2018 MEN’S NCAA SWIMMING & DIVING CHAMPIONSHIPS
- Wednesday, March 21 – Saturday, March 24
- Jean K. Freeman Aquatic Center – Minneapolis, Minnesota
- Prelims 10 AM / Finals 6 PM (Central Time)
- Defending champion: Texas (3x) (results)
- Psych Sheet
- Championship Central
- Event-by-Event Previews
- Team Power Rankings: Final Edition
- Saturday prelims heat sheets
- Live Stream
- Live Results
Day 4 prelims of the Men’s NCAA Championships concluded with the 400 free relay, where sprint ace Caeleb Dressel of Florida was once again a crucial part of his squad. The Gators were well behind going into the anchor leg, but Dressel stepped up to run down the field with his 40.15 split, giving them the heat win.
Dressel’s Splits:
- 1st 50 Split- 19.02
- 2nd 50 Split- 21.13
- Final Time- 40.15
Dressel was about a tenth shy of his best flat start time, which stands as a 40.00 from the 2017 NCAA Championships. At this meet, he’s become the first man to break 18 in the 50 free and the first man to break 43 in the 100 fly. He’s looking to break 1 more barrier tonight as he could become the first man to break 40 seconds in the 100 free. Given his performances so far, that doesn’t seem out of reach for Dressel. If he doesn’t lead off the relay for the Gators tonight, it’s safe to say he’ll probably putting up the fastest relay split again in finals.
By the way 2.5 seconds before Dressel’s relay split NC State crushed US & NCAA records.
There’s an article on that…
Dressel was a heat earlier, so nope
38.9 flat start tonight
38.3 relay anchor
These expectations are getting a tad unrealistic. Keep in mind the Baeleb generally swims significantly slower on the relay versus his individual at this meet, because he is a humble god and wants other mortals to be praised sometimes as well. If he does anchor in 38.3 I’ll eat this computer.
His 17.30 and 17.37 splits were faster than his 17.69 individual race. It’s really not entirely unrealistic for him given how he’s been doing haha. I mean he was a half second faster in his 50 this year than last. Could be a second faster in the 100. With a flying start and chasing people down, I think he could be 38-mid.
All good points there. It wouldn’t be the most surprising thing I’ve seen if he goes 38-mid, but I still don’t necessarily expect it. When I said he swims slower on the relay versus individual I meant specifically his 100 free versus his split on the 4×100 free relay. Last year he was 40.00 then 40.47 (I think?) and the year before was a similar gap, if memory serves.
We’ll just go based on last year. He led off the relay and went about a half second slower than his individual, so if he anchors this year he gets the benefit of doing a flying start and just round that to a half second faster, so we’ll say he… Read more »
Who knows anything can happen tonight. Keep in mind no one thought Jason Lezak could outsplit Bernars or go a 46.0 and be did both. If he Caleb chases down NC state I might poop my pants
46.06
17.63
I think 38.9 flat is more likely than a 38.3 anchor. He’s usually not much faster on relay starts (if at all) than he is from a flat start. I think between free, fly, and breast, the only time he’s been faster on a 400 relay has been budapest on the fly leg, where he was one tenth faster. Otherwise, it’s like 40.3 relay and 40.00 flat last year in the free, and 44low relay and 43.5 flat on the fly, and 50.mid and 50.03 flat in the breast. His 50s are a bit better (0.3s better for his free splits this year, about the same last year with a bunch of 17.9s vs. 18.2 flat, with one 17.7) but… Read more »
Imagine if he swam for NCSU! He would go 36!
Ress splits 40.3. Not even Sir Caleb will be able to catch the Wolfpack tonight!
To be fair, I don’t think Captain America could catch the Wolfpack tonight.
Actually it is quite possible. Florida could’ve been 6:04 and 800 free relay if Dressel have been swimming it. Florida won the 200 free relay. Tonight we’re going to see quite a show.
Aquaman weeps.
Kinda funny that his best split is slower than his flat start. And after tonight, it won’t even be close.
Unless he anchors.
38.9