Landon D’Ariano And Thomas Mercer Close NCSAs With 200 IM Olympic Trials Cuts

2023 NCSA SUMMER CHAMPIONSHIPS

• July 26-30, 2023
• IUPUI
  • Indianapolis, IN
• LCM (50 meters), Prelims/Finals
• Meet Central
• Psych Sheets
• Live Stream
• Results on Meet Mobile: “2023 NCSA Summer Championships”
• Day 1 Finals Recap
• Day 2 Prelims Recap
• Day 2 Finals Recap
• Day 3 Prelims Recap
• Day 3 Finals Recap
• Day 4 Prelims Recap
• Day 4 Finals Recap
• Day 5 Prelims Recap

After a long week of competition in Indianapolis, NCSAs concluded Sunday night. Highlighting the final session was the boys 200 IM. After a prelims time in which no swimmers were under the Trials cut of a 2:03.49, Landon D’Ariano and Thomas Mercer battled it out, finishing within 0.05 seconds of each other.

D’Ariano got the win as he touched in a 2:02.94, just ahead of Mercer who touched in a 2:02.99. D’Ariano earned his second Olympic Trials cut, after earning the 400 IM earlier in the meet. Mercer also earned his second Trials cut after earning the 400 IM cut last month. D’Ariano is the #19 recruit in 2024 and is committed to Texas and dropped almost a second off his best time, and Mercer dropped over a second off of his best.

Also earning another Trials cut on the final night was Michigan commit Madison Smith. Smith earned the 800 freestyle cut swimming a 8:41.57, faster than the cut that stands at a 8:45.79. Earlier in the meet, Smith picked up her first Trials cut as she won the 400 free. Smith dominated the 800 free, winning the event by over 15 seconds. She dropped almost seven seconds off of her best time which she swam to finish second in the event at NCSAs a year ago.

Outside of the boys 200 IM, the boys 1500 freestyle was a close race. Luke Brennan won the event in a 15:42.40, touching just ahead of Evan Gluck who touched in a 15:42.73. Both were just off of the Trials cut that stands at a 15:39.89. Brennan dropped almost 12 seconds off his best time from earlier this summer, and over 33 seconds from his best prior to this summer. The 15 year old Gluck dropped over 13 seconds from his personal best from last summer and now sits just outside of the top 100 all-time in the age group.

The Crush siblings each earned two wins on the night. Charlotte Crush kicked off the night with a win in the 50 back, touching in a 28.80. To close the night, Charlotte Crush led off the Lakeside Swim Team 400 medley as she swam a 1:00.96. Also contributing to the win were Georgia Kahler, Sydney Braeger, and Haley McDonald.

Johnny Crush also kicked off the night with a win in the 50 back, touching in a 26.06 to win by over half a second. He then led off the Lakeside 400 medley relay in a 55.63. William York, Mercer, and Alexander Thiesing also helped earn the win.

Haley McDonald picked up an individual win herself, winning the 200 IM in a 2:13.73. Although she was just off her best time, she was once again under the Olympic Trials cut.

After both getting under thr Trials cut in prelims, Annam Olasewere and Josie Connelly were once again under it in finals of the 50 free. Olasewere swam a 25.29 and Connelly swam a 25.48. Connelly’s swim was faster than she came into the meet, although she swam faster on a relay.

Adam Wiedemeier just out touched Benton Grutter in the boys 50 free. Wiedemeider touched in a 23.36, ahead of Grutter who touched in a 23.37. The Trials cut is a 22.79.