Video produced by Coleman Hodges.
Reported by Jared Anderson.
100 BREASTSTROKE – FINALS
- NCAA – 50.04 – Kevin Cordes, Arizona – 2014
- Championship – 50.04 – Kevin Cordes, Arizona – 2014
- American – 50.04 – Kevin Cordes – 2014
- US Open – 50.04 – Kevin Cordes – 2014
- 2014 Champion – Kevin Cordes, Arizona – 50.04
He hadn’t looked like himself much this year, but when all the chips were on the table, Arizona’s Kevin Cordes came through as always. The Wildcat senior won his fourth-consecutive 100 breast title, going 50.25. That’s the second-fastest swim in history, behind only his own American record set at this meet last year.
There was speculation that Cal’s Chuck Katis or Georgia’s Nic Fink could challenge Cordes, but when the lanky Wildcat led at the 50, the crowd seemed to know the race was over. A notoriously good closer, Cordes came home in 26.52, the only guy under 27 on the back half.
Fink roared in from an outside lane to take second, going 51.08. That makes him the fourth-fastest swimmer in history, behind Cordes, Cal’s Damir Dugonjic and Katis, who was 50.89 this morning. Katis fell off just a tick at night, going 51.15 for third, but that’s still an outstanding swim, considering Katis had never been under 52 seconds prior to this week.
Missouri’s Sam Tierney was 51.54 for fourth place, with Michigan’s Richard Funk, the Big Ten record-holder, going 51.65 for fifth. For Tierney, that’s the highest finish in Missouri school history, tying 50 freestyler Kevin DeForrest from 1979.
Western Kentucky’s top swimmer, Fabian Schwingenschlogl, was 51.66 before Funk’s teammate Bruno Ortiz came in at 51.68. For the first time in NCAA history, the entire top 8 went under 52 seconds, as Louisville’s Thomas Dahlia was 51.99 for 8th place. This event will see a lot of turnover next year with 7 seniors among the top 8, so it’s possible this will be the last all-51 field for a few years.