The HardCoreSwim of the week goes to Jacob Molacek, who quietly opened his senior high school season last weekend, or perhaps not-so-quietly, with a lifetime best of 20.08 in the 50 yard free at the Metro Omaha Swim Team Swimfest meet.
He only swam two races on the weekend: that 50 free and a 400 IM just before it where he was also a lifetime best of 3:56.54 (a 17 second improvement).
That 50 free, though, is scary, just a week after he made his verbal commitment to Auburn. It’s a reminder that when we’re posting recruits and talking about how they’ll fit into their college teams, we’re comparing times from after their junior year, and for elite male swimmers like Molacek, we’d expect them to keep grinding through their senior year and get that much better.
It also implies that we’ll likely have another sub-20 second freestyler in this impressive recruiting class nationwide that already includes four who did it as juniors (Ryan Held, Caeleb Dressel, Paul Powers and Brett Ringgold).
You wouldn’t have to look too far back to find classes where sub-20 sprinters were rarer than that even coming out of their senior season. Take the class of 2011, for example, where only David Nolan and Tyler Messerschmidt did it. The class of 2010 had two as well, Vlad Morozov and TJ Leon (who, like Molacek, is an Auburn Tiger). The class of 2009 was a bit of an anomaly, with the suited years, but even then there were only three seniors sub-20.
Molacek is a relative newcomer in the eyes of most American swimming fans, but he’s come on with a fervor and a versatility that rivals that of the Jack Congers, Joseph Schoolings, and Caeleb Dressels of the world.
Watch Molacek’s senior year very closely. Hopefully we’ll see an opportunity for him to race multiple events on a full taper in the spring, and the result could be a very special resume of results.
Founded on the pool decks of Southern California, HARDCORESWIM examines and explores the ethos of the hardcore swimmer. HARDCORESWIM is an authentic and innovative designer, marketer and manufacturer of premium quality men’s and women’s swimsuits, Custom Team Swim Suits, training gear, clothing, accessories and related products. Our true, authentic, innovative, iconoclastic, and creative style differentiates us from the bland competitive swim industry and gives us reason to be. All made in the USA. Check us out at www.hardcoreswim.com or find us at www.facebook.com/hardcoreswim .
Follow HardCoreSwim on Twitter here.
Like HardCoreSwim on Facebook here.
19.8 50 Free Prelims and Finals at the Grand Prix in MN last weekend.
good to see nebraska finally churning out some studs again. way to go molacek
Ryan Held from Illinois went 19.92 at YMCA Junior Nats last spring as a junior.
“Molacek is a relative newcomer in the eyes of most American swimming fans, but he’s come on with a fervor and a versatility that rivals that of the Jack Congers, Joseph Schoolings, and Caeleb Dressels of the world.” I really think that Ryan Murphy should have been mentioned in these names of “versatile” swimmers. In fact, check out his short course times across the board. Pretty impressive. His 1:44.4 200 IM at SC Nats right after his high school state meet really impressed me! That would have been the high school independent school national record if he had swam that event at his high school championship meet.
I have been following Jacob Molacek for a few years now. It’s great to see him finally being recognized. He’s a huge talent, keeps improving, and it will be interesting to see how he continues to progess. So happy that he chose AUBURN!! Brett Hawke will really develope him. Congrats Jacob and good luck!
Great swim for him. He will surely join the ranks of the sub 20 high schoolers. Last year seemed to have an unusually large number under 20….
Murphy: 19.5
Risolvato: 19.6
Conger: 19.8
Darmody: 19.8
Black: 19.8
Condorelli: 19.8
Carter: 19.9
Santo was in the last class of recruits…
Sorry, that should’ve been Dressel. Got my Bolles boys mixed up…