2023 UNLV First Chance Invite
- February 10-11, 2023
- Las Vegas, Nevada
- SCY (25 yards)
- Full Results (PDF)
Arizona State freshman Zalan Sarkany continued his impressive start to his collegiate career on Friday, obliterating the school record in the 1650 freestyle at the UNLV First Chance Invite.
Sarkany, who has already lowered the ASU record in the 1000 free three times in three meets since joining the team in January, clocked in a time of 14:49.68 in his first-ever 1650, taking just over a second off the previous mark of 14:50.70 set by Gordon Mason at last year’s Pac-12 Championships.
He’s on a tear ⚡️⚡️⚡️
Over the weekend, Zalan Sarkany set a new school record in the 1650 free at the UNLV First Chance Invitational 😈#ForksUp | #O2V pic.twitter.com/aRuiGbsvNK
— Sun Devil Swim/Dive (@ASUSwimDive) February 13, 2023
A native of Budapest, Hungary, Sarkany now ranks seventh in the NCAA this season in the 1650 free, and has positioned himself to earn an invite to the NCAA Championships based on that performance and thus won’t need to fully taper for Pac-12s. Last season, it took 14:55.21 to earn an NCAA invite.
2022-23 NCAA Rankings, Men’s 1650 Freestyle
- Victor Johansson (Alabama), 14:39.63
- Alec Enyeart (Texas), 14:43.39
- Jake Magahey (Georgia), 14:44.58
- Ross Dant (NC State), 14:44.87
- Charlie Clark (Ohio State), 14:46.80
- Tyler Watson (Florida), 14:48.34
- Zalan Sarkany (Arizona State), 14:49.68
- Levi Sandidge (Kentucky), 14:51.24
- Will Gallant (NC State), 14:51.52
- Chris Nagy (Minnesota), 14:52.62
Zarkany’s Splits
- 22.86
- 48.49 (25.63)
- 1:14.53 (26.04)
- 1:41.01 (26.48)
- 2:07.61 (26.60)
- 2:34.34 (26.73)
- 3:01.08 (26.74)
- 3:27.77 (26.69)
- 3:54.69 (26.92)
- 4:21.63 (26.94)
- 4:48.46 (26.83)
- 5:15.40 (26.94)
- 5:42.49 (27.09)
- 6:09.52 (27.03)
- 6:36.75 (27.23)
- 7:03.87 (27.12)
- 7:31.17 (27.30)
- 7:58.47 (27.30)
- 8:25.82 (27.35)
- 8:53.30 (27.48)
- 9:20.57 (27.27)
- 9:47.98 (27.41)
- 10:15.54 (27.56)
- 10:42.92 (27.38)
- 11:10.41 (27.49)
- 11:37.95 (27.54)
- 12:05.42 (27.47)
- 12:33.05 (27.63)
- 13:00.75 (27.70)
- 13:28.33 (27.58)
- 13:55.89 (27.56)
- 14:23.17 (27.28)
- 14:49.68 (26.51)
In just seven swims with the Sun Devils thus far, Sarkany has now broken a program record in four of them.
SARKANY’S ASU PERFORMANCES
ASU Vs. Stanford – January 20
- 500 free – 4:17.83
- 1000 free – 8:50.56 (broke school record)
ASU Vs. Cal – January 21
- 500 free – 4:17.81
- 1000 free – 8:50.25 (broke school record)
ASU Vs. Arizona – February 4
- 500 free – 4:20.57
- 1000 free – 8:49.31 (broke school record)
UNLV First Chance Invitational – February 10
- 1650 free – 14:49.68 (broke school record)
Sarkany, 19, has raced the 1500 free in long course and short course meters multiple times prior to the start of his collegiate career, including clocking 14:44.74 in SCM this past November. In long course, his best time stands at 15:20.77, set in February 2022.
The freshman was the lone ASU swimmer at the meet, and he was joined by some UNLV athletes on the men’s side while Utah Tech and NAU joined the host Rebels on the women’s side.
Other top performances came from UNLV’s Krzysztof Matuszewski, who set best times in the men’s 100 free (43.60) and 100 fly (47.11), while the women had Utah Tech’s Reese Hazan clock 1:59.71 for a season-best in the 200 back and 51.64 for a PB in the 100 free.
He is different to watch. Insane stroke rate, hardly kicks at all. He is going to drop a ton of time. Great to see ASU doing g so well
Leon will allow this record to stand….for now.
Zalan Sarkany has one of the smoothest distance strokes I have ever seen. The only other I have seen that comes close is that of now graduated U of Arizona distance swimmer Brooks Fail
nobody is on the level of Brooks Fail
he routinely pulls the 2 fly/1650 double
Awesome splits man
Not a for sure nCAA entry time in the mile or any event so far! But since he has been in heavy training, then maybe a shot to podium?!?
Well done
Does that meet the test of a “ bonafide” competition for qualifying purposes? Seems like a glorified intrasquad time trial on mens side
Not nearly as sketchy as the Liberty timing system from a few years ago.
Yes, it does. There were two men’s teams competing in the meet.
Geez, great time and also beautiful splitting. I call A final scoring in 1650, b final scoring in 500
550 splits of 4:48-4:59-5:01. I wouldn’t call that good splitting. I like the total time, but good splitting? NO
Bowman has guys swimming fast.
He sure does. We’ll have to see if Bowman and his staff have got the NCAA taper thing figured out. They historically have not done great vs. seed at NCAA Champs.
He was swimming a 1650 by himself; not just way out in front but … BY HIMSELF. I’m thinking we can cut him a bit of a break on his splitting.
He’s demonstrated willingess to race against good competition. Not only did he set ASU School records in 4 of his 7 career SCY swims, he won his first two 500s against Stanford and Cal, both 4:17+(both 2:07.0 at the 250).
He was as undefeated in dual meet competiton as Leon and Maggie until in his second race of ASU’s last dual when some guy blitzed a 4:07.81. He actually tried to race Marchand, going through the 250 over a second faster than his Stanford/Cal 500s (2:05.98 to… Read more »
Those 500 school records seem wrong. I feel like they had guys going 4:13-4:15 last year. It’s possible they had guys going faster before that also.
Correct, record book wasn’t updated (ASU record is Marchand’s 4:07.81 now anyway!).