WATCH: Leon Marchand Cruises 3:37 400 IM Prelim

2022 NCAA DIVISION I MEN’S SWIMMING AND DIVING CHAMPIONSHIPS

Reported by Michael Hamann.

400 IM

Top 8 finishers:

  1. Carson Foster (TEX- Sophomore): 3:33.79
  2. Hugo Gonzalez (CAL- Senior): 3:34.88
  3. Jake Foster (TEX- Junior): 3:37.33
  4. Bobby Finke (FLOR- Senior): 3:37.84
  5. Leon Marchand (ASU- Freshman): 3:37.97
  6. David Johnston (TEX- Sophomore): 3:38.90
  7. Brooks Fail (ZONA- 5Y): 3:39.10
  8. Sean Grieshop (CAL- 5Y): 3:39.62

Top seed Leon Marchand of Arizona State took care of business in the final heat, cruising to the win in 3:37.97 to have him seeded fifth heading into this evening. He was the lone A final qualifier from his heat.

In the team title race, Texas gets a huge boost with 3 A finalists, while Cal will also have three swims tonight with 2 A’s and a B.

In the second to last heat, Texas’ Carson Foster fired back at Hugo’s massive swim, posting a 3:33.79 to take the top spot with one heat to go. That swim is now the second fastest of all time behind Chase Kalisz‘ American record. We are now all but guaranteed to see a sub-3:40 swim miss the A final.

Cal’s Hugo Gonzalez left no doubt in the first circle seeded heat, putting together a masterful performance to take over the top spot with a 3:34.88. Gonzalez seems to have gotten the proverbial monkey off of his back from last year’s meet, where he posted the top time of the meet in the B final after missing the A final. Texas junior Jake Foster was runner-up behind Gonzalez in 3:37.33 to sit second with two heats remaining.

Texas sophomore David Johnston dominated the second heat in 3:38.90, leading wire to wire to four and a half seconds from his seed. Johnston now sits in second behind Finke.

Last year’s champion, Florida’s Bobby Finke was the lowest seeded swimmer to compete this morning, but dominated the first heat. Finke held the lead after the fly leg and never looked back, touching in 3:37.84, a near 10 second drop from his seed. Texas A&M’s Anze Ersen also impressed in heat one with a 3:41.68, a three second drop from his seed.

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About Coleman Hodges

Coleman Hodges

Coleman started his journey in the water at age 1, and although he actually has no memory of that, something must have stuck. A Missouri native, he joined the Columbia Swim Club at age 9, where he is still remembered for his stylish dragon swim trunks. After giving up on …

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