2014 Youth Olympic Games finalist Christopher Reid from South Africa has committed to join the Alabama Crimson Tide, and will join the team in the spring semester of 2015.
While mid-season additions are always a dicey proposal in their first seasons, because of different training cycles, Reid has the potential to be an NCAA scorer this spring in Iowa City.
He stands 6’6″ tall and was listed at 194 pounds at the Youth Olympic Games, and is primarily a backstroker.
In long course meters, he’s been:
- 50 back – 26.57
- 100 back – 55.99
- 200 back – 1:59.77
That time in the 200 would’ve placed him 2nd at this summer’s Junior National Championships – just a tenth behind the champion Patrick Conaton – and his 100 wouldve put him 2nd behind only Michael Andrew.
He will compete for the leadoff spot on the medley relay as a freshman this year with sophomore Connor Oslin, who was a 46.33 on the team’s 8th-place relay at NCAA’s last year, and when healthy the Crimson Tide go two deep at almost every position of this medley relay with underclassmen.
While an injury to Anton McKee might stunt them this year (he was solid last week in his return), in the spring of 2016, Alabama could legitimately compete for both medley relay titles at the NCAA Championships. While the men’s backstrokes, especially the 200, are as deep in the college ranks as they’ve ever been, Reid’s long course times mean he’s capable of scoring individually as a freshman.
Chris is an excellent swim and im sure Jonty and the rest of the coaching staff will work their magic into him. I have dealt with him a lot in SA and on National trips. The boy is a freak when it comes to talent and physical make up, with some refining and solid underwaters (a must have at NCAA level) he will be lights out. All the best to Chris and Alabama.
One other good thing for Alabama . The Bad Bradley Manning has transgendered over to the girls side & is now Chelsea thus leaving Alabama’s Good Bradley Manning in peace on deck .
A case of transing positively helping the american swim community.
Why do you feel the need to post a xenophobic comment like this?
#1.) South Africa is an English speaking country, so besides being just plain poor taste-it also does not make sense.
#2.) My dad was a foreigner from South Africa and swam for Alabama in the late 70s before permanently moving here and establishing a small business in this country creating jobs for AMERICANS. I would literally not be alive today if these types of opportunities weren’t afforded in the United States.
#3.) Do we not call America the land of opportunity? Everyone in this country immigrated at some point. I hope your ancestors weren’t treated with the type of ignorance and disgust you just… Read more »
Woah take it easy there… I don’t think GR was trying to be xenophobic here. My guess is that it was more a poke at the various places/athletes Pursley has coached and different accents he has encountered over his illustrious career. Despite SA being an English speaking country, there are certainly South Africans with thick accents! No different then anywhere else really. No need to be on the defensive here…
I’d pay money to hear Denis Pursely do a talk on “The English language & the 105 native accents I have had to decipher in my career without appearing alarmed.”
I wouldn’t be so quick to count out McKee – 54.1/1:55 last weekend coming off of that injury (broken collarbone? I may be talking out my butt on that one) ain’t too shabby, and he’s got plenty of time to get back on point.
Also, count in Luke Kaliszak and his 46.4 high school backstroke time in that mix for the relay spot.