2018 MEN’S NCAA SWIMMING & DIVING CHAMPIONSHIPS
- Wednesday, March 21 – Saturday, March 24
- Jean K. Freeman Aquatic Center – Minneapolis, Minnesota
- Defending champion: Texas (3x) (results)
- Psych Sheet
- Live results
- Championship Central
- Live stream: Wednesday/Thursday Finals, All Prelims on BTN2GO; Friday/Saturday Finals on WatchESPN
The 200 free final at the 2018 Men’s NCAA Championships was much anticipated after Indiana’s Blake Pieroni cracked the 1:30 barrier in the 800 free relay. Pieroni and Texas’ defending champion Townley Haas lined up to go head-to-head again in the individual 200 free. But tonight, Haas reclaimed the record, winning the title in 1:29.50. That took nearly a full second off his best time.
Splits:
- 1st 50 Split- 20.64
- 2nd 50 Split- 22.48
- 3rd 50 Split- 23.06
- 4th 50 Split- 23.32
- Final Time- 1:29.50
Pieroni wound up 2nd tonight in 1:30.23. Auburn’s Zach Apple followed with a 1:31.18 for 3rd. That was a best time by a second for apple, making him the 5th fastest performer of all time.
ALL-TIME TOP 10 PERFORMERS: MEN’S 200 FREE
| Place | Swimmer | Time |
| 1 | Townley Haas | 1:29.50 |
| 2 | Blake Pieroni | 1:29.63 |
| 3 | Dylan Carter | 1:30.95 |
| 4 | Dean Farris | 1:31.12 |
| 5 | Zach Apple | 1:31.18 |
| 6 | Simon Burnett | 1:31.20 |
| 7 | Andrew Seliskar | 1:31.28 |
| 8 | Ricky Berens | 1:31.31 |
| 9 | Andreas Vazaios | 1:31.32 |
| 10 | Ryan Held | 1:31.37 |
ALL-TIME TOP 10 PERFORMANCES: MEN’S 200 FREE
| Place | Swimmer | Time |
| 1 | Townley Haas | 1:29.50 |
| 2 | Blake Pieroni | 1:29.63 |
| 3 | Blake Pieroni | 1:30.23 |
| 4 | Townley Haas | 1:30.41 |
| 5 | Townley Haas | 1:30.46 |
| 6 | Townley Haas | 1:30.65 |
| 7 | Blake Pieroni | 1:30.87 |
| 8 | Dylan Carter | 1:30.95 |
| 9 | Dean Farris | 1:31.12 |
| 10 | Blake Pieroni | 1:31.14 |
This was the swim of the session, the one that was a race and required total fearlessness, aggression and the most risk. Townley laid it all on the line with everything at stake, knowing he would have to surpass anything he’d ever wrung out of his body before and swim faster than anyone ever had in order to win….Courage!
Reminiscent of Will Licon breaking Hansen’s 100 school record on his way to a 200 victory.
Not even close. Love Will, but he made leaving doing nothing – pullouts. This race was way gutsier.
You’ll never convince me that taking a 200 out in a lifetime best in an NCAA final and breaking the record isn’t epically courageous. Did Haas take his first 100 out in a lifetime best? Did he take his first 100 out faster than 4x 100 champ’s American Record? You apparently have no respect for Hansen and clearly don’t appreciate breaststroke.
Race Video with Rowdy commenting :
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9x2buXaOOCg
Townley has a simple strategy. Go out fast, and don’t let anyone pass you.
He has that rare combination of speed and endurance that makes it work.
Yep. And he made no secret about it, but there was nothing anyone could do about it.
Good one… or,… he reminds me of a football team that runs the ball… you know they will run it and you load the line and still can not stop it. As I mentioned once, the only way Haas does not win is if he falls asleep during breakouts.
Stagnating, obviously, as has been described in other event comments.
What a gutsy swim. This dude has humongous heart, and always comes up big under pressure. A lot was made of his 1:38s in season, but he and Eddie clearly work well together and understand what Townley needs to do to get faster.
Reminds me of the hoop la over Kathleen Baker’s slow in season times– and then, just like Townley, she blasted an AR at NC’s.
I can’t wait for Haas to focus on meters exclusively. I think he’s going to be very fast in 2020.
He’s definitely a better meters swimmer than yards.
A 1:29.5 at this point in yards is equal to around a 1:45 mid or low in lcm. Imagine Agnel with his textile 1:43.1.
Haas is in the 1.44 range right now ……we will see at Pan Pacs .
Incredible mental makeup to step up after losing your pet event’s record – an event you have owned for two years – and take almost a full second off your PR in the face of the guy who beat you head-to-head two nights earlier. Townley Haas is a monster.
Schooling could probs learn a thing or two from him
Riiiight… because Schooling beat nobody at the Olympic games?
The great ones handle success.
The eyes of Texas are upon you.
#4peat
Indiana over Texas unless Cal does something absolutely ridiculous
Dean Farris is going to have nightmares about Townley Haas for a long, long time….
Nightmares get nightmares about racing Dean Farris.