We’re here answering the questions you always wanted to know: how fast can the fastest sprinters in one of the fastest sprint groups in the country swim a 25-yard free?
Arizona State took on every summer leaguer’s dream-scenario, a knockout bracket of 25 yard freestyles. I don’t know why every summer league meet doesn’t offer this event.
12 of Arizona State’s top undergrad sprinters raced in a 25-yard freestyle bracket, seeded by season-best times in the 50 free, last weekend. The winner earned the right to Boss Battle against US Olympian Ryan Held, who is the “All Time World Record” holder (aka the Arizona State 25 bracket knockout World Record holder).
Arizona State assistant coach Herbie Behm unveiled the results in a Twitter post:
25 freestyle Tournament. 1v1 single elimination. pic.twitter.com/a0QqIGYdmL
— Herbie Behm (@SirHerb_the3rd) February 10, 2023
There weren’t any big first-round upsets, but there was a big surprise in the 2nd round, where Patrick Sammon (seed: 19.98) knocked off Christian Osterndorf (seed: 19.80).
Ultimately the bracket went pretty close to chalk, with the team’s top two undergraduates Jack Dolan and Max McCusker going head-to-head in the final. Dolan landed an 8.3 to earn the right to challenge the pro swimmer Held in the final.
Then he stepped into the arena with Held, who asserted his dominance and won in a time of 8.19. That wasn’t quite his best, which is apparently a 7.96 (!!!) but it was enough to retain his throne atop the Tempe sprint group.
IDK. If you go back to the 2018 NCAA Championship, Dressel was .62 faster (8.48 to 9.10) – to their feet – in the 50 Free than Held. In fast, Hoffer and Sendyk was faster than Held. In the 200 Free Relay, Dressel was .42 second faster to their feet in the lead-off leg (8.54 vs 8.96). My vote goes to Dressel in “virtualness.”
Are there any videos to confirm they were breaking the surface at 15 meters?
Yes, but would Dressel win today? He’d have to go in the water first…
You don’t win by someone swimmig slower than you at some other time and place than the actual “meet”.
This should be a made for TV event. Pads for sure. Best 64 in world to head to head
Do first 2 rounds day 1 am, 2 rounds day 1 pm
Bring ‘em back next night for final 4 and finals
Depending on what the rest was like for the guys who actually swam through the tournament, one would imagine some might have beaten Held who was fully rested, no?
I am an average Ryan Held enjoyer, just a W guy all around
I feel like this needs to be done long course with a tape across the pool at 25 yards. 8 seconds is fast enough to break a finger on the wall!
This event was made for video . . . it’s a travesty we can’t watch the Ryan Held 7.9!
Travesty definition: https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/travesty
This event may be a “travesty” of an ideal swimming event, in a broad and metaphorical use of the word, but it’s (pick one: unfortunate, unfair, tragic, a shame, etc.) that we can’t watch the Ryan Held 7.9
https://www.tomedes.com/translator-hub/the-5-most-misused-english-words-hub.php
Think this is just a standing sprint group record from Held. Don’t think he did it on that day.
Are these hand timed or do they use touchpads for races this close? 7.9 or 8.1 is rockin’!
It’s hand times. Which is almost impossible to be accurate. Or even tell who wins close races.