U.S. Nationals: Campbell McKean Blasts 58.96 For 100 Breast Title, Crushes 17-18 NAG Record
Quiet improvements in recent months had put Campbell McKean in position to challenge for World Championship spots in sprint breaststroke. The United States men were looking for help in those events thanks to the absences of high-profile competitors from competition this year. Over the past two days in Indianapolis. McKean has taken that opportunity and smashed his way to the top.
After edging out Michael Andrew for the national title in the 50 breast, McKean returned to swim a best time in the 100 breast prelims, his time of 1:00.18 putting him behind only 200-meter winner Josh Matheny. In the final, McKean’s first sub-1:00 outing seemed within reach. But he skipped right over 59s and swam a time of 58.96 to send himself to Singapore as the top American 100 breaststroker.
McKean turned six hundredths behind Matheny at the halfway point, but his homecoming split of 31.29 was by far the best in the field. His time annihilated Andrew’s 17-18 National Age Group record of 59.82 and made him the second-fastest swimmer in the world this year, with only Chinese world champion Qin Haiyang having been quicker (58.61).
“Based off this morning, my first 50 was a little slower tempo than I wanted. Tonight I wanted to stay lighter and push that tempo and be able to come back faster than I did this morning,” McKean said. “My coach and I have been talking about how if I do what I do in practice, I can probably go 59-low. Being able to go 58 is very shocking to me.”
Matheny added a spot on the World Championships team as he took second in 59.18. After he finished, Matheny held McKean’s arm in the air in celebration, with the 18-year-old still in disbelief about his accomplishments the past two days.
“Super grateful for this week. Super fun. I missed graduation for this. I’m very glad I missed it. I think it was a great opportunity to see what I can do with my career,” McKean said. “I was trying to process it while warming down, but I haven’t processed it. I haven’t processed last night yet.”
Nate Germonprez grabbed third in 59.88, with Andrew coming in fourth at 59.99.
The American men’s breaststroke contingent was in need of a serious boost entering the meet with Nic Fink, who won a world title last February in Doha and then Olympic silver in Paris, having not competed since the Games. The 31-year-old Fink spent the last three years entrenched as the top American option in the event and handling breaststroke duties for both the men’s medley relay and mixed medley relay.
Moreover, only two breaststrokers who swam in last year’s Olympic Trials final even entered this meet, Matheny and Andrew. Only that duo and AJ Pouch had gone under 1:00 prior to the meet. But now, McKean has recorded a time quicker than Nicolo Martinenghi swam to win Olympic gold last July. Looking at this year’s landscape, he and Matheny have posted the level of times that figure to provide a huge relay boost for the Americans in Singapore while also contending for individual finals spots and perhaps medals.
Reflecting upon the role he will now take on with the U.S. men’s medley relay and potentially the mixed medley as well, McKean said, “I just know we’ve always done very well with it. I’m a little nervous with it.”
