Swimming

In SCY Debut, Zalan Sarkany Erases Oldest ASU Record with Nation-Leading 1000 Free Time

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By Riley Overend on SwimSwam

Arizona State vs. Stanford

  • Jan. 20, 2023
  • Mona Plummer Aquatic Center

Arizona State freshman Zalan Sarkany’s first race in short-course yards (SCY) was one to remember on Friday afternoon.

The 19-year-old Hungarian distance freestyler wasted no time etching his name into Sun Devils’ history during his first collegiate meet as he blazed a nation-leading time of 8:50.56 to take down a school record from 1984. Scott Brackett’s mark of 8:57.64 had stood untouched for 39 years until Friday’s dual meet against Stanford. It was the oldest school record in program history by a wide margin.

Sarkany’s first official 1000 free ranks as the fastest time in the country this season, nearly seven seconds ahead of Sandpipers of Nevada 16-year-old Luke Ellis (8:57.32). He also became the first NCAA swimmer to break the nine-minute barrier this season, almost 11 seconds faster than Georgia senior Jake Magahey’s 9:01.35 from October.

Sarkany’s 1000 Free Splits

Distance Split
100 48.50
200 52.53
300 52.88
400 53.42
500 53.52
600 53.87
700 53.94
800 54.11
900 54.45
1000 53.34
Total 8:50.56

Sarkany picked up a pair of bronze medals in the 800 free and 1500 free at the Hungarian Short Course Championships last November. His time of 14:44.74 in the 1500-meter free converts to a 1650-yard time of 14:39.46, which would have placed 10th at last year’s NCAA Championships.

The 1000 free is not contested at NCAAs, but the NCAA record in the event sits at 8:33.93, set by Clark Smith in 2015.

Last summer, Sarkany committed to Arizona State for this spring while the World Championships were taking place in Budapest, Hungary.

SwimSwam: In SCY Debut, Zalan Sarkany Erases Oldest ASU Record with Nation-Leading 1000 Free Time

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