2020 ART ADAMSON INVITE
- Wednesday, November 18-Friday, November 20
- Teams: Texas A&M, LSU, Incarnate Word
- Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas
- Prelims/Finals
- Format: Short Course Yards (SCY)
- Prelims @10AM Central, Finals @6PM Central
- 2021 NCAA Championship Qualifying Times
- Results Available on Meet Mobile: “Art Adamson Invitational”
- Live Results
Texas A&M junior Shaine Casas moves from the #7 to the #3 performer all-time in the 200 IM with a 1:38.95 at the 2020 Art Adamson Invite in College Station, TX. Casas is now one of only three men to ever break 1:39 in the 200 yard IM, and one of only seven to break 1:40.
Casas posted a 1:42.24 in morning prelims, though he had already been 1:40.52 at the Texas First Chance meet in October. Tonight’s swim comes as a lifetime best for Casas by nearly a full second as he cuts 0.96 from his previous lifetime best, set in February.
For Casas, tonight’s swim comes as a new Texas A&M program record, improving upon his former mark of 1:39.91 set at the 2019 SEC Championships. However, his performance tonight does not come as a new SEC Record as that belongs to World Record holder Caeleb Dressel of the University of Florida, set at 1:38.13 at the 2018 SEC Championships. Dressel’s time is also the American, NCAA, and U.S. Open Record. At the 2019 NCAA Championships, Cal-Berkeley’s Andrew Seliskar nearly equaled Dressel’s mark but fell just 0.01 shy, posting a 1:38.14 to win the title.
In a comparison of splits, Casas was out much faster than Seliskar and even 0.15 faster than Dressel at the fly-to-back turn. Casas was also faster than Dressel on the backstroke, though not quite as fast as Seliskar, though his split at the 100-yard turn was over half a second faster than either of theirs. Though all three men managed to split sub-29 on the breaststroke, Dressel and Seliskar were significantly faster than Casas on that leg of the race. Casas also has the slowest freestyle split of the three, though both Dressel and Seliskar had the benefit of swimming their best times during “championships season” and among more competitive heats.
| Dressel 2018 | Seliskar 2019 | Casas 2020 | |
| Fly | 21.03 | 21.58 | 20.88 |
| Back | 25.01 (46.04) | 24.46 (46.04) | 24.62 (45.50) |
| Breast | 28.37 (1:14.41) | 28.05 (1:14.09) | 28.96 (1:14.46) |
| Free | 23.72 | 24.05 | 24.49 |
| Total | 1:38.13 | 1:38.14 | 1:38.95 |
Comparing Casas to another backstroker, Ryan Murphy, the 2016 three-time Olympic Gold medalist and World Record holder in the 100 backstroke, we see that Casas was out much faster on fly but Murphy still managed a significantly faster split on backstroke, edging Casas there by 0.49. Murphy was also faster on freestyle than Casas, though Casas’ time overall smokes Murphy’s. Nonetheless, it’s interesting because these two will be battling for spots on the Olympic team next summer in both the 100 and 200 meter backstrokes where Murphy is the veteran and Casas the up-and-comer.
| Casas 2020 | Murphy 2016 | |
| Fly | 20.88 | 22.28 |
| Back | 24.62 (45.50) | 24.13 (46.41) |
| Breast | 28.96 (1:14.46) | 29.68 (1:16.09) |
| Free | 24.49 | 24.18 |
| Total | 1:38.95 | 1:40.27 |
Casas now ranks 3rd all-time in the men’s 200 yard IM behind only Olympic and World Champion Caeleb Dressel and Pan Pacific Champion Andrew Seliskar.
Top-10 Swimmers All-Time Men’s 200 Yard IM
- Caeleb Dressel, 1:38.13
- Andrew Seliskar, 1:38.14
- Shaine Casas, 1:38.95
- Andreas Vazaios, 1:39.35
- David Nolan, 1:39.38
- Jan Switkowski, 1:39.54
- John Shebat, 1:39.63
- Will Licon, 1:40.04
- Ryan Lochte, 1:40.08
- Josh Prenot, 1:40.14
Casas has improved dramatically since high school in all of his events, especially the 200 IM, and has now taken nearly 9 seconds off his pre-college time.
CASAS 200 IM PROGRESSION
- Pre-College – 1:47.59
- 2018 Mid-Season – 1:43.06 (-4.53)
- 2019 SEC Champs – 1:43.21
- 2019 NCAA Champs – 1:42.29 (-0.77)
- 2019 Mid-Season – 1:40.16 (-2.13)
- 2020 SEC Champs (Feb) – 1:39.91 (-0.25)
- 2020 Art Adams Invite (Nov) — 1:38.95 (-0.96)
not gonna lie that’s a pretty noticeable double kick on the pullout
There’s definitely what appears to be a 2nd wiggle there, though by the standard of double dolphin kicks on pullouts, the second one is pretty unoffensive to me.
If he wants to swim the race at the Olympics and not get nailed for it, he should clean that up though.
Since Dressel took his 100 fly out in 19.99, I always thought he could go out faster than 21.0.
Crazy Casas went out in 20.8 – with short underwaters and it looked like breathing every stroke.
Incredible swim!
However, two kicks on each pullout
mans gonna rock some people at the olympic trials. backstrokers, IMers, and 100 flyers behind dressel should be on alert
I agree with you, but I think 100 fly, 200 back, 200 IM have a triple during one of the session. He’ll probably have to decide between the three, which one or which two he wants to do.
Unless…. He does all three… 0_0
I’d say back and IM. Fly is tough with Rooney and Shields
Rooney hasn’t looked very impressive in the 100 fly at ISL, while his 100 free has been good (so it’s not like he’s not at least partially rested). Maybe he’s better at LCM because his underwaters suck, or maybe that 50 point was a fluke. I think Shields is the safer bet regardless of best times.
Rooney has been between 49.84 (fastest) and 50.43 (slowest) in his four 100 fly races at ISL meets. the 49.84 converts to a 51.14 and the 50.43 being a 51.73, so I would say he is looking just fine in the 100 fly, especially considering he’s better LCM than short course.
Agreed. Casas got very good distance per stroke in backstroke, and 2back is not as competitive as 1fly. We might see him with a lead at the 100 in the 2IM at trials, especially with Kalisz’s relatively slow front half.
Side note, I really want to see Conger stepping back to his 51.0 shape in 2021 to make the 100 fly even scarier.
Big boy MP did the triple in 2004 Trials.
Not in the actual Olympics, of course.
No balls, no pingpong.
That was long course too which makes it all the more impressive.
That’s right, I forgot about that.
20.8 is insane…
Would love to see him swim the 100 fly. Do a Dressel thing at SECs and swim “off” events and kill it.
Also casas led off the medley relay in 44.25 PB!
Where does that rank him all time?
7th
I remember when Thoman broke Grever’s record before retiring 45s were still winning NCAAs. Things done changed.
This guys insane
I think he has a great shot of breaking the record before SECs (if they happen).