2025 Men’s NCAA Swimming and Diving Championships
- March 26-29, 2025
- Weyerhaeuser King County Aquatics Center, Federal Way, Washington
- Short Course Yards (25 yards)
- Start Times: Prelims: 10 AM ׀ Finals: 6 PM (Pacific Daylight Time)
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Indiana junior Zalan Sarkany won his second consecutive NCAA title in the men’s 1650 free on Saturday, dominating from start to finish with a time of 14:21.29. That time makes him the third-fastest swimmer of all-time in the event, as well as the second-fastest in NCAA history behind Bobby Finke.
Sarkany also improves nearly two seconds off his best time of 14:23.01 from the 2024 Pac-12 championships. That time had him ranked sixth all-time. In addition he was considerably faster than his time of 14:30.57 from when he won at 2024 NCAAs.
All-Time Top Performers, Men’s 1650-Yard Freestyle:
- Bobby Finke, Florida — 14:12.08 (2020)
- Zane Grothe, Unattached — 14:18.25 (2017)
- Zalan Sarkany, Indiana — 14:21.29 (2025)
- Clark Smith, Texas — 14:22.41 (2017)
- Felix Auboeck, Michigan — 14:22.88 (2017)
Compared to his previous best time, Sarkany was actually out at a slower pace up until the 1400-yard mark. The difference was the final 200 — despite having no challengers in his sight, he was able to make a huge push on the closing stretch to drop nearly two seconds.
Sarkany was also on a similar pace with his 2024 NCAAs swim up until the 1000-yard mark, but closed out considerably faster.
Split Comparison:
| Zalan Sarkany, 2025 NCAA Championships | Zalan Sarkany, 2024 Pac-12 Championships | Zalan Sarkany, 2024 NCAA Championships | |
| 50y | 22.29 | 23.12 | 23.09 |
| 100y | 49.23 (25.84) | 48.58 (25.46) | 48.61 (25.52) |
| 150y | 1:15.41 (26.18) | 1:14.35 (25.77) | 1:14.61 (26.00) |
| 200y | 1:41.67 (26.26) | 1:40.28 (25.93) | 1:40.75 (26.41) |
| 250y | 2:08.08 (26.41) | 2:06.37 (26.09) | 2:06.89 (26.14) |
| 300y | 2:34.57 (26.49) | 2:32.44 (26.07) | 2:33.22 (26.33) |
| 350y | 3:00.93 (26.36) | 2:58.77 (26.33) | 2:59.69 (26.47) |
| 400y | 3:27.10 (26.17) | 3:24.88 (26.11) | 3:26.09 (26.40) |
| 450y | 3:53.34 (26.24) | 3:51.15 (26.27) | 3:52.36 (26.27) |
| 500y | 4:19.41 (26.07) | 4:17.43 (26.28) | 4:18.75 (26.39) |
| 550y | 4:45.53 (26.12) | 4:43.75 (26.32) | 4:45.11 (26.36) |
| 600y | 5:11.83 (26.30) | 5:10.12 (26.37) | 5:11.59 (26.48) |
| 650y | 5:38.24 (26.41) | 5:36.31 (26.19) | 5:38.08 (26.49) |
| 700y | 6:04.60 (26.36) | 6:02.31 (26.00) | 6:04.54 (26.46) |
| 750y | 6:30.78 (26.18) | 6:28.30 (25.99) | 6:31.14 (26.60) |
| 800y | 6:57.15 (26.37) | 6:54.64 (26.34) | 6:57.64 (26.50) |
| 850y | 7:23.44 (26.29) | 7:20.99 (26.35) | 7:24.22 (26.58) |
| 900y | 7:49.63 (26.19) | 7:47.43 (26.44) | 7:50.74 (26.52) |
| 950y | 8:16.02 (26.39) | 8:13.74 (26.31) | 8:17.07 (26.33) |
| 1000y | 8:42.30 (26.28) | 8:40.10 (26.36) | 8:43.56 (26.39) |
| 1050y | 9:08.56 (26.26) | 9:06.52 (26.42) | 9:10.06 (26.50) |
| 1100y | 9:34.86 (26.30) | 9:33.02 (26.50) | 9:36.73 (26.67) |
| 1150y | 10:01.17 (26.31) | 9:59.48 (26.46) | 10:03.46 (26.73) |
| 1200y | 10:27.43 (26.26) | 10:25.91 (26.43) | 10:30.24 (26.78) |
| 1250y | 10:53.69 (26.26) | 10:52.57 (26.56) | 10:56.87 (26.63) |
| 1300y | 11:19.88 (26.19) | 11:19.05 (26.58) | 11:23.73 (26.86) |
| 1350y | 11:46.05 (26.17) | 11:45.67 (26.62) | 11:50.62 (26.89) |
| 1400y | 12:12.16 (26.11) | 12:12.16 (26.49) | 12:17.40 (26.78) |
| 1450y | 12:38.25 (26.09) | 12:38.70 (26.54) | 12:44.20 (26.80) |
| 1500y | 13:04.34 (26.09) | 13:05.18 (26.48) | 13:10.96 (26.76) |
| 1550y | 13:30.34 (26.00) | 13:31.56 (26.38) | 13:37.83 (26.87) |
| 1600y | 13:56.20 (25.86) | 13:57.83 (26.27) | 14:04.52 (26.69) |
| 1650y | 14:21.29 (25.09) | 14:23.01 (25.18) | 14:30.57 (26.05) |
| Total | 14:21.29 | 14:23.01 | 14:30.57 |
Sarkany previously finished seventh in the 500 free (4:09.69) and 17th in the 400 IM (3:40.64) at this competition, leaving his best event for last.
Johnston sold as well
Zalan 17th in 400 IM in consecutive years.
His win is the greatest testament to how freaking reactive people are.
Does anyone know who Grothe was swimming for in 2017? Was it Westphal?
Yes, Mike Westphal. https://websitestage-core.azurewebsites.net/oldnews/2017/12/03/grothe-shatters-american-record-to-close-out-2017-winter-nationals
You don’t want him in an outside lane
Clark and Felix still top 5… part of the greatest mile race ever
Always will be the classic mile
that 14:12 is diabolical. Underrated record
I still wonder what he could have gone if he didn’t get COVID before his senior NCAAs. Probably sub 14:10