News & Articles

Liendo wraps up outstanding first NCAA season with win

News –

MINNEAPOLIS – Josh Liendo will enter the Bell Canadian Swimming Trials as an NCAA champion after winning the 100-yard freestyle at the NCAA Division I Men’s Swimming and Diving Championships Saturday.

The 20-year-old from Markham, Ont., almost made it look easy as he led from start to finish, stopping the clock in the second fastest time ever at 40.28. Only American superstar Caeleb Dressel has been faster in the event.

“I love racing so I just wanted to race,” said the Florida freshman. “The only thing I was thinking was getting out fast. I’m always confident in myself and I’m confident in my ability to come home so I decided to take control in that first 50 and go out.”

Liendo was swimming in Lane 7 beside Etobicoke Swim Club product Ruslan Gaziev, who finished fourth for Ohio State at 40.98.

Liendo capped his meet by leading off Florida’s 400 free relay in 40.66 on the way to an NCAA record 2:44.07, beating California by just .01.

“I know these guys have got my back so I have to give everything for them and just try to hit the wall,” he said. “They deserve it, we deserve it for how hard we work. It was a great experience and I love these boys.”

Liendo turned in outstanding performances every time he hit the water at the Jean K. Freeman Aquatic Center in Minneapolis, in both individual and relay events.

On Friday, he helped the Gators to an NCAA record in the 400-yard medley relay, with a blistering butterfly split of 42.91. That came the same night he finished behind only Egyptian Olympian Youssef Ramadan of Virginia Tech with a flat start time of 43.40 in the 100 fly.

Liendo was part of three NCAA records for Florida. He led off the 200-yard freestyle with an 18.22 Thursday, again coming just after a second-place individual finish. He had touched just 0.08 behind world short-course metres champion Jordan Crooks of Tennessee in the 50 free (18.40) earlier.

Liendo also anchored the 200 medley relay to third Wednesday.

Meanwhile, Gaziev was 14th in the 50 free at 19.10.

Both men are expected to be among Canada’s fastest sprinters as the Trials get underway Tuesday at the Toronto Pan Am Sports Centre. Spots on Canada’s national teams will be on the line at the six-day meet.

Full results: https://swimmeetresults.tech/NCAA-Division-I-Men-2023/