NCAA Men’s Championships: Josh Liendo Edges Jordan Crooks in Blistering 50 Free

Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick

NCAA Men’s Championships: Josh Liendo Edges Jordan Crooks in Blistering 50 Free

Speed was once again showcased as 2024 NCAA Men’s Division I Swimming Championships continued from Indianapolis with the 50 free.

Caeleb Dressel‘s record of 17.63 from 2018 is the NCAA and American record. He also held the pool record in 18.23.

While Dressel’s NCAA and American record was safe – the first event not to have a major record fall – his pool record was broken.

To make it even more fast and fierce, the top two in this event were separated by just two hundredths of a second.

Florida’s Josh Liendo was the top seed coming into the race and held on with a scorching 18.07.

Defending NCAA champion Jordan Crooks was just behind at 18.09 with an incredible finish.

“It was just a blur. I don’t think I looked at anyone off the turn. I just wanted to execute the race the way I knew I could, just every little detail, and that’s what I did,” Liendo said. “I feel like I race Jordan all the time. I know him pretty well because we have races so many times – Jack, Bjorn, there is just a level you know from racing them. It is fun after the race, even before the race. Pretty good guys in the field.”

Cal’s Jack Alexy finished third in 18.38 and teammate Bjorn Seeliger was fifth in 18.54, finishing just behind Notre Dame’s Chris Guiliano (18:49).

Tennessee’s Guilherme Santos finished sixth in 18.57, while two Arizona State sprinters rounded out the finals field – Jack Dolan (18.59) and Jonny Kulow (18.77).

Event 5  Men 50 Yard Freestyle
=========================================================================
         NCAA: N 17.63  3/22/2018 Caeleb Dressel, Florida
         Meet: M 17.63  3/22/2018 Caeleb Dressel, Florida
     American: A 17.63  3/22/2018 Caeleb Dressel, Florida
   U. S. Open: O 17.63  3/22/2018 Caeleb Dressel, Florida
         Pool: P 18.23  3/23/2017 Caeleb Dressel, Florida
    Name                 Year School            Prelims     Finals Points 
=========================================================================
                       === Championship Final ===                        
 
  1 Liendo, Josh           SO Florida             18.33      18.07P  20  
     r:+0.60  8.73         18.07 (9.34)
  2 Crooks, Jordan         JR Tennessee           18.49      18.09P  17  
     r:+0.57  8.62         18.09 (9.47)
  3 Alexy, Jack            JR California          18.44      18.38   16  
     r:+0.63  8.83         18.38 (9.55)
  4 Guiliano, Chris        JR Notre Dame          18.43      18.49   15  
     r:+0.61  8.75         18.49 (9.74)
  5 Seeliger, Bjorn        SR California          18.57      18.54   14  
     r:+0.61  8.84         18.54 (9.70)
  6 Santos, Guilherme      SO Tennessee           18.76      18.57   13  
     r:+0.58  8.75         18.57 (9.82)
  7 Dolan, Jack            5Y ASU                 18.62      18.59   12  
     r:+0.65  8.87         18.59 (9.72)
  8 Kulow, Jonny           SO ASU                 18.64      18.77   11  
     r:+0.61  9.02         18.77 (9.75)
 
                        === Consolation Final ===                        
 
  9 Ramadan, Youssef       SR VT                  18.82      18.74    9  
     r:+0.58  9.08         18.74 (9.66)
 10 Torepe-Ormsby, Taiko   SO Wisconsin           18.78      18.81    7  
     r:+0.58  9.03         18.81 (9.78)
 11 Hribar, Jere           FR LSU                 18.81      18.96    6  
     r:+0.69  9.15         18.96 (9.81)
 12 Kharun, Ilya           FR ASU                 18.94      19.04    5  
     r:+0.65  9.21         19.04 (9.83)
 13 Fullum-Huot, Ed        SO Florida             19.04      19.07    4  
     r:+0.61  9.21         19.07 (9.86)
 14 Downing, Dillon        5Y Georgia             19.03      19.14    3  
     r:+0.65  9.17         19.14 (9.97)
 15 Chaney, Adam           SR Florida             18.99      19.15    2  
     r:+0.60  9.20         19.15 (9.95)
 16 McCarty, Quintin       FR NC State            18.92      19.23    1  
     r:+0.63  9.28         19.23 (9.95)

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