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WATCH: Michael Andrew Swim 18.91 in 50 Free at Columbia Sectionals

2018 COLUMBIA SECTIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS

  • March 8th-11th, 2018
  • University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri
  • 25 yard (SCY) course
  • Live results available on MeetMobile, search “2018 Region VIII Speedo Spring Sectionals”

18-year old professional swimmer Michael Andrew has already swum at least 4 best times in yards this week at the Columbia Sectional Championships, including an 18.91 in the 50 free on Saturday. That improves upon his best time of 19.17 done 3 months ago and makes him the 3rd swimmer in history to go sub-19 in the event while still an 18 & under.

Check out videos of the race, taken pool-side, below. That includes one done by Josh Davis, who broke the USMS American Record in the 45-49 age group with a 20.99.

 

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Tea rex
6 years ago

For reference: Dressel was 18.94 as a 17-year-old high schooler and 18.67 as an 18-year-old at NCAAs.

Big congrats to this guy. He keeps looking more and more legit as an all-purpose sprinter. He is still finding his stroke and does not have Dressel- level starts, but he keeps working his way up there. And unlike some, I like that he will show up to swim at regional meets. The Olympics aren’t next month, and I’m sure it’s really cool to be a kid and watch someone swim 18.9 at your meet.

My only criticism-
I cringe when I see a sprinter take an extra stroke into the finish. In track, you sprint through the finish line. In… Read more »

anonymous
Reply to  Tea rex
6 years ago

I imagine the wall comes up very fast when a person goes that fast!

AfterShock
Reply to  anonymous
6 years ago

That’s an average speed of 5.4 MPH.

Hank
Reply to  anonymous
6 years ago

Yeah i wouldn’t know. Comes up pretty slow for me.

AfterShock
Reply to  Tea rex
6 years ago

And I cringe when I read about someone judging a decision by a swimmer who had only a fraction of a second to make it. And what about MP’s short stroke in Beijing at the end of the 100 fly? Gliding is slooooooooow.

Pabalo Ricarditi
6 years ago

Was I stoked reading these comments? YOU BET I WAS!

M L
6 years ago

Looks like it could’ve been faster with one fewer stroke on the finish.

Jim
6 years ago

I always hate to sound negative, because anyone doing this insanely good, but i think he could have gone faster. He took a stroke so close to the wall i think his head was about to hit the wall on that last stroke with his right arm. Seriously, pause the video on his last left stroke and you’ll think, “Well that’s got to be his last stroke”, but nope! He takes a really short stroke at teh wall. I think he had 18.8 or 18.7 in him. It’s still incredible….so mad props to the guy!

Josh Davis
Reply to  Jim
6 years ago

Yep, that’s the first thing we talked about in the warm down pool. He knew it right away. He basically said the same thing you did, maybe :18.7. Definitely feels that he feels he can go faster with fixing a few things, like the finish. Really proud of him!

Hank
Reply to  Josh Davis
6 years ago

Josh not to change the subject but regarding USRPT, what do you think of this for triathletes? I swam masters (200free/100fly mainly) for the last decade or so as well as high school. Now I am a 45-49 age group triathlete training for IM 70.3 worlds. I feel like I don’t want to spend more than 30-40min per session swimming as it is the least significant part of an IM timewise and my life is busy. If I adopt USRPT philosophy, would you have me swimming like a set of 15x 100 on 2min or 30x 50 on 1 min at race pace vs a higher volume based on moderate efforts (like most triathletes do)?
Thanks!
Hank

Gator
6 years ago

Wow that would make B final in Minneapolis

Pvdh
Reply to  Gator
6 years ago

Well he’s collegiate age now

Aquaman
Reply to  Gator
6 years ago

18.91? That would’ve been 3rd in prelims and 4th in finals last yr

Gator
Reply to  Aquaman
6 years ago

Yes but MA’s fastest 50free scy 1 year ago was 0:19.31

Swimmer
6 years ago

Not sure why he is wasting his time swimming yards. He cannot swim college so all of his races should be in meters.

Eagleswim
Reply to  Swimmer
6 years ago

Racing is valuable. Lots of pros swim in yards meets

Hswimmer
Reply to  Swimmer
6 years ago

It’s basically training and just helping the little things so when he gets to the big pool he will drop more time.

USRPTfan
Reply to  Swimmer
6 years ago

I remember this yards/meters discussion elicited some comments like “LCM is a totally different sport than SCY”. Well, that is an absurd statement, and I’m glad for this comment to give me my moment to say so. Swimming is the skill. Not the pool. I watched Michael Andrew at the TYR meet in Atlanta two weeks ago, and later met him in the hallway. What a pleasant guy! I’m sure RPT benefits from “racing”, in any form, in any pool. Hence the name “RACE” pace training.

ITR
Reply to  USRPTfan
6 years ago

how would that be an absurd statement? it is totally different. In a 100 race there is 1 turn in LCM and 3 turns in SCY. In yards nowadays 50%-60% of the race is done underwater whereas in LCM this number is 20%-30%. LCM is also almost 10 meters longer. Olympics and every other race that matters are in long course meters pool for a reason. Your last two sentences are totally irrelevant but I guess username checks out.

bobo gigi
Reply to  USRPTfan
6 years ago

Yes Usrptfan, I repeat that LCM and SCY are 2 different sports.
Janet Hu can beat Kathleen Baker in the bathtub in the 100 back while she finishes at best 1.5/2 seconds behind in the big pool. Just an example. Mallory Comerford can beat KL in the 200 free SCY while she finishes 2 or 3 seconds behind in LCM so far. Remember Austin Staab in the 100 fly too. So many examples. And Dressel’s 100 breast SCY isn’t exactly the same sport as Peaty’s 100 breast LCM. Dressel can beat Peaty in short course and I doubt he would finish better than 2 seconds behind in LCM.
However I don’t think that Michael Andrew is wasting his… Read more »

Bigly
Reply to  Swimmer
6 years ago

Geez. You sound like Bobo saying that Dressel was being ruined by swimming breaststroke on relays.

bobo gigi
Reply to  Bigly
6 years ago

I’m really the obsession of some guys here.

Pvdh
Reply to  bobo gigi
6 years ago

That’s because you talk a lot when you have limited knowledge of the things you talk about.

Tea rex
Reply to  Pvdh
6 years ago

Bono talks a lot, but I, for one, appreciate his commentary

Pvdh
Reply to  Tea rex
6 years ago

Just because you talk a lot doesn’t mean you have anything of substance to say.

brownswim
6 years ago

I might be missing it.. but is there a video of Davis? Is he int he same race as Andrew ? Thanks

Steve Swims
6 years ago

Congrats to both! It’s funny, Michael Andrew’s dad has him in a meet every weekend. I would need some recovery time.

About Braden Keith

Braden Keith

Braden Keith is the Editor-in-Chief and a co-founder/co-owner of SwimSwam.com. He first got his feet wet by building The Swimmers' Circle beginning in January 2010, and now comes to SwimSwam to use that experience and help build a new leader in the sport of swimming. Aside from his life on the InterWet, …

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