NCAA Men’s Championships: Josh Liendo Rockets to 50 Freestyle Title
A year ago, Josh Liendo finished shy of a title trifecta at the NCAA Championships. While the University of Florida standout won the 100-yard butterfly and 100 freestyle, the Canadian placed second in the 50 freestyle. But as a senior, Liendo is now just one step away from a championship triple, as he captured the 50 freestyle on Friday night at the McAuley Aquatic Center in Atlanta.
Narrowly trailing Tennessee’s Gui Caribe at the midway point of the race, Liendo powered down the last length and touched the wall in 18.06, an effort that handed him victory over Caribe (18.19) and Arizona State’s Ilya Kharun (18.24). It was Liendo’s second victory in as many individual events, following his NCAA record showing in the 100 butterfly on Thursday night. Liendo will look to go 3-for-3 when he contests the 100 freestyle on Saturday, an event in which he is the three-time defending NCAA champion.
When Liendo climbed onto the block for the final of the 50 freestyle, he was hoping to maintain the momentum Florida built minutes earlier, thanks to a one-two finish by Ahmed Hafnaoui and Ahmed Jaouadi in the 500 freestyle. In the shorter distance, Liendo had no trouble supplying the Gators with another championship. The two-time Olympian was out in 8.77 for his opening 25 yards and came home in 9.29, resulting in a best time by one hundredth.
“Underwater has been feeling good this me, so I think maybe I took an extra kick off the turn. But the biggest goal for me is just the first 25. It’s not as strong as Jordan (Crooks) last year or Gui this year. So I just want to have a decent enough first 25 and then same game plan coming home and get my hand on the wall. I couldn’t see it at first, and then Gui was like, You got it.’ Definitely, lots of fun. Good to get to go a best time there. Super stoked the boys swimming today, too.”
Liendo’s title was his second in the event at the NCAA Champs, complementing his triumph at the 2024 edition of the meet. In 2023 and 2025, Liendo was the runnerup. His career total now sits at eight solo NCAA crowns – two in the 50 freestyle, three in the 100 freestyle and three in the 100 butterfly. The Gator is the favorite in the 100 freestyle as one of just three men in history to break the 40-second barrier. That plus the 400 freestyle relay will mark the final swims of his stellar collegiate career.
“The team this year is awesome,” Liendo said. “I love the guys, and obviously I’ve had a lot of success, and a lot of that’s been part of the team. A lot of that’s relays as well. The team has done so well. I’m just super happy I chose that school, I chose Florida, and I was able to be part of something so special. I’m just ready. I’m ready to go give it a rip tomorrow.”
The 20 points picked up by Liendo enabled Florida to move ahead of Texas in the chase for the team championship. The Gators left the 50 freestyle with 285 points, 3.5 ahead of the Longhorns. Texas regained the lead after 3-meter diving and the 400 medley relay, but Florida enters the final day just 9.5 points behind the defending champions.
“We definitely believe we can do it,” Liendo said. “It’s not going to be easy, and it’s taking the whole team. It’s taking the divers, it’s taking everybody doing their job, and we just need guys to do their part tomorrow. Each individual needs do their thing for the success of the team. It’s exciting to be in this position. I’ve been in it before, probably not this, this close in points. I’m just super excited. But also, you know, try not to get too high or too low with good swims or bad swims. But definitely looking to close it out with a bang tomorrow.”
Arizona State made a major move in the team standings, as the Sun Devils received scoring from five athletes in the event. In addition to Kharun, Remi Fabiani was fifth in 18.54 and Jonny Kulow was sixth in 18.55. Meanwhile, off of their prelims performances, Tolu Young was ninth and Adam Chaney finished 13th. ASU tallied 55.5 points in the event, a total that elevated the Sun Devils into fourth place in the team race.
Event 13 Men 50 Yard Freestyle
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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 18.20 3/24/2016 Caeleb Dressel, Florida
Name Year School Prelims Finals Points
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=== Championship Final ===
1 Liendo, Josh SR Florida 18.40 18.06P 20
r:+0.61 8.77 18.06 (9.29)
2 Caribe, Gui SR Tennessee 18.39 18.19P 17
r:+0.56 8.72 18.19 (9.47)
3 Kharun, Ilya JR ASU 18.51 18.24 16
r:+0.64 8.91 18.24 (9.33)
4 McCarty, Quintin JR NC State 18.62 18.47 15
r:+0.63 8.91 18.47 (9.56)
5 Fabiani, Remi 5Y ASU 18.61 18.54 14
r:+0.61 8.81 18.54 (9.73)
6 Kulow, Jonny SR ASU 18.55 18.55 13
r:+0.60 9.00 18.55 (9.55)
7 Sheremet, Nikita FR Louisville 18.73 18.65 12
r:+0.69 9.04 18.65 (9.61)
8 Whitfield, Brendan JR VT 18.67 18.66 11
r:+0.67 8.98 18.66 (9.68)
=== Preliminaries ===
9 Young, Tolu SO ASU 18.76 9
r:0.56 8.81 18.76 (9.95)
10 Blackman, Nikoli JR Tennessee 18.77 7
r:0.62 9.03 18.77 (9.74)
11 Niewold, Sean SR Alabama 18.79 6
r:0.66 8.95 18.79 (9.84)
12 Painter, Alexander SO Florida 18.82 5
r:0.61 8.97 18.82 (9.85)
13 Chaney, Adam 5Y ASU 18.83 3.5
r:0.64 9.10 18.83 (9.73)
13 Fox, Jerry JR NC State 18.83 3.5
r:0.63 9.07 18.83 (9.76)
15 Koch, Julian SO Pittsburgh 18.85 2
r:0.65 9.08 18.85 (9.77)
16 Wrede, Martin FR California 18.88 0.5
r:0.63 9.03 18.88 (9.85)
16 Battaglini, Lucca SO California 18.88 0.5
r:0.57 8.96 18.88 (9.92)
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