{"id":158845,"date":"2015-10-31T08:12:55","date_gmt":"2015-10-31T15:12:55","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.swimmingworldmagazine.com\/news\/?p=158845"},"modified":"2015-10-31T08:12:55","modified_gmt":"2015-10-31T15:12:55","slug":"clark-smith-gives-eddie-reese-chills-in-2000-freestyle-time-trial","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.swimmingworldmagazine.com\/news\/clark-smith-gives-eddie-reese-chills-in-2000-freestyle-time-trial\/","title":{"rendered":"Clark Smith Gives Eddie Reese \u201cChills\u201d In 2000 Freestyle Time Trial"},"content":{"rendered":"

Texas men\u2019s swimming head coach Eddie Reese<\/strong> has seen a lot of great performances in a career spanning more than four decades. His athletes have set world and American records, made many Olympic teams and won NCAA titles by the truckload. Perhaps current sophomore Clark Smith\u2019s<\/strong> performance Friday at a special time trial will rank among Reese\u2019s top swims.<\/p>\n

At the \u201cEddie Reese Invite\u201d \u2013 open only to the Texas men\u2019s swim team \u2013 athletes raced in 300 yards of each stroke, a 100 IM and a 2000 freestyle. It was that ultra-distance event that had the hairs on Reese\u2019s neck stand on end.<\/p>\n

Smith, the reigning NCAA champion in the 500 freestyle, uncorked a 17:44.39 in the 2000 free. Since it\u2019s not an official event, it\u2019s tough to compare the swim to anything else, but it is indeed fast. Smith averaged 53.22 per 100 yards, an astounding pace for such a long swim.<\/p>\n

Consider this: Matias Koski<\/strong> averaged in the high-52 second range in winning the 1650 at last March\u2019s NCAA championships. Smith\u2019s per-100 average in his NCAA title swim in the 500 was 49.94.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt gave me chills, and I\u2019m definitely too old for chills,\u201d Reese reportedly said after Smith\u2019s swim.<\/p>\n

Smith hasn\u2019t raced the 1000 free yet this season, but is ranked first in the collegiate standings in the 500 free with a 4:21.95.<\/p>\n

Though Smith\u2019s swim was a major standout performance, three of his fellow NCAA champion teammates shined in the unofficial meet. Though he\u2019s known for his butterfly prowess, especially after sweeping the butterfly events at the NCAA championships as a freshman, Joe Schooling<\/strong> put up an impressive 2:29.61 in the 300 freestyle to win by 11 seconds.<\/p>\n

Jack Conger<\/strong>, the American record holder in the 200 fly, won the 300 fly with a 2:39.88. That would have been good enough to place second in the 300 freestyle<\/i> race.<\/p>\n

Will Licon<\/strong>, who made a major breakthrough at the NCAA meet with wins in the 400 IM and 200 breast, won the 300 breast with a very strong 2:57.89 and finished second in the 100 IM with a 49.09 behind Ryan Harty\u2019s<\/strong> 48.86.<\/p>\n

Schooling and Conger stepped up for a special 50 butterfly duel at the end of the meet. Conger took the win in 20.71 to Schooling\u2019s 20.86.<\/p>\n

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Here you go, 50 fly challenge Conger 20.71 Schooling 20.86 pic.twitter.com\/x44pua0Vwt<\/a><\/p>\n
— Texas Men'sSwimDive (@TexasMSD) October 30, 2015<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n