Townley Haas Goes 1:45.03, Becomes 5th-Fastest U.S 200 Performer Ever

2017 U.S. NATIONALS/WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS TRIALS

As you watched Townley Haas and Caeleb Dressel start side-by-side in tonight’s 200 free final at the 2017 U.S. World Championships Trials, there was no doubt that Dressel has the more explosive start of the two…not that it mattered much.  Haas quickly overtook the fastest man ever in the 50 and 100 yard freestyles and flipped first at the 50.  It was pretty clear that the race was over by that point, and sure enough, Haas continue to build his lead to a body length, and touched over a second ahead of the rest of the field, finishing in 1:45.03.

That drops over half a second off his personal best, previously 1:45.58 from last summer in Rio, and moves him ahead of Peter Vanderkaay (1:45.14) and Conor Dwyer (1:45.23) to put him 5th all-time among U.S. swimmers, according to the USA Swimming database.

All-Time Top U.S. Performers

Name Time Year
Michael Phelps 1:42.96 2008
Ryan Lochte 1:44.44 2011
Dave Walters 1:44.95 2009
Ricky Berens 1:44.95 2009
Townley Haas 1:45.03 2017

With Walters and Berens setting their personal bests at the height of the supersuit era (and not dipping under 1:45.0 any time after that), Haas is now the 3rd-fastest U.S. swimmer all-time in textile.

Haas’s time tonight also puts him 2nd in the world this year, behind only Sun Yang of China.

2016-2017 LCM Men 200 FREE

SunCHN
YANG
07/25
1.44.39
2Townley
HAAS
USA1.45.0306/28
3Duncan
SCOTT
GBR1.45.1607/24
3Tae Hwan
PARK
KOR1.45.1611/17
5James
GUY
GBR1.45.1807/24
View Top 26»

The rising junior at Texas now has to be considered a legitimate medal threat in Budapest, which is welcome news for the US after they failed to earn any hardware in the event in 2015.  Haas’s time tonight would’ve earned a gold medal in Kazan two years ago, and would have earned the silver medal last year in Rio.

Meanwhile, Olympic teammate Blake Pieroni cracked the top ten U.S. list tonight with his 1:46.30, displacing Davis Tarwater and his 1:46.36 from 2009.

Both Haas and Pieroni also qualified for the 4×100 free relay last night, and the two look like they should be a big part of the U.S. freestyle contingent for at least the next quad.  Haas is also a favorite to challenge for a top finish in the 400 freestyle tomorrow night.

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IMs for days
7 years ago

Haas’ splits
24.26/50.85(26.59)/1:17.84(26.99)/1:45.03(27.19)
For comparison in rio Le Clos split
23.39/50.36(26.97)/1:17.71(27.35)/1:45.20(27.49)
At chinese nationals this year Sun split
24.66/50.99(26.33)/1:17.67(26.68)/1:44.91(27.24)
At 2013 worlds Agnel went
24.07/50.64(26.57)/1:17.00(26.36)/1:44.20(27.20)
At at 2007 worlds phelps went
24.47/51.00(26.53)/1:17.73(26.73)/1:43.86(26.13)
It appears to me that Haas has to bolster his second half more, exspecially that 3rd 50 to gst on the medal stand. But a couple of fixs that Eddie Reese can make in the next month, Better start to drop around .2 of a second, and better dolphin kicks and walls can drop around 1 second. We know eddie reese can teach underwaters from examples Like schooling. Seriously, Imagine the Haas with his speed over the water… Read more »

Guest
Reply to  IMs for days
7 years ago

T only goes fast enough to win. He was so far ahead. There is more in the tank

Texas Relays
7 years ago

But only 3rd fastest Longhorn…

dude
7 years ago

Phelps Beijing 200 free, in my book, perhaps the greatest 200 free ever swum by anyone (regardless of suit).

Nah
Reply to  dude
7 years ago

biedermans 1:42.00. Out 50.1 back 51.8. With tenths obviously. That time is untouchable without a suit. Could be 10-15 years till it’s broken

lilaswimmer
Reply to  Nah
7 years ago

biederman’s suit any different from michael phelps suit at that time?that guy didn’t do much after that.. so i assume that suit make a huge different?

IMs for days
Reply to  lilaswimmer
7 years ago

Ok, yes Beidermann is not an all time great, but I’m sick of people saying he was noth8ng without the suit. He swam 1:44 without it and was able to get on the podium in 2011 and 2015, still with that infamous closing speed. He’s not Phelps, but he’s not a joke.

Team Rwanda
Reply to  IMs for days
7 years ago

I know, right! and except for the 200im, Phelps never did a best time again in any of his other events after the suits were banned, so maybe the suits helped everyone.

Caeleb dressel\'s occupied stall
Reply to  dude
7 years ago

Disagree. Agnel 2012

Stimmybob
7 years ago

Phelps 1:42 from Beijing 2008 right?

DRAILSTAIL
Reply to  Stimmybob
7 years ago

Yes

ellie
7 years ago

great 200fr coming in Budapest. At least two men will break 45, possibly three or more. That hasn’t happened for years.

MichaelTran
7 years ago

Go Haas!!!
Go Pieroni!!!

Rafael
7 years ago

With the times add is gbr or us ahead on the 4×200?

Wrighty96
Reply to  Rafael
7 years ago

Based on the top 4 guys in the individual 200 free from British Champs and US Champs, USA is ahead on paper.

GBR: Guy (1:45.55), Scott (1:45.80), Jarvis (1:47.02), Grainger (1:47.28) = 7:05.65

USA: Haas (1:45.03), Pieroni (1:46.30), Grothe (1:46.39), Dwyer (1:47.25) = 7:04.97

Just sayin
Reply to  Wrighty96
7 years ago

Clark was 1:47.1

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