USC Trojans Land Verbal from Swedish Distance Star Victor Johansson

Nässjö, Sweden’s Victor Johansson has announced his verbal commitment to the University of Southern California for the 2018-19 school year. Johansson is a distance freestyler out of the club team Jönköping SS; he finished 2017 ranked #14 in the world in the 800m free and #34 in both the 400m free and the 1500m free. He will join a class that also includes verbal commits Alexei Sancov, Ariel Spektor, and Sean Ward.

Johansson represented Sweden at FINA World Swimming Championships in Budapest this summer, where he lowered his own national record in the 1500 free by nearly 10 seconds to 15:05.91 en route to finishing 15th in heats. He also took 4 seconds off his own 800 free record, going 7:52.66 to take 11th overall. Johansson also owns the national records in the SCM 800 free (7:44.98) and 1500 free (14:50.92), which he established last November at the 2016 Swedish Short Course Nationals. He also broke the Swedish junior national record in the 400 free (3:42.92) at that meet.

Johansson swam for the Swedish flag at 2015 FINA Junior World Championships (18th in the 400, 11th in the 800, 23rd in the 1500), 2016 European Junior Championships (he won the 400/800 and was third in the 1500), and 2016 FINA Short Course World Championships in Windsor (19th in the 400, 19th in the 1500).

Johansson’s best 1500m time converted to yards would have put him 18th at 2017 NCAA Division I Championships; his converted 500 would have been 22nd and his 200, 33rd.

Johansson swam on Sweden’s mixed medley relay in Budapest this summer with USC sophomore Louise Hansson.

Best LCM times (converted to SCY):

• 200 free – 1:48.74 (1:35.08)
• 400 free – 3:48.96 (4:16.53)
• 800 free – 7:52.66 (8:49.59)
• 1500 free – 15:05.91 (14:48.14)

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