Thanks to Rob Butcher and USMS for sharing the above video of Nathan Adrian’s swim from the 2014 United States Masters Championships 100 yard freestyle.
25-year old Nathan Adrian swam a 41.13 in the men’s 100 yard freestyle on Saturday at the 2014 United States Masters National Championships, which not only broke the Masters’ National Record for the 25-29 age group, but came within .05 of his own American Record (any age) from the 2009 NCAA Championships.
(Update: Adrian’s swim was originally reported as tying the American record at 41.08, but a statement from USMS on Sunday announced that this was a timing error, and his actual time was a 41.13. You can read the statement here.)
Adrian’s stroke continues to evolve as he progresses toward Rio to try and defend his Olympic gold in the 100 meter freestyle. The stroke we saw at Masters’ Nationals and a week ago at the Mesa Grand Prix (below) have a much bigger gallop than we saw from him in London (last video below). He’s always had somewhat of a gallop, but never as much as he’s been displaying lately, and he seems to be getting a ton of power out of that stroke.
Compared to the very smooth, even, steady rhythm of Darian Townsend (who is just below Adrian on the video), it’s obvious how pronounced his gallop has become, though Adrian’s 50’s seem to be more along the lines of where were used to seeing his stroke.
So far, this tweak seems to be working for him, as he’s swimming extremely well in-season this year.
I dont think adrian should ever be counted as an underdog. He is the best 50/100 hybrid swimmer in the world. There are better individual 50 swimmers (cielo, manadou) and 1 better 100 free swimmer (Magnussen). But I think he is the only one capable if medaling in both. He just needs to get back to opening 22 mid instead of low. Also, if I’m not mistaken, he was ill at the WCs last year?
I think he was sick at WC last year. Also, if I remember right, he was focusing primarily on the 50, rather than the 100, to make up for having missed the OT in the 50 in 2012. That may account for the changes in his stroke, actually.
Truly impressive performance. His finish wasn’t that great – with a little more aggressiveness with his final stroke and he would have easily broken the record. I suspect that he didn’t know that he was going that fast.
I also want to point out that these professional swimmers participate in usms meets out of the love of the sport, and not for money. In track and field, marathon running, and even triathlons it is very difficult to get a top-notch professional to participate in a race without having a payout. What a great privilege it is for the thousands of masters swimmers at the meet to swim in the same meet as these great athletes.
By his latest races results and times , I sense Adrian is gonna be a serious contenter at Pan Pacs for Maggie , Mc Evoy and the Brazilians sprinters . He is in great shape allready .
Even without his latest results, he’d still be in the mix.
He seems to be swimming really, really well in season. Right? Feel like he’s never been this fast outside a taper meet.
That i knew allready ! i was metioning he seems to be really fast allready beginning the LC season . It’s very good sign for this summer . I woudl’nt be surprises to see him on top of the 100 free at Pan Pacs and next WC .
I doubt we should be surprised to see the reigning Olympic Gold medalist in any event atop the podium at any meet ever. When did Nathan Adrian become the underdog?
I think he mention as the winner.. not only podium..
At 100 free I´m at the point that I´m thinking Mcevoy and not Mag is the man to beat now..
He became the underdog after he barely squeaked in for bronze at the World Championships last summer despite a 47.8, only a few tenths off his Olympic time, and since then the gold medalist there, Magnusson, has gone under 48 very consistently, maybe about a half dozen times. Adrian barely beat McEvoy last summer too and I partially agree with Rafael, in that McEvoy will be hard to beat as well. But Adrian was in a similar position as a slight underdog at the Olympics and won there, so there’s no reason he couldn’t do the same here if he continues to chip away at his time and tapers well.
Cielo will not swim the 100 free individually at pan Pacs.. Neither Santana will go.. Chiereginni and de Lucca will swim it.. Hope chiereginni recovers and goes sub-48 for the race to be more exciting