Swimming

Backstroker Abhay Tharakan Hands Verbal To Georgia Tech (2025)

May 8, 2024

Fitter and Faster Swim Camps is the proud sponsor of SwimSwam’s College Recruiting Channel and all commitment news. For many, swimming in college is a lifelong dream that is pursued with dedication and determination. Fitter and Faster is proud to honor these athletes and those who supported them on their journey.

Abhay Tharakan has announced his verbal commitment to swim and study at the Georgia Institute of Technology, beginning next fall with the 2025-2026 season. Tharakan, a USA Swimming Scholastic All-American, is from Apex, North Carolina, where he attends Apex High School. He also trains and competes year-round with the TAC Titans, which is a Gold Medal club under USA Swimming’s Club Excellence program.

“I’m extremely excited to announce my verbal commitment to Georgia Tech!! I would like to thank my parents, coaches, and teammates for all their support. I’d also like to thank the Georgia Tech coaching staff and swim team for giving me this opportunity. I’m thrilled to spend my four years of university at Georgia Tech. STING EM”

Tharakan is primarily a backstroker, and currently owns U.S. Open qualifying times in both the 100 and 200 back. He’s also strong in fly, breast, and IM, with Futures cuts across all distances of those strokes. Of these events, his 200 fly has improved the most this season going from a 1:57.46 from 2022 down to a 1:49.91.

Tharakan has been busy this spring with a mix of both high school and club meets. Most recently he raced at Tarheel States, where he dropped nearly half a second in the 100 back (48.54) & 200 fly (1:49.91), and two tenths in the 200 IM (1:49.95). His 100 back performance earned 1st overall, while his 200 fly and IM swims were good for 2nd.

At the high school state meet, Tharakan recorded a 5th place finish in the 100 backstroke with a time of 49.97 in finals. Just a week prior to the state meet, he won the event at Regionals in 50.02.

Top SCY Times

100 back – 48.54
200 back – 1:46.97
100 fly – 49.33
200 fly – 1:49.91
200 IM – 1:49.95
400 IM – 4:01.53

The Georgia Tech men finished 9th out of 11 teams at the 2024 ACC Championships with a total of 575.5 points. It took a 47.19 and 1:44.64 to advance to the C-final at this year’s meet, which puts Tharakan’s current best times a few seconds shy of ACC scoring range.

Georgia Tech’s top finisher at ACCs in the 100 this year was Berke Saka, who posted a 47.21 to take 25th. Saka also led the way in the 200, and was the team’s lone finalist with a 10th place finish (1:42.56). Saka will be a senior this fall, and will not overlap with Tharakan at all.

With his commitment, Tharakan joins Colorado native Tobin Uhl in Georgia Tech’s future class of 2029.

If you have a commitment to report, please send an email with a photo (landscape, or horizontal, looks best) and a quote to [email protected].

About the Fitter and Faster Swim Tour

Fitter & Faster Swim Camps feature the most innovative teaching platforms for competitive swimmers of all levels. Camps are produced year-round throughout the USA and Canada. All camps are led by elite swimmers and coaches. Visit fitterandfaster.com to find or request a swim camp near you.