2023 AMERICAN SHORT COURSE CHAMPIONSHIPS
- March 2-4, 2023
- Lee & Joe Jamail Texas Swimming Center, Austin, TX
- SCY
- Championship format
- What Will It Take to Make NCAAs
- Live Results
The Pitt Panthers are attending their 2nd Last Chance meet this weekend at the American Short Course Championships, but it’s the first for 5th-year Australian Cooper van der Laan, and he booked his ticket to the NCAA Championships in the 100 breaststroke.
Van der Laan swam 51.26 in prelims of the 100 breaststroke. That knocks seven-tenths off his previous season best and moves him from 27th in the NCAA to a tie for 8th, clearing the NCAA “A” standard.
Van der Laan was 8th at the 2021 NCAA Championships in 52.17, but that time might not qualify this season. Last year, he was a little faster in 42.14, which placed 23rd. His prelims swim on Friday improved on his 51.42 lifetime best from the 2021 Ohio State Invitational.
Van der Laan was arguably the best piece remaining on the Pitt roster when new head coach Chase Kreitler took over last summer, and he has continued to improve in the new season. His long course best is 1:00.20, and if he drops in long course the way he has been in short course, he might be able to start competing for spots on Australia international rosters.
There were no other qualifiers on Friday morning in Austin, but of note, his teammate Adam Mahler swam his 4th attempt at a 200 fly Last Chance cut. Last week in Athens, Georgia, he swam 1:42.54, 1:42.58, and 1:43.25; on Friday morning, he swam 1:44.02.
“Van der Laan was 8th at the 2021 NCAA Championships in 52.17, but that time might not qualify this season” is probably one of the most powerful statements as to how competitive swimming has become recently.
I know he was 51.7 in prelims that year, but it’s still crazy to think about it.
Smoking fast
I thought you were only allowed to swim in one last chance meet (wrt Mahler)? Does this not technically count as one?
The meet used to be a hybrid club-college last chance meet, but more recently has devolved into a pretty low-key, quick, men’s-only last chance meet. You’ll recall that Abbey Weitzeil’s legendary 21.12 American Record in the 50 yard free while she was in high school was at this meet (https://swimswam.com/abbey-weitzeil-goes-21-12-breaks-50-free-american-record/)
I don’t know what the sanctioning status is now. In theory, you can swim at as many Last Chance meets as you want, the devil is in whether or not the swims count.
A lot of people have positied than an athlete can only go to one Last Chance meet, and I’ve been looking, but haven’t been able to find that in the rules book.
Here’s… Read more »
He’s the goat!🐐