best time to qualify first from this morning’s prelims in 2:10.13, and then turned things up a couple notches in tonight’s semis.

Racing in the second semi, Fallon looked like he was out of it early, turning in 1:03.67 at the 100—dead last in the heat, and 15th among all semi-finalists. However, he turned on the jets big time coming home, splitting 32.66/32.58 to run down early leader Kevin Cordes and touch first in a time of 2:08.91, obliterating the 17-18 National Age Group Record of 2:09.73. That record belonged to Daniel Roy, set in 2018.

Additionally, Fallon is now the ninth-fastest American of all-time in the event, moving up from 17th where he put himself this morning.

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mcmflyguy
2 years ago

Not knowing who Fallon was, or how he usually swims. When I saw this race, I thought he wasted it all in prelims and was out of his league in the finals at the 100 mark… and then came the last 50. lol I started saying, no way!!! NO WAY!!!, and cheering for him. it was really fun to see.

McG
2 years ago

anyone know where he’s going to college?

USA
Reply to  McG
2 years ago

UPenn

PhillyMark
Reply to  McG
2 years ago

UPenn.

Pawn
2 years ago

Was he the kid training in Florida with zuchowski

Reid
2 years ago

How tall is?

GATOR CHOMP 🐊
2 years ago

I know Fink and Licon have been in line for a while but it would be really cool to see Fallon qualify for the olympics

MTK
2 years ago

Between how Chupkov and Stubblety-Cook swim it, and now Fallon, it seems like the way forward for 200br is to swim at a 2-3 second 100differential, not the +5-6 that a lot of swimmers had been using. It’s weird to think, but a back-half strategy might be the way to 2:05 and under – get out in the easiest 1:01.5-1:02.0 you can, and hammer the last 100.

Last edited 2 years ago by MTK
Joe
Reply to  MTK
2 years ago

Nice easy 1:01 100 breaststroke haha

MTK
Reply to  Joe
2 years ago

Yeah, I wish haha. “Easy” by their standards of course.

Coachy
Reply to  MTK
2 years ago

The goal in swimming (200 for example) is 200 meters the same speed. The fastest continuous speed you can hold for “X” distance. So your splits should only be different because of your start and turn.

This isn’t a new philosophy, it’s just a poorly coached one.

MTK
Reply to  Coachy
2 years ago

That’s fair, just noting that typically we have seen +2-3 in free and back vs +5-6 in breast and fly because the long vs short axis strokes fatigue differently. So maybe a mentality shift just needs to become widespread that you should be more conservative on the front half of 200br and 200fl.

R&R
Reply to  Coachy
2 years ago

The goal in swimming is to swim the fastest possible time. Maximise for time, however that is best accomplished.

Poorly coaching would be maximising for something else, like balance.

Konner Scott
Reply to  Coachy
2 years ago

Tell that to Michael Andrew.

Landen
Reply to  MTK
2 years ago

Sato is the only front halter I can think of dropping sub 2:07’s

Joe
2 years ago

Very intelligent strategist

bobthebuilderrocks
2 years ago

I seem to remember someone mentioning a really OP broken 200m breaststroke by Fallon a few months ago, I forget the time but whoever that was definitely knew this was coming. I’m really curious as to how Alexy & Fallon have been training, the two seem to have been through a lot of changes (teams merging + going to train in Florida) but they both seem to be kicking butt, which really shows the resilience in these two guys.

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Coleman Hodges

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