Get ready for an exciting day of swimming at the 2025 Minnesota Invite! Today's prelims session promises to be a thrilling showcase of talent and skill.
The Final Prelims: A Preview
This morning, we kick off with the men's and women's 200 back, 100 free, 200 breast, and 200 fly events. It's a chance for swimmers to secure their spots in tonight's highly anticipated finals.
Cal's Dominance: A Preview of the Podium?
Cal swimmers are poised to make a strong showing. Freshmen Teagan O'Dell and Mia West lead the women's 200 back and 100 free events, respectively. O'Dell, in particular, is seeded four seconds ahead of her teammate Ella Cosgrove, indicating a potential Cal sweep in the 200 back.
On the men's side, Keaton Jones, a 2024 Olympic finalist in the 200 back, is seeded with a time of 1:40.40. He's coming off a strong performance in the 200 free, where he improved his season best. Will he continue his winning streak today?
The Contenders: Harvard and Minnesota
But here's where it gets interesting: Harvard and Minnesota are also sending strong contenders to the pool. Anya Mostek and Kiley Wilhelm from Harvard are seeded fourth and fifth in the women's 200 back, while Alberto Hernandez Garcia and Ryan Slonac from Minnesota are in the top eight for the men's event.
And this is the part most people miss: the dark horse swimmers who could surprise everyone. Keep an eye on Finley Anderson from Cal, who rounded off the top three in the women's 200 back, and Adriano Arioti from Harvard, who secured a third-place seed for the men's 200 back.
The Records and Qualifying Times
For those keeping track, the NCAA records for these events are held by some of the sport's legends. In the women's 200 back, Claire Curzan set the record in 2025 with a time of 1:46.82. For the men's 200 back, Hubi Kos from Texas holds the record with an impressive 1:34.21.
The qualifying times for the 2026 NCAA Championships are also worth noting. Swimmers are aiming to meet or beat these times to secure their spots in next year's competition.
The Finals: Who Will Reign Supreme?
Tonight's finals promise to be an exhilarating conclusion to the Minnesota Invite. Will Cal dominate the podium, or will other teams pull off an upset?
Stay tuned for the live recap of the finals, where we'll find out who emerges as the champions!
And remember, in swimming, anything can happen. So, who do you think will take home the gold? Share your predictions and thoughts in the comments below!
