Luke Hobson

Luke Hobson is an American middle-distance freestyle Olympian and two-time NCAA champion. He represents the Texas Longhorns in the NCAA.

Junior Swimming

Hobson was ranked 19th in SwimSwam’s Way to Early Rankings for the high school class of 2021 as a range-y freestyler, boasting a 20.84 50, 44.98 100, 1:38.63 200, 4:27.20 500, 9:13.41 1000, and 15:33.09 1650 as a sophomore.

Hobson committed to the University of Texas in November of 2019, joining a loaded class that included Anthony Grimm and Tim Connery.

Hobson continued to improve over the next year, most notably his 200 dropped 2.52 seconds to go 1:36.11, his 500 dropped 6.15 seconds to go 4:21.05, and his 1000 dropped 11.05 seconds to go 9:02.36. These improvements helped him rank #15 in SwimSwam’s junior year re-rank of the class of 2021 and move all the way up to #10 in the senior year re-rank of the Class of 2021.

College (Texas)

2021-22

After dropping a 1:31.34 200 free relay split on the opening night of the Minnesota Invite, he clocked a 4:12.12 500 free to break Michael Phelps’ 17-year-old 500 free 17-18 NAG record in prelims. He then shattered his own National Age Group Record, from prelims, and became the youngest swimmer to go sub-4:10 in the 500 free with a 4:09.72. He also posted a 1:33.18 200 free. Hobson then swam a 14:40.15 1650 to win another event and post the then 2nd fastest time in the NCAA.

At the Texas vs. TCU dual meet, Hobson saw a speedy 8:48.09 to out touch his teammate David Johnston’s 8:48.28. The swim moved Hobson to #6 all-time in the 17-18 NAG rankings and #1 in the NCAA for the season. Hobson and Johnston dueled it out again in the 1000 free at the Texas vs. SMU dual meet. Hobson led Johnston by 0.02s at the halfway point, 4:20.68 to 4:20.70. In the end, Hobson held on to win, 8:43.66 to 8:43.96. His 8:43.66 broke the 17-18 NAG record.

The 2022 NCAA Men’s Championships were far more electric for Hobson. In his very first swim, he split a blazing 1:30.84 200 free split on the Texas 800 free relay team which smashed the NCAA record by nearly 1.5 seconds. Hobson kept the ball rolling with a 4:10.38 to qualify 4th out of prelims in the 500 free. In the final, Hobson broke his own 17-18 NAG Record in a time of 4:08.42 en route to a third-place finish overall. While he was able to set a new personal best in the prelims of the 200 free in 1:32.31, Hobson placed 16th in the finals with a 1:33.66, well off both his prelims and relay split times. Hobson was able to crack the top 16 again with his 14:52.40 1650 to place 16th. Hobson finished the meet with a respectable 18 points to help the Longhorns place 2nd behind the Cal Golden Bears.

2022-23

Hobson put up a time of 1:32.50 to win the event for the white team and take out Drew Kibler‘s meet record of 1:33.97 at the Sam Kendricks Memorial Orange & White Classic intrasquad. Hobson was only 0.19 seconds off his own best time in the 200 freestyle of 1:32.31 from the 2022 NCAA Championships and nearly eight seconds quicker than he was at this meet last year, showing incredible form early in the season.

Hobson remained the model of consistency with the times he posted at the Highly anticipated Texas vs. UVA  dual meet. In the 200 free Hobson touched first in a time of 1:32.74 and 4:17.91 in the 500 free, about 2 seconds off his season-best mark of 4:15.88 from the SMU classic.  Hobson also split 42.52 on the Texas ‘B’ 400 free relay and 19.87 on the Texas ‘A’ 200 free relay.

Hobson dropped another 1:32 200 free on night 1 of the Minnesota Invite, leading off the Texas ‘A’ 800 free relay in 1:32.73.

Hobson shined at the NC State vs. Texas dual meet. He posted a new personal best of 1:31.89 in the 200 free; he also blazed a 42.02 100 free split after slowly convincing Eddie Reese to put him in the 100 free over the mile and a 4:13.82 500 free. He followed up his 100 free split with a 42.58 flat start time against SMU just a few days later.

After another subdued Big 12 Championships, Hobson entered the 2023 NCAA Championships in the position to score in multiple events. Hobson more morthan lived up to this expectation. On the very first night, he swam a massive 1:29.63 200 free, leading off the Texas 800 free relay to a new NCAA Record. The swim made him just the fifth man ever under 1:30 with a flat start and tied Blake Pieroni for 4th fastest in history.

After a relatively sleepy 500 free prelims, the fireworks were back for Hobson as he hacked over a second off his best time in 4:07.37 to take the win with his teammate Johnston finishing 2nd behind him. The swim made him #5 in history and the fastest ever Longhorn in perhaps the most storied event in Texas history. He followed up his win by demonstrating his sprinting chops by splitting 18.65 anchor on the Texas 7th-place 200 free relay.

