This week had plenty of fast racing to choose from, but this week’s Performance of the Week had to go to University of Texas junior Clark Smith who broke the American and NCAA records in the 1,000 freestyle at the 2015 Texas Hall of Fame Invitational this past weekend.
Smith hit the wall in 8:33.93 at the 1000 in the heats of the 1,650 before cruising through the rest of the race. With that swim, Smith broke the American record of 8:36.49 set by Erik Vendt back in January of 2008. His swim also broke fellow Longhorn Michael McBroom’s NCAA record of 8:43.48 from February 2013, also set in Austin.
Vendt’s time was the oldest short course American record on the books, which leaves Peter Vanderkaay’s 500 freestyle record of 4:08.54 from February 2008 as the oldest men’s record that is still standing. Smith also put that record on watch this weekend, as he just missed it with a 4:08.82 en route to setting the Big 12 record.
Congratulations Clark Smith on earning the Swimming World Performance of the Week!
And he dooed it as a solo effort, I.e., only swimmer in pool.
Smuth comes from a pretty good swim background, His dad Jihn was an All- America freestyler forbthe ‘Horns a few moons ago and his mom also swam for Texas.
His solo effort brings up the question: is it harder to set a record, particularly in a distance race, when you’re the only swimmer in the pool, have smooth waterfall thecwsy, etc…or when you’re among seven other competitors all thrashing away and trying to best yo to the wall?
Oh and Smith’s initial 500 ( 4;14.19) fastest all- time en route to a 1000 free clocking.
IMHO, harder to set a distance record when you’re by yourself, but easier to set a sprint record that way.