Ahmed Hafnaoui, Anna Peplowski, Brendan Burns Race at Indiana Intrasquad

Ahmed Hafnaoui of Tunisia celebrates after winning the gold medal in the 800m Freestyle Men Final during the 20th World Aquatics Championships at the Marine Messe Hall A in Fukuoka (Japan), July 26th, 2023.

Ahmed Hafnaoui -- Photo Courtesy: Andrea Masini / Deepbluemedia / Insidefoto

Ahmed Hafnaoui, Anna Peplowski, Brendan Burns Race at Indiana Intrasquad

He was already training in Bloomington last season, but now Ahmed Hafnaoui is an official member of the Hoosiers’ collegiate squad. Hafnaoui is fresh off his dominant World Championships that included gold medals in the 800 freestyle and 1500 freestyle, swimming the second-fastest time ever in a touch-out victory over American Bobby Finke.

Friday afternoon, Hafnaoui raced three times against his competition while swimming for the Cream team against Crimson rivals. The 20-year-old Tunisian dominated the 500-yard free in 4:23.52 after taking third in the 200 free (1:36.00) and fifth in the 200 butterfly (1:54.31).

Also racing for the first time since Worlds was Anna Peplowski, who swam in the prelims of the U.S. women’s 800 free relay squad. Peplowski swam a time of 1:47.99 in the 200 free before finishing second to Kristina Paegle in the 100 free, 50.16 to 50.42. Peplowski later won the 500 free in 4:50.32. Josh Matheny, however, struggled in his return from international racing, placing fourth in the 100 breaststroke (55.87) and seventh in the 200 breast (2:06.85).

Brendan Burns, who has won NCAA titles in the 100 backstroke (2023) and 200 fly (2022) in his career, won the 100 back (49.17) and 200 back (1:48.53).

A pair of U.S. Olympians who long ago finished their collegiate careers but still train at Indiana competed in the meet. In both the 100 and 200 breast, Jassen Yep picked up the win against competitive fields that included 2016 Olympic medalist Cody Miller. Over four laps, Yep won in 54.27, with Miller second in 54.55. Yep cruised to first in the 200 breast in 1:56.96, more than four seconds clear of Miller’s 2:01.37.

In the midst of a comeback after a brief retirement. Blake Pieroni put together some solid performances, including a second-place finish in the 200 free. Rafael Miroslaw took the win in 1:35.46 while Pieroni barely held off Hafnaoui with his 1:35.94. Pieroni later won the 50 free (20.38) and took third in the 500 (4:33.54) while Miroslaw made it double wins with his 43.67 100 free.

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