8:32
And then you've got Kieran Smith who's been so much faster than anybody else in the field, 156 plus on a lifetime best. Uh you had six swimmers right on their best time or better than their best time. The only ones that weren't close were Kieran Smith and then Maximus Williamson and either one of those could win this race. It really is a fascinating race right now. Williamson downstairs at the bottom there in lane eight, third best at the turn. McDonald leading Shot again who was on the podium in the 200 free right there as well.
Yeah, you know, Williamson did this at the NCAA Championship. Barely qualified for the final and won from the outside lane. Could we see a little deja vu on this one? He's way down here at the bottom. You can see him right there though. Oh, McDonald, no question the best backstroker in the group. But it might be Williamson and it is. He will go into the lead on this lap. He's another one of those guys, Jason, that is a star on the horizon. We thought that for a long time when he was a youngster, 16, 17, remember that? Then it was went off a little bit off the radar, but now he's come on in a big way in 26.
Past world junior champion of this event and right now surging here in breast stroke to get the advantage to set up for freestyle where we know he is a powerhouse. How about the lead by 6/10? Can anybody track him down? Ah, and I wonder where he swims. I wonder what club, I wonder what university he swims at. Oh my gosh. I don't know what it is in the water in Virginia, but they ARE JUST GOING DOWN THE POOL. Remember best time 157.2. That's the 10th fastest time in the world this year. Can he make it stand up? McDonald coming. Luke Barr coming. Maximus Williamson will get it done.
1:56.40, lifetime best by almost a second. He was the last to get into the championship field. He's first at the finish to win the national title in the 200 IM. Uh great race for Owen McDonald as well, but you know, Williamson, this is the exact same thing but in the 200 freestyle at the NCAA Championship. I mean, he barely qualifies, barely gets into the race, and then wins from the outside. You don't see that much in swimming. Side by side there, McDonald, Nelson doing a good job, but look at the bottom. Look at the bottom of the screen. HE FLIPPED FIRST. YEAH, THAT is Maximus.
I love his name. That's the name of the century right there, right? Maximus. Was that his max there at the 100? And then just kept it going in the breaststroke. Jason, that's the fourth fastest time in the world this year. Just going by his USA teammate Shane Casas, who had the fourth fastest time. Now the Americans are ranked four, five. This men's team is shaping up to be so dangerous when we get to LA. Maximus Williamson, lifetime best and a national title. Our victor ready to chat with the goal. A national title in the 200 IM, a lifetime best by almost a second.
Maximus, what could you see from it lane eight? How did you do that? Um well, I always know that if you have a lane, you have a chance, and you know, never count yourself out until you know, I guess never count yourself out, but A great message with a dominant performance for you. How did your training prepare you to meet this moment? Um I you know with how much breaststroke I've been doing you'd think I'm a breaststroker, but you know since that's my worst stroke it's all I've been training and it's like a lot of back breast work and you know great training partners to get me there, great coaches to get me there. And that breaststroke helped you deliver a national championship in the 200 IM.
Congratulations. Yes, ma'am. Thank you.
