Live summary of the fourth day's finals

2024 Pac-12 Men's Championships

The final session of the 2024 Pac-12 Men's Championship will begin here soon in federal style. Even without a full-strength Cal team, this was a great week of racing. We've seen NCAA records, Pac-12 records, and quite a few Pac-12 tournament records. It looks like some championship records might be erased tonight, so this should be a great final session.

Team results (after day 3)

1. Arizona – 725
2. Stanford – 505.5
3. Cal-406
4. Arizona – 372
5. USC – 288.5
6. Utah – 167

Arizona State University has a meeting but is closed. Assuming they don't get a DQ in every race tonight, they will win their second straight and final Pac-12 title. Stanford is firmly in second place, and based on this morning's performance, it looks like Cal should be safe from Arizona for third.

Tonight's session will start with the fastest heat of the 1650 freestyle, then we will see the finals of the 200 backstroke, 100 freestyle, 200 breaststroke, and 200 fly. The course concludes with a 400-meter freestyle relay race.

The 200m should be a great race tonight. It features Arizona State University's Hubert Kuss, who holds the fastest time in the NCAA this season with a time of 1:36.54. He was only 1:39.05 this morning, however, and Kuss has been swimming very well this week, so he should be able to get back to his time tonight, which means he should also set the Pac-12 championship record of 1:36.94. ASU teammate Owen McDonald had a huge swim this morning, finishing first with a time of 1:38.49.

The 200 breaststroke should be a great race as well. Arizona State Leon Marchand He was third this morning with a time of 1:52.22 but we've seen him drop dramatically from prelims to finals in all of his races this week, so we have no reason to doubt he'll win tonight. Marchand is the NCAA record holder in the event with a time of 1:46.91. He ran a very fast 49.87 in the breaststroke in the 400 medley relay last night, so we'll see what he can do in the 200 breaststroke tonight. This morning, it was ASU teammates David Schlicht (1:51.45) and Cal Marter (1:52.19) who took first and second place, respectively.

Sun Devil freshman Elijah Kharon led the 200 fly prelims by a wide margin this morning, swimming a 1:39.52. Kharon holds the best time in the NCAA this season, having clocked 1:37.93. The Pac-12 championship record is 1:38.53, so Kharon has a great chance of breaking it.

50 freestyle champion Jack Dolan posted the fastest time in the 100 freestyle this morning, swimming a 41.38. Teammate Johnny Colo wasn't far behind, as he swam 41.53.

Men's 1650 Freestyle – Timed Finals

• NCAA record: 14:12.08 – Bobby Fink, Florida (2020)
• Pac-12 Record: 14:24.35 – Chad LaTourette, Stanford (2012)
• Pac-12 Championship Record: 14:33.69 – Zach Yeadon – Cal (2021)
• NCAA cut: 14:37.31

Top 8:

1. Zalan Sarkany (Arizona State) – 14:23.01 (conference record)
2. Krzysztof Chmielewski (University of Southern California) – 14:39.64
3. Daniel Matheson (Arizona State) – 14:44.85
4. Liam Custer (Stanford) – 14:46.22
5. Gabby Machado (Stanford) – 14:55.52
6. Reece Grady (Arizona State) – 14:56.90
7. Jack Meehan (CA) – 14:58.38
8. Tyler Cobb (CA) – 15:05.36

Well, this session got off to a bad start. Arizona State sophomore Zalan Sarkani had been swimming incredibly well all week, but he saved the best for last. Sarcany broke a new career best of 14:23.01 to win the mile by a wide margin. Furthermore, that swim broke Zach Yeadon's Pac-12 Championships record set in 2021 by a massive 10.68 seconds. Additionally, Sarcany became the person to topple former Stanford star Chad LaTourette's Pac-12 Conference record of 14:24.35, which had stood since 2012.

Sarcany was out like a bullet tonight, posting an impressive 4:17.43 in the first 500 yards. His second 500 came in 4:22.67, and he went 4:25.08 in his third 500. Sarcane then brought the pace back, coming back with a quick 1:17.83 in the final 150.

In the first swim of the 1,650 freestyle/200 double fly tonight, the USC freshman Krzysztof Chmielewski She clocked 14:39.64 for second place. Chmielewski has been a little faster than that this season, clocking 14:37.74 already.