While he was nearly a second off of his best time he set on night 1, Hobson won his second national title of the meet in the 200 free. Hobson won in 1:30.43, three-tenths ahead of a surging Gabriel Jett after hanging back at the start of the race. Hobson wrapped up the night with a stron 41.48 100 free split to anchor the Texas 400 medley relay to an 8th-place finish.

On the final day, Hobson broke 42 for the first time ever in the 100 free prelims in 41.99 but found himself the odd man out with a 17th-place finish. Nevertheless, Hobson returned that night to split a 41.43 100 free split and help the Texas 400 free relay to 5th place.

2023-24

Hobson did not show much of his form until mid-season invites. At the home-hosted Texas Invite, Hobson started things out with a 1:31.27 200 free relay split. The next morning, he easted through a 4:19.56 500 free. In finals, he was much better with a 4:15.56. He won the 200 free the next night with a 1:32.36 and took 7th in the 100 free with a 43.10. 

Hobsons’ next major swim came against NC State in January where he won the 200 free with a 1:31.88. He also went a 4:16.34 500 free. The next day against Duke, Hobson clocked a 50 free PB of 19.69. 

Instead of racing at Big-12s, Hobson swam at the 2024 World Aquatics Championships representing the US.

Come NCAAs, Hobson was in peak form. He opened his meet with an 18.82 anchor in the Longhorns’ 9th-place 200 medley relay. He jumped back in a little later leading off in the 800 free relay. Texas was in the 2nd to last heat. Hobson was pedal to the metal from the first inch. He flipped in 20.28, followed by a 21.83 split, meaning Hobson opened in 42.11. He tried desperately to hold on, splitting 22.86/24.16 to just edge under Dean Farris’s legendary 1:29.15 NCAA record with a 1:29.13. That record stood for all of 10 minutes as Leon Marchand clocked a 1:28.97 leading off in the next heat. Because Marchand is French, Hobson retained the American record. Texas placed 3rd in the relay.

After posting a massive season-best of 4:10.28 in prelims, Hobson faced Marchand again in the 500 free the next night. Marchand was on another level, putting a second on Hobson by the 50. Marchand only extended that over the rest of the race, destroying the NCAA record with a 4:02.31.  He made Hobson, who swam a new lifetime best in 4:06.93 and became the 5th fastest performer all-time, look like he was moving slowly. Hobson had a good duel for second with former 500 free champ Jake Magahey. 

Buoyed by his PB, Hobson had a fantastic 200 free prelims the next morning. Hobson’s 1:29.75 was the first sub-1:30 prelims swim ever, amid a field featuring 6 of the 10 fastest 200 free prelims swims since 2021. Unlike his relay leadoff, Hobson held back a little over the first 100 in the final, allowing Jack Alexy and Chris Guiliano to take the early lead. As seen below, Hobson worked his back half hard, and it paid off as he surged to the wall in a 1:28.81, reclaiming the NCAA record. 

Hobson followed that up with a 40.87 100 free anchor in the 400 medley relay. 

On the final day, Hobson opted for the 100 free. While he did not have the same fireworks as his first three days, Hobson still clocked a PB of 41.35 to qualify back 10th. He added .1 seconds to a 41.45 for 11th in the final. He capped off his meet with a 40.87400 free relay split. 

National/International Swimming

2021 St. George Sectionals (St. George, Utah)

Hobson clocked his first-ever Olympic Trials cut in the 400 free, shaving almost 2 seconds off his prior best time with a 3:56.08 in the LCM time trials. In the SCY portion of the meet, he crushed a 4:16.56 500 free to slash 4.49 seconds off his previous best. Hobson maintained his undefeated streak for the meet, winning both the 50 freestyle and 200 freestyle. In the 50 freestyle, Hobson dropped a time of 19.98 to dip under 20 seconds for the first time. In the 200 freestyle, Hobson dropped 1:35.81, dropping .3 off of his best time. The freestyle masterclass continued when he broke 9:00 in the 1000 and 44 in the 100 for the first time in the very same session. Hobson went 8:58.07 to take the 1000 free; he then finished runner-up in the 100 free, going 43.34.

18&Under Spring Cup (Des Moines, Iowa)

Hobson swam a huge personal best to win the 200 freestyle, dropping over 3 seconds to finish in a time of 1:49.44. With his performance, Hobson dipped under the Wave II Olympic Trials cut. He also posted a 3:56.55 in the 400 free and 50.24 in the 100 free, getting under the Olympic Trials Wave I cut in both.

2021 Speedo Summer Championships (Irvine, California)

Hobson clocked a new lifetime best to take 2nd in the 200 free. Hobson’s 1:49.10 clipped his previous best of 1:49.44 by 0.34 seconds. He kept the fast times rolling with a 3:53.15 400 free to better his prelims time and place second. Hobson was just off his personal best of 3:52.79, which he swam at the U.S. Olympic Trials in June. Hobson clock a 22.91 50 free to place third and crack 23 for the first time.

2022 International Team Trials (Greensboro, North Carolina)

Contiuing the Longhorn legacy in the 200 free, Hobson placed 7th with a 1:47.43 after racing to a new personal best of 1:46.92 in prelims. The personal best kept coming when Hobson took the top seed in the 400 free prelims with a 3:50.28; he fell to 7th place in the finals, adding time to swim a 3:52.94. Hobson’s final personal best of the meet came when he placed 17th in the 100 free witha 49.59.

