18-year-old Ziv Kalontarov has signed an NLI to swim for Auburn University beginning in September 2015. Kalontarov became the fastest Israeli sprinter in history on June 27 when he won the 50 free at the 2015 European Games in Baku (watch the race here). His 22.16 also put him solidly in the top-20 in the world so far this season:
2014-2015 LCM Men 50 Free
MANAUDOU
21.19
| 2 | Nathan ADRIAN | USA | 21.37 | 08/07 |
| 3 | Caleb DRESSEL | USA | 21.53 | 08/08 |
| 4 | Bruno FRATUS | BRA | 21.55 | 08/08 |
| 5 | Vladimir MOROZOV | RUS | 21.56 | 08/08 |
| 6 | Josh SCHNEIDER | USA | 21.80 | 08/12 |
| 7 | Evgeny SEDOV | RUS | 21.84 | 08/12 |
| 7 | Cesar CIELO | BRA | 21.84 | 04/08 |
| 9 | Marco ORSI | ITA | 21.86 | 08/07 |
| 9 | Andrii GOVOROV | UKR | 21.86 | 08/08 |
| 11 | Cullen JONES | USA | 21.87 | 08/08 |
| 11 | Kristian GKOLOMEEV | GRE | 21.87 | 08/07 |
| 13 | Benjamin PROUD | GBR | 21.88 | 08/07 |
| 14 | Krisztian TAKACS | HUN | 21.89 | 06/30 |
| 15 | Katsumi NAKAMURA | JPN | 21.90 | 06/14 |
| 16 | James MAGNUSSEN | AUS | 21.98 | 04/09 |
| 16 | Anthony ERVIN | USA | 21.98 | 08/07 |
| 18 | Ari-Pekka Liukkonen | FIN | 21.99 | 03/22 |
| 19 | Andrey GRECHIN | RUS | 22.01 | 04/19 |
| 20 | Cameron McEVOY | AUS | 22.03 | 04/09 |
Kalontarov could be Auburn’s answer to Alabama’s Kristian Gkolomeev, the 2014 NCAA Champion in the 50 free, which should make next year’s SEC Championships all that much more exciting. Granted, the difference between a long-course 50 free and a short-course 50 free is one flip turn, but still, Kalontarov’s 22.16 translates to a 19-low (19.24 on the Speedo Time Converter). The Tigers had five sub-20s last season, none of whom graduated:
- Kyle Darmody, 19.33, NCAAs
- Arthur Mendes, 19.43, NCAAs
- Jacob Molacek, 19.44, SECs
- Michael Duderstadt, 19.47, NCAAs
- Peter Holoda, 19.68, NCAAs
Kalontarov, who comes from Rishon Lezion in Israel, had a lifetime-best of 22.80 headed into Baku. With a pair of 22.6s in heats and semis, he exploded in finals, coming within .10 of the European junior record. Auburn historically has the NCAA’s top sprint freestyle program, but that’s a sprint group that’s been in rebuild-mode recently, including no A-finalists in the 50 free at either of the last two NCAA Championships. Still, the Tigers have depth, and finished 3rd in the 200 yard free relay last season despite no top-8 finishers. With Kalontarov joining the junior Darmody at the top of this group, the Tigers will once again compete for the NCAA title in that event in 2016.
Auburn is a place where foreign sprinters want to train.
Weirdly the best young Americans almost never go there.
What could the reason be ?
Lack of yardage perhaps ?
I have no idea.
But I’ve always found that very strange.
Take a look at the recruiting class before you comment. There are quite a few excellent Americans on the list.
WAR EAGLE! Great pickup for Auburn. Excited to see the season as they are a young team on their way back up.
A huge pick up for the Auburn Tigers! Can’t wait to see the Men’s 2015 Class Rating once it’s released. I sense an SEC Title in the near future. Auburn is back!!!
Maybe under the new staff they’ll get back to their winning ways but definitely not under Mr. Hawke
You’re probably some salty old swimmer that got beat a few times by Auburn like you deserved. War Damn Eagle, my friend.
That was absolutely savage my friend
Swerve, Or maybe he is a former AU swimmer under Marsh when they won all the time? And has a hard time watching the women’s team go downhill quickly and the men go away slowly.
It’s a shame… you’ve probably never even gotten the chance to meet Brett Hawke. Brett has energy on deck like no other. Sure he’s had his ups and downs, as any program has. But it’s his character which is helping to build this YOUNG Auburn team. You’ll be crying behind your computer in eight months when the Auburn men come away with the SEC Championship. War Eagle!
Used to be NCAA titles and now you are dreaming of only SEC titles?
Gotta take it one step at a time