ASU freshman Reece Grady made it to the podium from the slowest heat of the afternoon, swimming a 14:56.90, which took 50 seconds off his season best of 15:47.63.

Men's 200 backstroke – finals

• NCAA record: 1:35.73 – Ryan Murphy, Cal (2016)
• Pac-12 Record: 1:35.73 – Ryan Murphy, Cal (2016)
• Pac-12 Championship Record: 1:36.94 – Destin Lasko, Cal (2023)
• NCAA cut: 1:39.13

Top 8:

1. Hubert Kuss (Arizona State) – 1:35.69 (NCAA record)
2. Owen McDonald (Arizona State) – 1:37.70
3. Rex Maurer (Stanford) – 1:39.83
4. Sebastian Somerset (CA) – 1:39.84
5. Aaron Sequeira (Stanford) – 1:40.55
6. Ziad Slim (California) – 1:40.64
7. Josh Zuchowski (Stanford) – 1:40.71
8. Kai Cruz (CA) – 1:41.33

ASU sophomore Hubert Koss just made history, breaking Ryan Murphy's legendary NCAA 200-meter record of 1:35.73, which has stood since 2016. Koss clocked 1:35.69 tonight, To cut Murphy's record by 0.04 seconds. He also broke the Pac-12 championship record of 1:36.94, set by Cal's Destin Lasko at last year's meet.

He came out incredibly fast, splitting 22.20 in the first 50 and 24.46 on the second day versus 46.66 in the first 100. Kos then maintained his pace very well, going 24.46 and 24.57 in the final pair of 50s, versus 49.03 in the 100.200. Second to Kos's 1:36.54 at the NC State Invite back in November.

ASU also saw fellow sophomore Owen McDonald post a massive new career best of 1:37.70 on the second night. Before he clocked 1:38.49 in the prelims this morning, McDonald's career best was the 1:39.01 he swam at the Pac-12 Championships last year. Thanks to his swim tonight, MacDonald is now No. 11 all-time in the event.

Stanford freshman Rex Maurer ran 1:39.84 to take third place tonight. The performance comes off Maurer's career-best of 1:39.75, which he swam at the Texas Invite in the fall.

Cal freshman Keaton Jones won the “B” final with a time of 1:39.18, the best performance of his career and would have been fast enough to place third in the “A” final. Jones has never been under 1:40 in this event before.

Men's 100 meter freestyle – finals

• NCAA Record: 39.90 – Caeleb Dressel, Florida (2018)
• Pac-12 Record: 40.75 – Bjorn Seliger, Cal (2022)
• Pac-12 Championship Record: 40.90 – Bjorn Seliger, Cal (2023)
• NCAA Cut: 41.50

Top 8:

1. Matt Jensen (CA) – 41.63
2. Jack Dolan (Arizona State) – 41.66
3. Patrick Sammon (Arizona State) – 41.77
4. Johnny Colo (Arizona State) – 41.80
5. Liam Bell (CA) – 41.98
6. Ralph Daleiden (Arizona) – 42.22
7. Rafael Joe (Stanford) – 42.45
8. Luke Maurer (Stanford) – 42.61

All but two men in the “A” final of the 100 free were added tonight from the prelims, including winner Matt Jensen (Cal), who ran a 41.63 tonight after running a 41.57 in the morning. Jensen was third at the 50, a choppy 19.87, but was impressive in the second 50, splitting a 21.76.

Arizona State's Jack Dolan was second with a score of 41.66, although his 41.38 from the prelims still represented the fastest time of the day. Dolan also had the early speed, running a very quick 19.58 in the first 50.

Sun Devil junior Patrick Sammon was one of the swimmers to fall tonight, earning third place with a time of 41.77. It was just under 41.85 from the prelims. Sammon's swim today was the best of her career.

Cal's Liam Bell was the other swimmer to drop from the prelims to the finals, and like Sammon, his swims today were personal bests. Bell placed fifth tonight with a time of 41.98, his first time in the event with a time under 42 seconds. We've become accustomed to seeing Bell in the 200 breaststroke at championship meets, but going that route seems to have paid off. Bell entered the day with a career mark of 42.81, then swam 42.17 in the lead before achieving a 41.98 tonight.

