WATCH: Seliskar Dethrones Haas, Ends Quest for Elusive 200 Free 4-Peat

2019 MEN’S NCAA SWIMMING & DIVING CHAMPIONSHIPS

Despite being a favorite to do so, Texas senior Townley Haas will not be the first man in history to win the 200 free at the NCAA Championships in all four of his appearances. He went 1:31.80 for fourth place Friday night after winning in 2016, 2017, and 2018.

Andrew Seliskar won the event in 1:30.14, Zach Apple was second in 1:31.55, and Drew Kibler was third in 1:31.76.

Two women, Nicole Haislett (1991-1994) and Martina Moravcova (1996-1999), have completed the 200 free four-peat.

One other man in history was almost eligible for the title, but technically swam 80 too many yards over the course of his four wins. That was Ohio State’s Bill Smith, who won the now-discontinued 220-yard freestyle from 1943-1946. That event was available from 1925–1962.

Arizona’s Simon Burnett is the most recent swimmer to come close to getting the four-peat. He won in three years: 2003, 2005, and 2006 – the meet was in meters in 2004, and Burnett took 6th. Matt Biondi also won in 1986, 1987, and 1988, but was seventh in 1984.

Coming into the meet, Haas was the American record holder. He went 1:29.50 in his 2018 win, but Havard’s Dean Farris went 1:29.15 to lead off the 800 free relay Wednesday night. In 2017, Haas was 1:30.65, and in 2016, 1:30.46.

Seliskar’s 1:30.14 matches his previous lifetime best, so he remains the No. 4 performer in history.

Top 10 Performers of All Time: Men’s SCY 200 Free

Place Swimmer Time
1 Dean Farris 1:29.15
2 Townley Haas 1:29.50
3 Blake Pieroni 1:29.63
4 Andrew Seliskar 1:30.14
5 Zach Apple 1:30.34
6 Dylan Carter 1:30.95
7 Simon Burnett 1:31.20
8 Mikel Schreuders 1:31.27
9 Ricky Berens 1:31.31
10 Andreas Vazaios 1:31.32

Top 10 Performances of All Time: Men’s SCY 200 Free

TOP 10 PERFORMANCES
Place Swimmer Time
1 Dean Farris 1:29.15
2 Townley Haas 1:29.50
3 Blake Pieroni 1:29.63
T-4 Andrew Seliskar 1:30.14
T-4 Andrew Seliskar 1:30.14
6 Blake Pieroni 1:30.23
7 Zach Apple 1:30.34
8 Townley Haas 1:30.41
9 Townley Haas 1:30.46
10 Townley Haas 1:30.65

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IM FAN
5 years ago

Yeah, I think it’s safe to say Townley might’ve still been hurting from that gutsy 500.

That being said, all the credit in the world to Seliskar, the dude has reestablished himself as a force to be reckoned with, may I dare say 200 breast AR record watch tomorrow? The dude has the best pullouts since Licon. (Dressel doesn’t count that swim was just unfair… seriously 3 strokes in the first 25, then 5 per lap the rest of the way in a sprint WTF?)

Longhorn
5 years ago

Anyone have a better video of this?

Jimb
5 years ago

Hard to recover from taking a 500 out in 1:35. He looked like he was after Grothe’s record and just blew up. Real tough turning around from a race like that.

Really
5 years ago

That photo is….unfortunate.

running start to touch backstroke flags
5 years ago

Texas serving Cal the best Texas BBQ in Austin…

CHDH
5 years ago

I’ve never been so disappointed in NCAAs, even though I know that Townley has no right to be the record holder with his underwaters.

Mr Piano
Reply to  CHDH
5 years ago

Underwaters aren’t everything. Obviously it helps, but some swimmers like Thorpe don’t need them.

Cheatin Vlad
Reply to  Mr Piano
5 years ago

Thorpe had decent under waters and was well ahead of his time.

hswimmer
Reply to  CHDH
5 years ago

Can’t say anything until you’re faster than Townley…

Prison MIke
Reply to  hswimmer
5 years ago

That’s not how criticism works

Mr Piano
Reply to  Prison MIke
5 years ago

Yes it is. You don’t get to say he doesn’t deserve the record, he owned it for years. Unless you are Blake Pieroni or Dean Farris you have no right to say that.

fdsa
Reply to  Mr Piano
5 years ago

I think his point was that nothing that was said could lead to violence, therefore it’s covered under the 1st amendment.

JimSwim22
Reply to  Mr Piano
5 years ago

He owned the record for year not years dude.

Mr Piano
Reply to  JimSwim22
5 years ago

2016 through 2018, when Blake briefly held it, then 2018 through 2019

Dudeman
Reply to  Mr Piano
5 years ago

“you can’t go that fast so you can’t say anything” essentially means we can never say anything about anyone’s performances at the top of the sport ever. You are allowed to make comments on peoples performances without being as good as them. There’s actually entire jobs that pay millions of dollars to people to criticize/discuss athletes performances on TV and they will never be as good as the athletes they talk about

Tomek
Reply to  CHDH
5 years ago

He ‘had’ the right with the times he swam….

Anonymous
Reply to  CHDH
5 years ago

None of these swimmers owe you anything. You want to be impressed, get out there and swim it yourself.

Dudeman
Reply to  Anonymous
5 years ago

Nobody said they owe us anything. Also you just re-stated the “if you can’t do it you can’t criticize” idea in more words, which again, is not how this works

anonymous
Reply to  Dudeman
5 years ago

K. But calling perhaps the deepest and most competitive NCAAs in history a disappointment is more whining than an actual critique. Sorry watching some of the fastest swimming in history didn’t live up to your expectations.

Hswimmer
5 years ago

I knew seli would do it his back half was too good this summer

About Torrey Hart

Torrey Hart

Torrey is from Oakland, CA, and majored in media studies and American studies at Claremont McKenna College, where she swam distance freestyle for the Claremont-Mudd-Scripps team. Outside of SwimSwam, she has bylines at Sports Illustrated, Yahoo Sports, SB Nation, and The Student Life newspaper.

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