2022 U.S. National Championships (Irvine, California)

Hobson neared his best time in the 200 free with a swift prelim swim of 1:47.13 to earn third seed for finals on night 2 of 2022 Summer Nationals. Hobson went on to win the finals, topping Olympian Kieran Smith’s 1:46.32 by dropping .99 from prelims to go 1:46.14. His time would have made the United States 800 free relay team for World Championships had he swam the time at World Trials. Hobson continued his fantastic meet by breaking 3:50 for the first time ever with a 3:49.83 to take 7th. Also at this meet, Hobson broke his personal best in the 100 free with a 49.13 to place 10th.

2022 Duel in the Pool (Sydney, Australia)

Hobson was selected to represent the United States at the 2022 Duel in the Pool. The event featured a variety of new and abnormal racing formats, including “skins” events, “broken” freestyle events, and “random” relays. In the broken 800 free, Hobson and his fellow Longhorn David Johnston led the first 300 of this broken 800,  with 2:50.48 and 2:50.45 respectively. Hobson dug deep on the final 100 to give Mack Horton a run for his money but Horton was able to overtake the lead in overall time to take the win while Hobson placed 3rd behind Johnston. In the traditional 200 free, Hobson scorched a new unofficial best with a 1:45.59.

2022 Australian Short Course Championships (Sydney, Australia)

Hobson earned silver behind Kyle Chalmers with a very strong 1:41.69, especially considering it was only his second SCM 200 free after prelims. Hobson’s time checked him in as 5th fastest U.S. performer in history. Hobson crushed a lifetime best of 3:35.67 to top the podium of the 400 free and come within a second of the American record. That standard remained at the 3:34.81 Olympic medalist Peter Vanderkaay put on the books in 2009. He also swam a 47.82 prelims in the 100 free.

2023 U.S. International Team Trials (Indianapolis, Indiana)

In prelims, Hobson showed he had not just made gains in the short pool. His 1:45.12 best time topped the prelims. Going out in a meek 52.01, Hobson stormed home in 53.17 to keep the top spot in the final with a 1:45.18, just off his prelims best time. The swim marks his first spot on an international championship team.

2023 World Aquatics Championships (Fukuoka, Japan)

After no Americans made the final of the men’s 400 free, there was discussion on the downfall of U.S. men’s mid-distance freestyle. However, Luke Hobson clocked a 1:44.87 to take the 2nd seed in the final. The swim makes him the fourth-fastest American all-time. Earlier, Hobson had led the prelims with a 1:45.69.

Hobson wrapped his meet with the 800 free relay where he led off on the finals squad with a 1:46.00. Carson Foster (1:44.49), Jake Mitchell (1:45.06), and Kieran Smith (1:44.47) secured the silver. If Hobson had neared his personal best, the US would have gotten gold.

2024 World Aquatics Championships (Doha, Qatar)

Hobson opened a very successful meet with a 47.70 100 free split in the 400 free relay prelims to help the US qualify back 1st. That earned him a spot on the finals relay. There, he clocked the 3rd fastest flying split with a 47.68 as the US ended up with bronze. 

Day 2 saw Hobson advance through the 200 free prelims in 5th with a 1:46.54. He improved that to  1:45.53 in semis. In the final on day 3, Hobson made his move on the 3rd 50, taking the lead but he faded coming home to bag bronze. Bobson was not far off his lifetime best of 1:44.87 with a 1:45.26 in the final. 

In the 4×200 free relay prelims on day 6, Hobson clocked a conservative 1:46.8 leadoff. In the final, he got Team USA to a good lead, matching his bronze medal time with a 1:45.26 leadoff. China and Korea ended up getting the better of the US, who ended up with bronze. 

Hobson got to do a could more 100 frees before heading home. On day 7, he led off the prelims mixed 400 free relay with a PB of 48.50. That relay got another bronze in the final. He also anchored the prelims 400 medley relay with a 48.25. That relay ended up on top of the podium in the final. 

Overall, Hobson came away with 1 gold and 4 bronze.

2024 US Olympic Team Trials (Indianapolis, Indiana)

In the 200 free, Hobson, the favorite, moved through prelims with the only sub-1:46 with his 1:45.95. Hobson was faster in semis with a 1:45.58 for the 2nd seed into the final behind Kieran Smith (1:45.39). In the final, Hobson swam a typical Hobson race. He let the field take things out and sat 6th at the 50 with a 24.67. He had a strong 26.49 2nd 50 to move to 4th but really shined with a 26.61 3rd 50 to move into the lead. That was the fastest split in the field by .35 seconds. He dropped another field leading 27.12 coming home to touch first and qualify for his first Olympics with a 1:44.89. That was just .02 seconds off his PB.Hobson’s qualification served as another excellent bow on Eddie Reese’s career. Since 1988, Reese had landed at least 1 man on every 800 free relay Olympic Squad

The Longhorn legacy on the 4×200 free relay: 

–This biography was originally developed by Lucas Caswell