Clark Smith posted a 4:08.82 in the 500 freestyle tonight at the University of Texas Invitational, breaking Cristian Quintero‘s Lee and Joe Jamail Texas Swimming Center pool record of 4:10.02 and Michael Klueh‘s Longhorn record of 4:09.32. His swim was the fourth-fastest in history, just missing the American record 4:08.54 set by Peter Vanderkaay back in 2008.
Smith hit the wall nearly six seconds ahead of the second place swimmer, teammate Townley Haas, who swam a 4:14.07.
Both the pool record and Klueh’s school record are huge accomplishments. The Texas Swimming Center has stood since 1977, playing host to eight NCAA Division I Championships, including the meet two years ago in 2014. The pool has also been the host of multiple Grand Prix and Pro Swim Series meets, so its records are some of the fastest in the country.
Smith’s swim tonight was only slower than Vanderkaay’s 4:08.54 in 2008, Vanderkaay’s 4:08.60 in 2006, and Tom Dolan‘s 4:08.75 in 1995.
Smith, a junior, was reportedly shaved and tapered for this meet, but we can only expect him to go even faster, perhaps taking down Vanderkaay’s record, come March at NCAA’s, where his Texas team will be the defending champions. With times like this, hopefully this will even foreshadow an amazing swim from Smith in the 400 distance this summer in Omaha.
Check here for live results from the Texas Invitational as the meet goes on.
I hope my son will be as fast as him! He is only 7 but he is working really hard! I take him to
practice 10 times a week, for 1.5-2 hour sessions and 2 times a week for weight training.
There is certainly a practice, hard work, and commitment aspect to it. But coaches like Eddie Reese and Jack Baurle say that genetics is also important (height, build, oxygen/energy utilization efficiency, etc.) along with some “natural” skill and ability, and the innate drive that makes you hate loosing and compelled to do what is needed to improve.
I’m guessing (hoping!) you are kidding swimmermom!
Very funny, but please don’t give some *real* crazy swim parents any ideas.
The good news is, I don’t imagine there are any teams out there that would let a 7 year old attend 10 sessions per week.
All props in the world to you for giving a sincere answer (some of us on this site are a bit more cynical, haha), and for not chaining your kid to the block his whole childhood. Still, I’m 99% sure this is a joke. Most programs for kids that young do 1, maybe 1.5 hour practices tops. I doubt many coaches have any illusions of holding the attention of a group of 7 year olds for two hours. Let alone 10 sessions of it per week.
I say all that, but there really are some insane parents out there, and unfortunately it wouldn’t surprise me too much if some of them were able to find a coach willing to grind… Read more »
I also hope you are kidding. If not, then i believe he will most likely quit swimming before he is in high school. The most important thing for kids to focus on when they are 11 and younger is building an abiding love for the sport. That gives them the staying power to swim through college. The work ethic will come later.
Yeah, and Murray rolls in 50 prelim and doesn’t swim in final. Licon doesn’t swim IM final… Interesting.
Thought they were saving up for a monster 400 medley relay. Guess not…
A lot of the guys are slammed with tests right now and finals begin next week. Several are skipping sessions to study.
…and no men’s team hit the B qualifying mark in the 400 medley relay
Simply awesome. Way to go! #hookem
No Conger or Schooling in the medley relays… So the only thing both have them have swam today is a 50 free?? I hope they are just saving up for a big next two days… hopefully no injuries or other incidents keeping them out of competition.
A couple possibly concurrent theories:
1) They’re not as rested as the rest of the team, so they know they can’t go two-three events per session 4 days in a row. And the reason they aren’t rested is because they don’t need to be to qualify for NCAAs
2) They’re saving something big for the butterflies tomorrow.
3) They have heavier academic loads right now. Its still the middle of the week, and finals are soon.
Who knows really? Eddie will have them right in March and in June when it counts.
Right on all counts, but it’s mostly #3 same for Licon as well. Many classes put their last tests during this week.
VIDEO!!!!!!! Please
I’m working on it now…
Proud of that boy…. 🙂
Congrats, John. Dorothy Cooper had a funny tweet today: “The only thing better than watching Clark Smith swim is watching his Dad watching him swim.” LOL. I wish I was there tonight. See you in the morning.
When Clark was freshman I posted here that he swam scarred and slow and I was disappointed. That’s how much I know about swimming. 🙂
RIDICULOUS…
To think Dolan would have beaten him in 1995.
The swim tonight was pretty good too I guess…
(All jokes aside, I want to watch this guy go 4:05.)
Amazing swim.
But I am wondering… why doesn’t Tom Dolan have have a circle picture?!? Get the man one!