2022 AUSTRALIAN SHORT COURSE CHAMPIONSHIPS
- Wednesday, August 24th – Saturday, August 27th
- Sydney Olympic Park Aquatic Center
- SCM (25m)
- Australian Selection Meet for 2022 SC World Championships
- Entry List
- Live Results
American collegiate swimmer David Johnston posted a new personal best to win the men’s 800 free on Wednesday in Australia. The 20-year-old put up a monster 7:30.41 that broke the American Record in the event.
Johnston, a rising junior at the University of Texas, entered this meet with a seed time of 7:54.40 – which is actually his long course time. This week’s Australian SC Championships are his first short course meters meet ever as one of a handful of Americans who hung around after last week’s Duel in the Pool.
The previous record was officially held by Michael McBroom with a 7:33.99 from the 2013 Duel in the Pool. The fastest American record was Chad La Tourette with a time of 7:33.94 that he registered at the 2009 Duel in the Pool in Great Britain. That swim was one of a handful that occurred after USA Swimming outlawed the polyurethane suits, but before FIAN did, so La Tourette’s swim does count by FINA’s definition, but USA Swimming refused to recognize it as an American Record.
Splits for Johnston’s record-setting swim are below, with the next-closest swimmer in tonight’s race, Aussie Mack Horton hitting 7:39.71 for silver while another Aussie, Alex Grant, posted 7:40.18 for bronze.
Johnston rocketed up the all-time world performers list with his massive outing in Sydney, now checking in as the 7th fastest man ever in this SCM 800 free.
Top 10 Men’s All-Time SCM 800 Free Performers
- Grant Hackett (AUS) – 7:23.42, 2008
- Mykhailo Romanchuk (UKR) – 7:25.73, 2020
- Henrik Christiansen (NOR) – 7:25.78, 2020
- Gregorio Paltrinieri (ITA) – 7:27.94, 2021
- Florian Wellbrock (GER) – 7:27.99, 2021
- Yannick Agnel (FRA) – 7:29.17, 2012
- David Johnston (USA) – 7:30.41, 2022
- David Aubrey (FRA) – 7:31.60, 2019
- Felix Auboeck (AUT) – 7:31.89, 2020
- Alexander Norgaard (DEN) – 7:32.77, 2020
Splits Comparisons of AR/American Bests:
| Johnston | La Tourette | McBroom | |
| New AR | Old Fastest American | Old AR | |
| 100m | 53.38 | 55.31 | 56.17 |
| 200m | 56.05 | 57 | 58.07 |
| 300m | 56.76 | 57.17 | 57.37 |
| 400m | 57.19 | 57.27 | 57.29 |
| 500m | 57.03 | 57.67 | 56.97 |
| 600m | 57.16 | 57.32 | 57.13 |
| 700m | 57.07 | 56.81 | 56.27 |
| 800m | 55.77 | 55.39 | 54.72 |
| Final Time | 7:30.41 | 7:33.94 | 7:33.99 |
Johnson already made waves this year as an NCAA student-athlete, placing 5th in the 1650 yard free, 6th in the 500 yard free and 7th in the 400 yard IM at the 2022 NCAA Championships while racing for the University of Texas.
At this year’s U.S. Long Course Nationals in July, Johnston placed 2nd in the 1500m free (15:02.37), 4th in the 400m IM (4:15.36), 5th in the 400m free (3:49.69) and 3rd in the 800m free (7:54.60).
Race Video
Shock the world
Completely off topic but seeing Norgaard’s name on the top 10 reminded me: if NC State had Ponti and Norgaard they would be a title contender this year. On paper Texas, Cal and Florida will all be significantly weaker than they were last season, and if the Wolfpack had two more high end pieces like that they’d be in a great position to win it all. If only they could get their hands on an elite breaststroker
Florida won’t be significantly weaker. They graduated Smith and Finke, but they bring in Mitchell and Liendo. They might score less points, but it won’t be “significantly” less.
Knew him when he swam for FASST as a kid with his sister. His mom was always in the stands with a stop watch and clipboard.
Between David Popovici’s 200 Free at Worlds and Johnston’s turns at the start end in this race, I’m starting to wonder if those obsessed with not breathing into the wall, or even not double breathing into the wall, are barking up the wrong tree.
Bobby Finke tends to breathe into the walls, Sun Yang did too. Make sense that it’s not too detrimental for distance races
Sandpipers also double breathe or breathe into walls.
Wellbrock breaths into and out of his walls both SCM and LCM as well. Pausing breathing so long has to change an athletes cardiovascular rhythm at some point. Probably should come down to a pros and cons list for each athlete. Same as each athlete should be evaluating their breathing patterns in every other distance.
Looking back on ’90s & even ’00s training, I don’t think a single coach I had understood breathing.
Good agreement.. As long as you have a good press off the wall, a good streamline, a good dolphin kick , and strong breakout. You can breath in and out your wall in distance swimming..
When swimmers are compared to themselves and have disproportionate success across the 3 pool lengths, sometimes I wonder if it comes down to individual heights and/or distance per stroke. When you get to such an elite level that races are planned with specific kicks off each wall and the number of strokes between breakouts and the next wall, maybe some people can more regularly nail their turns and finish timing in meters but are uneven in yards – or vice versa.
Congrats to David!
OUT OF TOPIC: Peaty broke up with his girlfriend on ig and said « Sorry for letting you and George down » what the heck is happening ??
Just read it, certainly sounds like he cheated. SMH.
Too much breaststroking? 🙂
Nicely played!
Badumtiss!
NCAA should really start offering the 1000 at D1 Nats
It would boost the recruitment of non-sprinters, even if you can argue the 500yd free is closer to success in 200m free than a 400m for some. Imagine a 400IM/500yd/1000yd/1650 star having the same(minus relays) impact as a 50/100 free+100 stroke guy. It’s a thought, it could be finals only
Agree with Ragnar. Right now college swimming and the training programs at the vast majority of schools do not focus on true distance. Coaches call it distance training but in reality, they train for 200s of stroke and the 500. But who can blame them when they are paid to win (bonuses) and all the points are in the relays. . .Adding the 1000 would bring back some balance into the equation.
Texas has had a heck of a summer.