2018 MEN’S NCAA SWIMMING & DIVING CHAMPIONSHIPS
- Wednesday, March 21 – Saturday, March 24
- Jean K. Freeman Aquatic Center – Minneapolis, Minnesota
- Defending champion: Texas (3x) (results)
- Psych Sheet
- Live results
- Championship Central
- Live stream: Wednesday/Thursday Finals, All Prelims on BTN2GO; Friday/Saturday Finals on WatchESPN
The 2018 Men’s NCAA Championships are underway in Minneapolis, Minnesota and though there was only one event tonight, there was plenty of fast swimming to go around. The 800 free relay featured 5 of the 10 fastest 200 yard freestylers in history coming into the meet as they competed for their respective teams. Indiana’s Blake Pieroni moved up all the way up to the top in the all-time rankings as the leadoff member of his squad, clocking in at 1:29.63 to become the first man ever to break 1:30. He’s now the fastest performer in history, breaking Townley Haas‘ NCAA and American Record.
- Pieroni’s Splits by 50: 20.89/22.64/22.92/23.18
- Pieroni’s Splits by 100: 43.53/46.10
Tonight’s stacked field included included Texas’ Haas (formerly #1), Indiana’s Pieroni (formerly #2), USC’s Dylan Carter (#3), Harvard’s Dean Farris (#4),and NC State’s Ryan Held (#7), though not all of them swam the leadoff leg and Carter and Farris was in a different heat. Haas swam to a new best time as well, clipping his former best down to a 1:30.41. NC State’s 1:31.32 leadoff leg from Andreas Vazaios makes him the 8th fastest performer ever, so he now joins them on the all-time list. Cal’s Andrew Seliskar is the 7th fastest after leading off in a 1:31.28 for Cal.
ALL-TIME TOP 10 PERFORMERS: 200 FREE
| Place | Swimmer | Time |
| 1 | Blake Pieroni | 1:29.63 |
| 2 | Townley Haas | 1:30.41 |
| 3 | Dylan Carter | 1:30.95 |
| 4 | Dean Farris | 1:31.12 |
| 5 | Simon Burnett | 1:31.20 |
| 6 | Andrew Seliskar | 1:31.28 |
| 7 | Ricky Berens | 1:31.31 |
| 8 | Andreas Vazaios | 1:31.32 |
| 9 | Ryan Held | 1:31.37 |
| 10 | Joao De Lucca | 1:31.51 |
ALL-TIME TOP 10 PERFORMANCES: 200 FREE
| Place | Swimmer | Time |
| 1 | Blake Pieroni | 1:29.63 |
| 2 | Townley Haas | 1:30.41 |
| 3 | Townley Haas | 1:30.46 |
| 4 | Townley Haas | 1:30.65 |
| 5 | Blake Pieroni | 1:30.87 |
| 6 | Dylan Carter | 1:30.95 |
| 7 | Dean Farris | 1:31.12 |
| 8 | Blake Pieroni | 1:31.14 |
| 9 | Blake Pieroni | 1:31.16 (T-9) |
| 10 | Dylan Carter | 1:31.16 (T-9) |
The Wolfpack eventually caught up to Indiana, smashing the NCAA Record as the Hoosiers took 2nd. Behind them, Texas broke their own American Record for 3rd place.
Splits:
Cordes 2014: 23.58 50.04 (26.46)
Dressel 2018: 23.42 50.03 (26.61)
Finnerty 2018: 23.26, 49.69 (26.43)
Good to see IU is on the rise again, both with the women’s and men’s programs. If the success they’re having lately helps them recruit a little more depth, they could eventually give the sunshine belt schools a real run for their money.
Now we know how to do it. You just need to take it out in under 21 seconds and then not die. So simple! 😉
40.68100?
Simply unbelievable. I’ve been waiting for this day for so long!
Think there’s a chance it could take about 1:31.4 to A final
Split Comparison:
Haas 2016: 20.90, 43.61 (22.71), 1:06.92 (23.31), 1:30.46 (23.54) by 100: 43.61, 46.85
Haas 2018: 20.87, 43.74 (22.87), 1:07.06 (23.32), 1:30.41 (23.35) by 100: 43.74, 46.67
Pieroni 2018: 20.89, 43.53 (22.64), 1:06.45 (22.92), 1:29.63 (23.18) by 100 43.53, 46.10
He really destroyed it on the second half.
hey guyz plz review my blake pieroni fanfiction UwU:
me: hehe blake ur such a cutie x3 *nuzzles his chin*
blake: aww thx xD
me: *pounces on him and notices his 1.29.63* OwO whats this??
An instant classic. ONII-CHAN is a modern day Charles Dickens. 10/10.