Burns Takes on 200 Fly/200 Back, Mitchell Opts for 1650 on Day 4 of Big Tens

2022 MEN’S B1G SWIMMING & DIVING CHAMPIONSHIPS

• February 23-26, 2022
• Morgan J. Burke Aquatic Center, West Lafayette, IN
• SCY (25 yards)
• Prelims at 10AM Eastern, Finals at 5:30PM Eastern
• Defending Champions: Michigan (2x)
• Championship Central
• Live Results
• Live Stream: DAY 1  |  DAY 2  |  DAY 3  |  DAY 4
• B1G Men’s Record Book
• 2021 Men’s B1G Champs Results
• Saturday Prelims Heat Sheets
• Saturday Distance Heat Sheets
• Saturday Prelims Timeline

Like Friday’s races, Saturday’s races left some room for potential doubles with the 100 freestyle, 200 backstroke, and 200 butterfly all set to occur during the same session. 

As predicted, one swimmer who will be taking on the 200 backstroke/200 butterfly double is Indiana junior Brendan Burns, who enters as the top seed in both events. Last year, Burns was the Big Ten champion in both events. However, they did not conflict with one another due to the fact that the meet had a 5 day format. 

This year, Burns looks poised to repeat, especially after going a lifetime best of 44.31 to break the Big Ten record in the 100 backstroke last night. However, he will face some stern competition from 200 IM Champion Gal Cohen Groumi in the 200 butterfly. Both swimmers enter as the only swimmers seeded under 1:41 with times of 1:40.72 and 1:40.90, respectively. 

Besides Burns, most athletes appear to have avoided any major doubles today.

US Olympian Hunter Armstrong has opted to swim the 100 freestyle instead of the 200 backstroke, which was a predictable decision given he placed 3rd in the event at this meet last season. Armstrong enters this year’s meet as the 4th seed, with Indiana’s Rafael Miroslaw leading the field with his entry time of 42.41. 

Patrick Callan, another US Olympian, will also be contesting the 100 freestyle, entering as the 14th seed with a time of 43.61. Callan holds a lifetime best of 43.23 from the 2020 Big Ten Championships, and should challenge that mark today, given his recent successes in the long course pool. 

Other Notable Choices:

• Michigan’s Jake Mitchell has opted to swim the 1650 freestyle instead of the 200 backstroke. Mitchell currently ranks 6th in the conference in the 1650 free as opposed to 11th in the 200 back. 
• Indiana sophomore Tomer Frankel will swim the 200 butterfly instead of the 100 freestyle. Frankel is ranked 8th in the conference in the 200 butterfly and 9th in the 100 freestyle. 
• Northwestern’s Frederico Burdisso has made the same decision as Frankel, entering as the 4th seed in the 200 butterfly. He currently ranks 18th in the conference in the 100 freestyle.

TEAM SCORES – THROUGH DAY 3

1. Indiana: 972.5 points
2. Ohio State: 940.5 points
3. Michigan: 756.5 points
4. Wisconsin: 564.5 points
5. Purdue: 556 points
6. Northwestern: 511 points
7. Penn State: 427 points
8. Minnesota: 404 points