2024 PARIS SUMMER OLYMPIC GAMES
- Pool Swimming: July 27 – August 4, 2024
- Open Water Swimming: August 8 – 9, 2024
- La Défense Arena — Paris, France
- LCM (50 meters)
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- Prelims Live Recaps: Day 1 | Day 2
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SwimSwam’s research indicates that Cedric Buessing is the first Division II athlete ever to make an Olympic swimming final, or at least the first active Division II athlete.
There were only 2 heats of the men’s 400m IM which meant the field was cut in half by the time this morning’s heats concluded.
While Olympic medalists from Tokyo Chase Kalisz of the United States and Brendon Smith of Australia missed the cut, 20-year-old Cedric Buessing of Germany made the most of his opportunity.
Buessing tied Italy’s Alberto Razzetti and New Zealand’s Lewis Clareburt with a morning mark of 4:11.52 to grab a spot in the final.
What makes Buessing’s appearance in tonight’s main event especially unique is the fact that he is an NCAA Division II swimmer. He competes for the University of Indianapolis (UIndy) where he is a 17-time NCAA All-American, 6-time national runner-up, two-time national champion in the 1000 free and owns program records across 7 events. He
Buessing is a rising senior at UIndy, meaning he has one season of collegiate eligibility remaining.
Benjamin Michaelson attended Southern Connecticut State University (DII) and nearly made the 2004 Olympic team, placing 3rd behind Ian Crocker and Michael Phelps at the U.S. Trials.
Buessing’s countryman Marius Kusch raced for DII school Queens University and competed at the 2020 Olympic Games but finished 23rd in the men’s 100m butterfly.
American Andrew Wilson, a Division III swimmer who competed for Emory, made the U.S. Olympic team in 2020 to become the first swimmer ever from that division to make the squad. He placed 6th in the 100m breast in Tokyo.
- Leon Marchand (France) – 4:08.30
- Max Litchfield (Great Britain) – 4:09.51
- Daiya Seto (Japan) – 4:10.92
- Carson Foster (USA) – 4:11.07
- Tomoyuki Matsushita (Japan) – 4:11.18
- Alberto Razzetti (Italy)/Lewis Clareburt (New Zealand)/Cedric Buessing (Germany) – 4:11.52 (TIE)
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*6-time national runner-up, but also 2-time national champ in the 1,000.
UIndy is proud, Cedric! GO HOUNDS!
Marcin Malinski placed 7th in 1996 in the 400 IM for Poland and then swam for Drury right after they moved from NAIA to Division 2.
Do you know where he is today, is he back in Poland or in the US?
We’re gonna be seeing a lot more of this with the NCAA’s new rules.
https://uindy.edu/
I think Doug Russell from UT-Arlington was a NCAA DII champ in 1968 (it might have been called something different back then, like the small college division or something) AND he was the Olympic gold medalist that year in the 100 fly, beating Mark Spitz.
NCAA D2 didn’t exist until 1973. They competed in the “College Division” which would eventually split into D3 and D2 in 1973, and UT Arlington competed in D1 from 1971-1973. So technically they never competed in the official D2, though you’re right, they were sort of in D2-ish for a while.
Dick Blick swam at North Central College (now DIII) and won a Gold Medal in the 800 Free Relay in 1960 with the fastest split in the field by 2 seconds. Would have possibly won the 200 Free but there wasn’t one contested for some reason.
Ever since he went 4:12 earlier this year I’ve been saying he had a great shot at making the final and this is huge! The last 2 Olympic Games have been putting non D1 schools on the map especially with the upcoming future being somewhat unknown for some D1 programs what a swim.
University of Indianapolis.
thanks for the fix. Go Hounds!