Scots lead the way for GB at men’s NCAA Championships

Scotland’s Dan Wallace and Mark Szaranek both made A finals as the pair of Scots led the way for Britain’s representation at the men’s NCAA championship which took place in Iowa over the weekend.

Wallace was the stand out with a second placed finish in the 500y free the pick of his results. With 50y to go he looked as though he was on for the title, before a blistering finish from Texas’ Clark Smith just locked him out of gold. A time of 4:10.48 was a lifetime best for Wallace though, and converts to somewhere around 3:43 for 400m long course, so while we shouldn’t necessarily expect that at trials, it shows he’s in good shape for the run in.

In his second swim, Wallace was joined in the A final of the 400IM by fellow Scottish Gator Mark Szaranek, as the duo took 6th and 7th places respectively. Szaranek was a little off his season’s best from SEC’s but showed up well in his NCAA debut, also picking up a second placed finish in the 200IM on the opening day for 10th overall.

That 200IM B final was another to have a British duo in action, with Tennessee’s Tristan Slater also competing and taking 5th place for 13th overall.

There was also A final representation for Auburn’s Joe Patching who set a season’s beast of 1:40.16 in the 200y backstroke to sneak into the A final and secure an 8th placed finish overall. Meanwhile Wallace rounded out his meet with a 4th placed finish in the 200fly B final to conclude his collegiate swimming career.

Full results can be found here

Banner image courtesy Scottish Swimming/Ian MacNicol