Swimming

Hobson Breaks NCAA Record with 1:29.13 200 FR… Then Marchand Goes 1:28.97 in the Next Heat

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By Spencer Penland on SwimSwam

2024 MEN’S NCAA SWIMMING AND DIVING CHAMPIONSHIPS

800 FREESTYLE RELAY — TIMED FINAL

  • NCAA Record: 6:03.42 — Texas (L. Hobson, C. Carrozza, P. Larson, C. Foster), 2024
  • Meet Record: 6:03.42 — Texas (L. Hobson, C. Carrozza, P. Larson, C. Foster), 2024
  • American Record: 6:03.42 — Texas (L. Hobson, C. Carrozza, P. Larson, C. Foster), 2024
  • U.S. Open Record: 6:03.42 — Texas (L. Hobson, C. Carrozza, P. Larson, C. Foster), 2024
  • 2023 Champion: 6:03.42 — Texas (L. Hobson, C. Carrozza, P. Larson, C. Foster), 2024

Top 8: 

  1. Cal (G. Jett, D. Lasco, J. Alexy, R. Hanson) — 6:02.26 *NCAA, Meet, U.S. Open Record*
  2. Arizona State (L. Marchand, H. Kos, P. Sammon, J. Hill) — 6:04.95
  3. Texas (L. Hobson, C. Carrozza, N. Germonprez, C. Taylor) — 6:05.33
  4. Florida — 6:08.00
  5. Georgia — 6:08.13
  6. Indiana — 6:08.26
  7. Louisville — 6:08.32
  8. Stanford — 6:08.77

The 800 free relay at the Men’s NCAA Championships in Indianapolis tonight was a spectacle. Not only did Cal break the NCAA Record in the event with their winning time of 6:02.26, before that had even happened, the NCAA Record in the 200 free was broken…twice.

In the 2nd heat, Texas junior Luke Hobson was out like a bullet, leading the Longhorn relay off in 1:29.13, which dipped under Dean Farris‘ NCAA Record of 1:29.15, which was set at the 2019 NCAAs. Hobson was out insanely fast, flipping at the 100 in 42.11. He managed to put up a 22.86 on the 3rd 50, then the fatigue started to set in, and he came home in 24.16 on the final 50. Still, it was enough, and Hobson clipped the NCAA Record.

It was an incredible performance, and in the immediate aftermath of his swim, it felt like Hobson’s lead-off was probably going to be the story of the 800 free relay tonight. Then, the next heat happened.

Arizona State junior Leon Marchand led the Sun Devil relay off tonight, throwing down a 1:28.97, which, of course, broke Hobson’s 10-minute-old record and makes Marchand the first swimmer ever to go under 1:29. Marchand swam a slightly more conservative race than Hobson, going out a little slower but coming home faster. Here is a split comparison between Hobson and Marchand tonight, as well as Farris’ splits from his 1:29.15 in 2019:

Splits Leon Marchand – 2024 NCAA Championships Luke Hobson – 2024 NCAA Championships Dean Farris – 2019 NCAA Championships
50 20.36 20.28 20.56
100 42.59 (22.23) 42.11 (21.83) 42.89 (22.33)
150 1:05.34 (22.75) 1:04.97 (22.86) 1:05.43 (22.54)
200 1:28.97 (23.63) 1:29.13 (24.16) 1:29.15 (23.72)
Final Time 1:28.97 1:29.13 1:29.15

Most of Marchand’s advantage came on the last 50 of the race tonight. While the final 50 was the slowest of the race for both swimmers, Hobson faded much more at the end of the race than Marchand did. That erased the early lead he had built on the front half of the race.

Hobson is set to race the 200 free individually on Friday, where he’ll surely be the favorite now. That being said, Hobson will have another shot at the record this week, while Marchand will not.

In the more immediate future, the swims from Marchand and Hobson tonight have set up what is now a must-watch race in the 500 free tomorrow. Marchand set the NCAA Record in the event a few weeks ago with a 4:06.18 at the Pac-12 Championships. While that surely makes him the favorite heading into the event, Hobson should not be overlooked. He won the event at last year’s NCAAs with a 4:07.37, and if his 200 free tonight is any indication, he may be primed to improve on that time.

SwimSwam: Hobson Breaks NCAA Record with 1:29.13 200 FR… Then Marchand Goes 1:28.97 in the Next Heat

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