Cal Swimmer Hugo Gonzalez Crowned King of the Pool to Open Season

cal-hugo-gonzalez-GREENSBORO, NC - MARCH 26: Swimmers compete during the Prelims of the Division I Men’s Swimming & Diving Championships held at the Greensboro Aquatic Center on March 26, 2021 in Greensboro, North Carolina. (Photo by Carlos Morales/NCAA Photos via Getty Images)

Photo Courtesy: Carlos Morales/NCAA Media

Cal redshirt senior Hugo González earned the title of King of the Pool after racing to a pair of victories and five top-three finishes at the Golden Bears’ annual season-opening competition with Cal Poly at Anderson Aquatic Center on Friday.

The Spaniard came out on top of the unique pentathlon, which tasked each swimmer with taking part in five 100-yard races, including the butterfly, backstroke, breaststroke, freestyle and individual medley. González won the 100 back (47.82) and 100 IM (48.72, personal record) and added second- and third-place finishes in the 100 fly (47.99), 100 breast (55.89) and 100 free (44.73), earning a total time of 4:05.15.

Full results

González is the seventh Bear to be crowned King of the Pool since 2010, joining former Cal standouts Marcin Tarczynski (2010-12), Ryan Murphy (2013), Will Hamilton (2014), Matthew Josa (2017), Andrew Seliskar (2018) and Zheng Quah (2019). The pandemic interrupted the annual meet last September.

Behind González on the podium were Cal fifth-year Trenton Julian (4:08.84) and senior Reece Whitley (4:12.25). Julian kicked off the morning with a win in the 100 fly (47.65) and secured two more top-three finishes in the 100 free (45.06) and 100 IM (49.89), while Whitley bested the field by more than two seconds in the 100 breast (53.36) and added a third-place finish in the 100 IM (50.62).

Cal freshman Robin Hanson (4:13.48) took fourth by winning the 100 free (44.03) and placing third in the 100 fly (48.73). Breaststroke specialist Forrest Frazier (55.80) touched behind Whitley in the the 100 breast while a pair of freshmen, Gabriel Jett (49.53) and Ziyad Saleem (49.66), placed second and third behind González in the 100 back.

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King of the Pool Results – Top-3 Finishers
100-Yard Butterfly
1. Trenton Julian (47.65), Cal
2. Hugo González (47.99)
3. Robin Hanson (48.73)

100-Yard Backstroke
1. Hugo González (47.82)
2. Gabriel Jett (49.53)
3. Ziyad Saleem (49.66)

100-Yard Breaststroke
1. Reece Whitley (53.36)
2. Forrest Frazier (55.80)
3. Hugo González (55.89)

100-Yard Freestyle
1. Robin Hanson (44.03), Cal
2. Hugo González (44.73)
3. Trenton Julian (45.06)

100-Yard Individual Medley
1. Hugo González (48.72)
2. Trenton Julian (49.89)
3. Reece Whitley (50.62)

— The above press release was posted by Swimming World in conjunction with Cal athletics. For press releases and advertising inquiries please contact Advertising@SwimmingWorld.com.

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