The 2022 NCAA Men\u2019s Division I Swimming and Diving Championship last night continued from the McAuley Aquatic Center on the campus of Georgia Tech in Atlanta, with the 100-yard freestyle finals<\/p>\n

In the prelims, Cal sophomore Bjorn Seeliger<\/strong> scorched a 40.75 to become the second-fastest performer in history. Florida\u2019s Caeleb Dressel<\/strong> still holds the NCAA, meet, American and U.S. Open record at 39.90. But his pool record of 40.46 looked within reach heading into finals.<\/p>\n

Seeliger has scorched some fast splits on relays in this meet, too, the fastest 50 backstroke split to lead off the 200 medley relay, and just about every swim he has participated in so far.<\/p>\n

The talented field that Seeliger faced included U.S. Olympians Brooks Curry<\/strong> and Drew Kibler<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

In a late charge, LSU\u2019s Brooks Curry<\/strong> won the 100 free in 40.84, giving him two NCAA titles this meet after winning the 50 free in his home town.<\/p>\n

“I\u2019ve been dreaming about this race in particular for a long time, especially to be In this pool coming back home. It\u2019s a great feeling coming back here in such a fast field and be able to win that heat,” Curry said. “It\u2019s awesome.”<\/p>\n

Curry trailed Cal\u2019s Bjorn Seeliger<\/strong> and Tennessee\u2019s Jordan Crooks<\/strong> at the 50 mark. Seeliger was at 19.21 and Crooks at 19.29.<\/p>\n

But Curry finished in 21.38, a half second faster than both of them to get to the wall first.<\/p>\n

“I was going into that, and I was thinking, \u2018I\u2019m right there at the 50.\u2019 If I\u2019m right inside at the 25, I knew it was mine. That last 25, I knew I would put my head down and really claw to the finish. I had to get my head down and power through,” Curry said. “That prelim time really didn\u2019t tweak my strategy. Ideal would have been I had gone faster than 40.8. I was going for the pool record today. It will definitely happen another time. It didn\u2019t change my strategy today. I knew it was the fastest 100 free field I\u2019ve ever swum in, so I had to lay it on the line.”<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was a battle for sure. It hurt a lot. I was going for it tonight.\u201d<\/p>\n

Seeliger finished second in 41.00, ahead of Stanford sophomore Andrei Minakov<\/strong> (41.09), Virginia sophomore Matt Brownstead<\/strong> (41.22) and Crooks (41.24).<\/p>\n

Texas senior Drew Kibler<\/strong> was sixth in 41.33, ahead of Virginia sophomore Matt King<\/strong> (41.34) and Texas senior Danny Krueger<\/strong> (41.62).<\/p>\n

Harvard\u2019s Dean Farris<\/strong> won the consolation final in 41.42, finishing ninth overall in his final collegiate race. The ESPN broadcast said that Farris was retiring after the meet, the end of one of the better college careers in the past decade that included NCAA championships and the NCAA and American record in the 200 free.<\/p>\n