2017 MEN’S B1G SWIMMING & DIVING CHAMPIONSHIPS
- When: Wednesday, February 22th to Saturday, February 25th | Prelims 11am | Finals 6:30pm
- Where: Ohio State University, Columbus, OH (Eastern Time Zone)
- Defending Champion: Michigan Wolverines (results)
- Live Results
- Streaming (BTN subscription required)
- Championship Central: here
Michigan junior Paul Powers lopped off five hundredths from his own Big Ten meet and conference record in the 50 freestyle, winning his 3rd-straight B1G title in this race with an 18.80. That makes him undefeated in the 50 free at the Big Ten Championships, after he won both his freshman and sophomore years, too. Powers is the first conference swimmer to three-peat in the 50 free since storied Olympian Matt Grevers did so at Northwestern from 2005-07 (see Tweet below).
Powers first broke the conference record last year at Big Tens, where his 18.85 cleared Derek Toomey’s 2014 mark of 18.95 by a whole tenth. His next venture under 19 seconds was an 18.99 at last year’s NCAA Championships until tonight, when he registered the new conference record of 18.80.
Powers touched 1st ahead of Indiana’s Ali Khalafalla, who was 2nd in 18.94, which made him the third-ever Big Ten man to break 19 seconds in the 50 free. The Hoosier junior went 19.00 in prelims for the top seed going into finals, while Powers was 2nd in 19.26– the Wolverine dropped a sizable .46 to end in his final time tonight. Penn State senior Shane Ryan picked up the bronze with a 19.03 to edge Minnesota sophomore Bowen Becker (19.08).
Powers is the first Big Ten swimmer to win the 50 FR in three consecutive years since Olympian @MattGrevers from 2005-07. #GoBlue
— Michigan Swim & Dive (@umichswimdive) February 24, 2017
