Joshua Liendo wins 100 Free National Championship as Gators finish sixth
MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. – For the third straight night, the Florida men’s swimming and diving team broke a NCAA record, as Joshua Liendo, Adam Chaney, Julian Smith and Macguire McDuff clocked a 2:44.07 to become the fastest 400 free relay team ever on the final night of the 2023 NCAA Men’s Swimming and Diving Championships.
Florida edged out California by .01 of a second, behind blistering splits from Liendo (41.10), Chaney (41.26), Smith (41.26) and McDuff (41.05). McDuff anchored all three record-breaking relays this week, with Liendo and Chaney also staking claim to three pieces of NCAA swimming history.
“I’m super excited,” McDuff said. “Obviously you want to do the best on the relays, so super happy to get the win there and the record.”
The five-year record stood no chance Saturday night at the Jean K. Freeman Aquatics Center. Even with the 400 free relay being the last event of the week, Florida stayed locked in.
“I know these guys got my back, so I have to give everything for them,” Liendo said. “I’m just trying to hit the wall because I know we’ll have good takeoffs and do well. We deserve it for how hard we work. To see Macguire come back there at the end and get it done, that’s why we call him Showtime. It was definitely a great experience and I love these boys.”
Saturday’s sixth place team finish with 367.5 points marked the 23rd straight, and 38th time overall, that the Gators have finished in the top-10. The Florida men racked up 27 All-American honors over the four-day meet.
Joshua Liendo wraps up one of the most impressive collegiate freshman seasons with a National Championship in the 100 free, becoming the second-fastest swimmer in the event ever at 40.28, only behind Caeleb Dressel. With the win, the Canadian Olympian becomes the second Gator to ever win the 100 free, joining elite Florida company alongside Dressel. Liendo earned silver in both the 50 free and 100 fly earlier this week.
Men’s 100 Yard Freestyle – All-time Rankings
1. Caeleb Dressel – 39.90 (2018)
2. Caeleb Dressel – 40.00 (2017)
3. Joshua Liendo – 40.28 (2023)
4. Caeleb Dressel – 40.46 (2016)
5. Caeleb Dressel – 40.48 (2017)
Fellow freshman Aleksas Savickas recorded fifth in the 200 breast with a swim of 1:50.48 to earn All-American honors. The Lithuanian native is already the event school record holder in just his first season as a Gator.
In the A-final of the platform dives, Leonardo Garcia registered a 366.35 to finish tied for sixth in the country. Garcia was the bronze medalist in the platform at the SEC Championships. The Cali, Colombia native earned All-American honors in the 1-meter earlier this week, and is now a six-time All-American.
In the 100 free B-final, Adam Chaney (41.93) and Macguire McDuff (41.97) went 13-14 overall, giving Florida three of the top 14 spots in the country, the most by any team in the NCAA.
Dillon Hillis concluded his decorated Florida career with a 1:52.10 in the 200 breast for All-American accomplishments and a personal-best time.
Joaquin Gonzalez Pinero notched his first career All-American honors with a top-10 finish in the country during the 200 fly, clocking a 1:41.62.
The Gators secured three All-American honors in the 1650 free, led by Alfonso Mestre, who shaved over eight seconds off his season-best time to win the second heat with a 14:44.50 and place10th. Tyler Watson’s 14:46.27 put him in 12th, while Giovanni Linscheer finished second in the second heat and 16th overall, finishing his freshman season with a personal-best time of 14:48.63. Fellow freshman Eric Brown went 14:49.52 for 19th, just ahead of Jake Mitchell’s 22nd place finish with a 14:52.82. Oskar Lindholm finished 30th, touching the wall in 15:02.26.
100 Free Prelims
Joshua Liendo advanced to his third A-final of the week, notching sixth in the prelims at 41.25. The Gator duo of Adam Chaney and Macguire McDuff qualified for the B-final. Chaney finished 11th with a season-best 41.75, while McDuff went 41.92 for 15th. Julian Smith tallied a 42.16 for 21st, while Alberto Mestre’s 42.87 slotted him in 43rd.
200 Breast Prelims
Freshman Aleksas Savickas touched the wall in 1:50.98 to win the fifth heat and secure a spot in the A-final, while Dillon Hillis, who swam the breast leg of last night’s NCAA record 400 medley relay, moved on to the B-final with a swim of 1:52.13. Amro Al-Wir posted a 1:52.60 that put him in 18th.
200 Fly Prelims
Joaquin Gonzalez Pinero qualified of the B-final, swimming a 1:41.75 to represent Florida with a second-swim in the evening session. Mason Laur ended his sophomore season with a 1:42.62, good for the 23rd best finish in the nation.
Platform Prelims
Leonardo Garcia finished fourth overall in the prelims, advancing to the A-final. Garcia makes his second final of the week after earning a spot in the 1-meter consolation meter earlier this week. Skip Donald finished 24th with a 325.65. The Woodlands, Texas native ended his season with a stellar dive of 68.80.
All-American Tracker
200 Medley Relay – Chaney, Savickas, Friese, Liendo
800 Free Relay – McDuff, Mitchell, Alf. Mestre, Smith
500 Free – Jake Mitchell, Alfonso Mestre
50 Free – Joshua Liendo
200 Free Relay – Liendo, Chaney, Friese, McDuff (National Champions – NCAA, US Open, Meet, School, Pool Record)
100 Fly – Joshua Liendo (Third-fastest time ever recorded)
100 Breast – Dillon Hillis
100 Back – Adam Chaney
400 Medley Relay – Chaney, Hillis, Liendo, McDuff (National Champions – NCAA, US Open, Meet, School, Pool Record)
100 Free – Joshua Liendo
200 Breast – Aleksas Savickas
Platform – Leonardo Garcia
400 Free Relay – Liendo, Chaney, Smith, McDuff (National Champions – NCAA, US Open, Meet, School, Pool Record)
Honorable Mention
1-meter – Leonardo Garcia
200 IM – Julian Smith
400 IM – Mason Laur
200 Free – Jake Mitchell
100 Breast – Aleksas Savickas, Julian Smith
100 Free – Adam Chaney, Macguire McDuff
200 Breast – Dillon Hillis
200 Fly – Joaquin Gonzalez Pinero
1650 Free – Alfonso Mestre, Tyler Watson, Giovanni Linscheer
2023 NCAA Men’s Swimming and Diving Championships Standings:
1. California – 482 points
2. Arizona State – 430 points
2. Texas – 384 points
4. Indiana – 379 points
5. NC State – 373.5 points
6. Florida – 367.5 points
7. Tennessee – 216.5 points
8. Stanford – 143.5 points
9. Virginia Tech – 133 points
10. Auburn – 127 points
Worth noting
For the first time since 2014-15, both Florida men’s and women’s swimming and diving finished in the top-10 at NCAAs.
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