Andrew Seliskar: ‘Everything We Could Have Hoped For” (VIDEO INTERVIEW)

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Cal senior Andrew Seliskar captured a national title in the 200 breast Sunday, his third title of the meet, and became the third-fastest swimmer ever in the event. Seliskar was named national swimmer of the meet for his efforts, and afterwards, he reflected on the week.

Seliskar explained that the title was especially significant for his senior class, which started out at six swimmers and finished with six swimmers, especially after the Bears finished second in each of their first three years. Seliskar also reflected on the importance of coach Dave Durden to the Cal program and considered his future in the sport, beginning with this summer’s World Championships.

Recap of 200 breast final:

Cal senior Andrew Seliskar won his third event of the 2019 NCAA Division I Men’s Swimming and Diving Championships with a 1:48.70 in the 200 breast final on Saturday night in Austin, Texas. Seliskar used a strong back-half to take down the defending champion Ian Finnerty of Indiana. Finnerty finished in third at 1:49.90 as Minnesota freshman Max McHugh was runner-up at 1:49.41 for the Golden Gophers. McHugh was the second Gopher to finish second in an individual event tonight after Bowen Becker was second in the 100 free.

Seliskar is now third all-time in the 200 breaststroke while McHugh is now sixth all-time. Finnerty also improved on his best time, moving up to seventh all-time.

Barring an official search, Seliskar could be one of the first men to ever win the 200 breast and 200 free at the same NCAAs. Seliskar won the 200 free on Friday night in Austin and also won the 200 IM on Thursday.

Georgia Tech’s Caio Pumputis (1:50.79), Cal’s Reece Whitley (1:50.84), Ohio State’s Paul DeLakis (1:52.05), Texas A&M’s Benjamin Walker (1:53.09) and Georgia’s James Guest (1:53.47) also swam in the A-Final.

Pumputis swam in three A-Finals at NCAAs this week, placing sixth in both the 200 IM and 100 breast.

Cal now has five NCAA titles in the 200 breaststroke. Seliskar joins the likes of D. Graham Smith (1977-79) and Henrique Barbosa (2006) as winners of the event for the Golden Bears.

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