ZUMO Performance of the Week: Dean Farris Drops 44.62 100 Back At HYP

Photo Courtesy: Joseph Prezioso

This week’s ZUMO Performance of the Week goes to Dean Farris for his performance in the 100 yard backstroke at this weekend’s annual Harvard-Yale-Princeton (HYP) meet.

Farris was absolutely on fire this weekend, establishing two new program records for the Crimson in the 100 back (44.62) and 100 free (41.92) while producing some stunning sprint free relay splits (18.35/40.85). But the Harvard junior’s performance in the 100 back may be the most impactful of all his swims this weekend.

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Team Record Spotlight: Dean Farris (HMSD ’20) broke two of his own program records at HYP as he unleashed a 44.62 in the 100 backstroke and a 41.92 in the 100 freestyle. His 100 backstroke is currently ranked second in the country. In addition to his record breaking swims, Farris posted an 18.35 relay split on the winning 200 freestyle relay and a 40.85 anchor split on the winning 400 medley relay. #sheesh #beans #carrots

A post shared by Harvard Swimming & Diving (@harvardmenswimdive) on Feb 4, 2019 at 6:02am PST

Out in 21.63, Farris never looked back, bringing home the race in 22.99 to finish in 44.62. That took down his school record of 44.81 from Ivies last year and broke his pool record (45.37) from 2017. That time also moves Farris to #2 overall in the country for this season, and gives him even more options come NCAA’s.

Farris is known for his 200 free and finished 6th in that event at NCAA’s last year, but his time from this weekend would have put him 3rd in the 100 back behind Coleman Stewart and John Shebat at last year’s NCAA Championships. With just the 100 breast between the 200 free and 100 back on the NCAA schedule the junior will likely be picking between the two events, but Farris still has the Ivy League Championships ahead of that decision.

As a freshman, Farris did the 200 free-100 back double but did not score in the latter. He elected to go with the 50 free at NCAAs a year ago instead of the 100 back, where he placed 12th.

Farris didn’t swim the 200 free at HYP (teammate Brennan Novak took home the win in 1:35.32), and with the event all but assured in his schedule for Ivies we may have to wait a few weeks to see which event could be the stronger bet for him come March.

Congratulations to Dean Farris on earning ZUMO’s Performance of the Week!

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