Texas senior\u00a0Clark Smith<\/strong> was going for his second NCAA title of the meet in the 1650 free, and he knew before the race that he would have to gut it out. He did just that.<\/p>\n

Smith won the 500 free two days earlier, setting a new American record with his time of 4:08.42, but he strained his groin during that race, according to a source, and did not compete in the 200 free the next day. The mile was his first race since the 500 free final.<\/p>\n

Smith took the race out hard and held the lead for much of the first 500, swimming in a battle with Michigan’s\u00a0Felix Auboeck<\/strong>,\u00a0Northwestern’s\u00a0Jordan Wilimovsky<\/strong> and Louisville’s\u00a0Marcelo Acosta<\/strong>\u00a0in the middle of the pool.<\/p>\n

On the second 500, Michigan’s\u00a0PJ Ransford\u00a0<\/strong>made his move from lane one, establishing a lead of more than a bodylength over the men in the middle of the pool. But he faded badly down the final stretch and ended up sixth.<\/p>\n

Out in lane eight, South Carolina’s\u00a0Akaram Mahmoud\u00a0<\/strong>was in last place at times during the beginning of the race but made his way back into contention and challenged for the swimmers in the middle over the last 500. Wilimovsky took over the lead before Smith, Auboeck and Mahmoud made their final runs.<\/p>\n

Smith flipped four one-hundredths ahead of Mahmoud with 50 yards to go and then took off. He came into the wall in 14:22.41. Smith, obviously in pain, could not stand as he got out of the pool, and Texas coach\u00a0Eddie Reese\u00a0<\/strong>had to help him walk towards the awards ceremony. But Smith had pulled off the greatest short course mile of all time.<\/p>\n

That time crushed the American and U.S. Open records of 14:23.52 set by\u00a0Connor Jaeger\u00a0<\/strong>back in 2014. It also broke Martin Grodski’s\u00a0<\/strong>NCAA and meet record of 14:24.08.<\/p>\n

Auboeck finished a half-second behind in second in 14:22.88, and Mahmoud took third in 14:22.99. Wilmovsky settled for fourth in 14:23.45, but the four times ranked as the four fastest times in history in the event.<\/p>\n

Wisconsin’s\u00a0Matt Hutchins<\/strong> finished fifth out of the early heats in 14:31.19, and Ransford came in sixth at 14:32.35. NC State’s\u00a0Anton Ipsen\u00a0<\/strong>was seventh in 14:34.85, and Stanford’s\u00a0Grant Shoults\u00a0<\/strong>rounded out the top eight in 14:35.82.<\/p>\n

Akram Mahmoud and Clark Smith talked to the media after the race and you can see the interviews below<\/p>\n