Men's 200 Breaststroke – Finals

• NCAA record: 1:46.91 – Leon MarchandArizona State University (2023)
• Pac-12 record: 1:46.91 – Leon MarchandArizona State University (2023)
• Pac-12 Championship record: 1:47.67 – Leon MarchandArizona State University (2023)
• NCAA cut: 1:51.09

Top 8:

1. Leon Marchand (Arizona State) – 1:48.60
2. David Schlicht (Arizona State) – 1:51.62
3. Cal Marter (Arizona State) – 1:52.19
4. Ron Polonsky (Stanford) – 1:52.27
5. Andy Dobrzanski (Arizona State) – 1:53.48
6. Zaheer Van (Stanford) – 1:53.62
7. Hank Rivers (CA) – 1:53.91
8. Sean Swift (CA) – 1:54.09

Leon Marchand He earned his third individual win of the week, taking the 200 breaststroke decisively with a time of 1:48.60. While that time is about a second off his Pac-12 championship record of 1:47.67 from last year, it represents Marchand's best of the season, as well as the best time in the NCAA this season by more than a second. Marchand also holds the NCAA record in the event with a career best of 1:46.91 from last year's NCAAs.

Marchand opened up to a big lead early tonight, splitting a 51.89 in the first 100, which would have tied for sixth in last night's 100 breaststroke final. He then divided 28.19 on the third 50 and 28.52 on the fourth, resulting in 56.71 on the second 100.

It was a 1-2-3 punch for ASU, with David Schlicht taking second with a time of 1:51.62. That time came after the 1:51.41 he swam in the heats, a career best in the event. Sun Devil sophomore Cal Marter tied his time of 1:52.19 as of this morning, also the best of his career.

Stanford's Ron Polonsky ran a season's best of 1:52.27, which was good for fourth place tonight. Polonsky has a personal best of 1:51.73, a time he swam at the 2022 Pac-12 Championships.

Men's 200 butterfly – finals

• NCAA record: 1:37.35 – Jack CongerTexas (2017)
• Pac-12 Record: 1:37.93 – Elijah Kharon, Arizona State University (2024)
• Pac-12 Championship Record: 1:38.53 – Trenton Julian, Cal (2021)
• NCAA cut: 1:40.16

Top 8:

1. Elijah Kharon (Arizona State) – 1:38.64
2. Alex Coulson (Arizona State) – 1:40.78
3. Haakon Naughton (Arizona) – 1:41.67
4. Krzysztof Chmielewski (University of Southern California) – 1:42.01
5. Gibson Holmes (Stanford) – 1:42.35
6. Michal Chmielewski (USC) – 1:42.42
7. Henry McFadden (Stanford) – 1:43.24
8. Harry Homans (USC) – 1:44.95

Arizona State freshman Elijah Kharon captured his second Pac-12 individual title of the week, making a sweep of the fly-over events. Kharon swam a time of 1:38.64 to finish as the only swimmer in the field tonight under 1:40. The time was about one second under his preliminary swim of 1:39.52, however, Kharon had already reached a speed of 1:37.93 this season, also the best of his career. Kharon's swimming strength tonight came in his back half. He split 22.24 in the first 50, then split 25.46, 25.35 and 25.59 respectively the rest of the way.

Arizona State's Alex Colson was second in 1:40.78 tonight, marking a season-best for the senior. Colson has been under 1:40 in the event before, and ran a career-best 1:39.55 from the Pac-12 Championships last year.

Arizona's Haakon Naughton, a sophomore, ran a new career best of 1:41.67 to take third place tonight. Haakon's 1:41.90 from the preliminaries this morning marked his first time under 1:42 in the event, and he lowered his mark again tonight.

After swimming the mile at the start of the session, he was a freshman at USC Krzysztof Chmielewski He placed fourth in the 200 fly tonight with a time of 1:42.01. The swim was outside Chmielewski's preliminary time of 1:41.45. He has a season best of 1:41.20.

Chmielewski's brother, Michal Chmielewski, also a freshman, came in sixth tonight with a time of 1:42.42. He's been as fast as 1:42.17 this season.

Men's 400 freestyle relay – finals

• NCAA record: 2:44.07 – Florida (2023)
• Pac record 12:2:44.08 – Cal (2023)
• Pac-12 Championship record: 2:45.67 – Cal (2023)
• NCAA cut: 2:50.44

results: