U.S. Olympic Trials: Matt Fallon Sets AR 2:06.54 to Join Josh Matheny in 200 Breast Top 2
For years, the old guard in men’s breaststroke has held sway. Many have improved, some have faltered, but by and large, they’ve held off the advancing front.
Wednesday night in Indianapolis, the young guns took over.
Matt Fallon took down Josh Prenot’s American, U.S. Open and meet record with a time of 2:06.54 and Josh Matheny powered home in 2:08.86 to grab the second spot.
“Definitely it is our turn now,” Fallon said. “Having two young guys qualify in an event that is typically considered an old guys’ event. We’re really seeing a change of the guard here. I’m happy to have him alongside me.”
Fallon’s time of 2:06.54 is the top time in the world this year, four tenths ahead of Ippei Watanabe.
Fallon was third at the halfway point but used a split of 32.50 in the third 50 to take command. Now one was going to follow him coming home, as he dropped the only two sub-33 laps in the field.
He said he went a little “gentle” on the first 100 and didn’t push the pace in the third 50, despite the results. The objective was easy speed early and keeping his stroke together coming home.
“This year, I took a ton of time out doing a lot of long course, making sure I could put my best foot forward and doing a lot of race prep,” Fallon said. “I know I had it in me this entire time. I just wanted to be able to get out and do it on the biggest stage.”
Matheny was third at 150 put steadily stroked away from AJ Pouch, the Virginia Tech swimmer and a surprise inclusion in the final who has been on a tear this week. Pouch was third in 2:09.05. Members of the old guard, Will Licon and Nic Fink, finished fourth and sixth, respectively, with Daniel Roy in the middle.
“Pure joy,” Matheny said. “It doesn’t quite feel real yet. I look at the board and totally forgot where I was and it took a full minute to register that it even said second next to my name.”
Both swimmers go way back, thanks to their mid-Atlantic ties. Fallon is a rising senior at the University of Pennsylvania, hailing from Warren, N.J. Josh Matheny is heading into his senior season at the University of Indiana, hailing from Pittsburgh. Both have had occasionally up-and-down results in the yards pool but are better suited to the swimming of an event like the 200 breast in the long pool. They have a long history of swimming against each other.
“Him and I have been competing against each other before I can even remember,” Fallon said. “It’s been a lot of back and forth. He’s been alongside me on the rankings. He’s pushed me further to greater heights than I could’ve ever thought, especially when we were younger.”
“We go way back,” Matheny said. “I remember swimming him when we were 10 or 11 at Eastern Zones. I’ve known Matt for a while. He and I are great friends. It’s also that the older guys have been great mentors, and they’ve been super helpful in leading the way.”
Matheny shared a hug with Lilly King near the mixed zone, a meeting of two official Indiana breaststroke Olympians.
“Lilly is one of my closest friends and such a great mentor,” Matheny said. “Especially after the disappointment in the 100, she was definitely someone that I could look to and rely on as someone who has been to the Games and has had her fair share of ups and downs in the sport. She really helped pull me through it, along with my incredible team and my coaches just to help me get back on the horse tonight and race.”
