Jean-Pierre Khouzam Decommits from UVA; Sends Verbal to Ohio State

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Cincinnati, Ohio’s Jean-Pierre Khouzam has announced his verbal commitment to the in-state Ohio State Buckeyes for 2020-21, after first having committed to the University of Virginia last October.

Khouzam is a rising senior at St. Xavier High School who swims year-round for Dayton Raiders. He participated in the 2018 National Select Camp in Colorado Springs, having been invited on the strength of his performances last summer when he lit up Summer Juniors from the very first event, dropping 2 full seconds in the 200 fly to lead qualifiers out of heats with 2:00.52. He wound up 4th (behind Harry Homans, Zachary Smith and Ben Miller) in a crowded final that saw the top 4 all finish with 2:00s. He scored PBs in the 100 free (51.57 leading off the 400 free relay), 200 free (1:53.62), and 100 fly (54.80), going 4-for-4 in his events.

In high school season, Khouzam contributed to Saint X’s 11th consecutive OHSAA state title in February by winning the Division 1 100 fly (47.21, a mere .11 off Austin Staub’s 2007 record), anchoring the winning 200 free relay (19.75), swimming fly on the runner-up medley relay (21.12), and anchoring the runner-up 400 free relay (43.53). His 100 free split was 2.6 seconds faster than what he swam on the same relay a year ago.

Since October, when he announced his first commitment, Khouzam has improved his 200 free and 200 fly by a couple of seconds each. He took the fly from 1:48.28 to 1:44.41 at Winter Juniors East and won the event by 1.19 seconds and coming within 1.2 seconds of Robert McHugh’s 2013 meet record. At the same meet he dropped from 1:39.40 to 1:37.61 in the 200 free with his leadoff split on DR’s 800 free relay. At Southern Premier Invite in February, he dropped 1.3 seconds in the 100 back and 1.4 seconds in the 200 back.

Khouzam would already score at the B1G conference level. His 200 fly would have been on the A/B final bubble and his 100 fly time would have put him squarely in the C final at 2019 B1G Championships. He’s about a second outside the scoring zone for the 200 free. Khouzam will pick up Noah Lense’s torch after he graduates. Lense cracked a 1:40.36 to finish second in the 200 fly at B1Gs, setting the team record in the process. In fact, all the Buckeye scorers in the 200 fly will have graduated when Khouzam begins. He’ll overlap one year with Benjamin Sugar (47.04 100 fly, 47.34 100 back, 19.44 50 free at B1Gs). Khousam will join fellow commits Ian Van Gorp, Justin Fleagle, Mario McDonald, and Owen Conley in the class of 2024.

Best Times:

• 200 fly – 1:44.41
• 100 fly – 47.21
• 50 fly – 23.34
• 200 free – 1:37.61
• 100 free – 45.66
• 200 back – 1:49.67
• 100 back – 49.67

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