Reported by Jared Anderson.
1650 FREESTYLE – FINAL HEAT, TIMED FINALS
- NCAA record: Clark Smith (Texas), 2017, 14:22.41
- American record: Zane Grothe, 2017, 14:18.25
- U.S. Open record: Zane Grothe, 2017, 14:18.25
- 2017 NCAA Champion: Clark Smith (Texas), 14:22.41
Top 8 finishers:
- Anton Ipsen, NC State – 14:24.43
- Felix Auboeck, Michigan – 14:29.42
- Nick Norman, Cal – 14:30.82
- Zach Yeadon, Notre Dame – 14:35.98
- Marcelo Acosta, Louisville – 14:38.22
- PJ Ransford, Michigan – 14:38.23
- Ricardo Vargas, Michigan – 14:40.27
- True Sweetser, Stanford – 14:40.48
NC State’s Anton Ipsen went out fast, burning out the rest of the field until he was alone out front. Michigan’s Felix Auboeck fought him hard for much of the way, but eventually fell off and settled for secon din 14:29.42.
Cal’s Nick Norman came through with a massive swim to keep his Golden Bears in the hunt. Norman added more than 30 seconds last year and was almost dead last, but this year he blasted his way to bronze in 14:30.82 – almost a full minute faster than he was last season. Moving up three spots gained 3 points for Cal, who need every point to try to run down the top two teams.
Notre Dame’s Zach Yeadon closed hard to take fourth in 14:35.98, and Louisville’s Marcelo Acosta was fifth in 14:38.22. His time barely beat the top afternoon heat swimmer by .01 – that was Michigan’s PJ Ransford. Michigan has three inside the top 8, with Ricardo Vargas going 14:40.27 for seventh. Stanford’s True Sweetser took 8th, also out of the early heats.