Cal Fifth Year Liam Bell Breaks Finnerty’s NCAA Record with 49.53 100 Breast

By Spencer Penland on SwimSwam

2024 MEN’S NCAA SWIMMING AND DIVING CHAMPIONSHIPS

• March 27-30, 2024
• IUPUI Natatorium, Indianapolis, Indiana
• Short Course Yards (25 yards)
• Meet Central
• Official Psych Sheets
• SwimSwam Preview Index
• SwimSwam Pick ‘Ems Contest
• How to Watch
• Live Results
• Day 1 Finals Live Recap
• Day 2 Prelims Live Recap | Day 2 Finals Live Recap
• Day 3 Prelims Live Recap | Day 3 Finals Live Recap

100 YARD BREASTSTROKE — FINAL

• NCAA Record: 49.69 — Ian Finnerty, Indiana (2018)
• Meet Record: 49.69 — Ian Finnerty, Indiana (2018)
• American Record: 49.69 — Ian Finnerty, Indiana (2018)
• U.S. Open Record: 49.69 — Ian Finnerty, Indiana (2018)
• Pool Record: 50.52 — Liam Bell, California (2024)
• 2023 Champion: 50.00 – Max McHugh, Minnesota

Top 8: 

1. Liam Bell (CAL) – 49.53 *NCAA, Meet, American, U.S. Open, & Pool Record* 
2. Brian Benzing (TOWS) – 50.59
3. Denis Petrashov (LOU) – 50.91
4. Noah Nichols (UVA) – 50.93
5. Carles Coll Marti (VT) – 51.06
6. Josh Matheny (IU) – 51.07
7. Julian Smith (FLOR) – 51.18
8. Ron Polonsky (STAN) – 51.25

Nobody would have thought Ian Finnerty‘s NCAA Record of 49.69 was in any danger of being broken this week at the NCAA Championships. Enter Cal fifth year Liam Bell, who just had the swim of his life. Bell blew away the ‘A’ final of the 100 breast, winning his first NCAA title by over a second.

Bell hit the wall in an absolutely stunning final time of 49.53, taking 0.16 seconds off Finnerty’s record from the 2018 NCAAs. It was a truly incredible race, as Bell nearly took a full second off his career best, which stood at 50.50 from the 2022 NCAA Championships.

Bell was out impossibly fast tonight, throwing down a 23.15 on the opening 50. That’s 0.11 seconds faster than Finnerty was out in when he swam his NCAA Record in 2018. Here is a split comparison between Bell tonight and Finnerty’s record swim.

Of course, Bell broke more than just the NCAA Record with his swim. In addition to the NCAA Record, Bell is now the American Record, US Open Record, IUPUI Natatorium pool record, and Cal program record holder.

Top 5 Performances All-Time, Men’s SCY 100 Breast:

1. 49.53 – Liam Bell (2024 NCAAs)
2. 49.69 – Ian Finnerty (2018 NCAAs)
3. 49.85 – Ian Finnerty (2019 NCAAs)
4. 49.90 – Max McHugh (2022 NCAAs)
5. 49.95 – Max McHugh (2022 NCAAs)

Prior to his performance tonight, Bell’s personal best of 50.50 from 2022 was the 16th-fastest performance of all-time in the event, marking an massive jump in the all-time rankings. Bell will be competing in the 200 breast tomorrow, where he comes in as the 32nd seed.

SwimSwam: Cal Fifth Year Liam Bell Breaks Finnerty’s NCAA Record with 49.53 100 Breast