By James Sutherland on SwimSwam
SwimSwam Pulse is a recurring function monitoring and analyzing the outcomes of our periodic A3 Efficiency Polls. You’ll be able to forged your vote in our latest ballot on the SwimSwam homepage, about midway down the web page on the suitable facet.
Our most up-to-date ballot requested SwimSwam readers if Josh Liendo will lastly take down Caeleb Dressel‘s 100 fly file in his senior 12 months:
Query: After breaking the SCM world file, will Josh Liendo take down Dressel’s 42.80 100 fly file this season?
RESULTS
Sure (or ties) – 78.6%
No – 21.4%
When Josh Liendo first introduced he was heading to the College of Florida in the summertime of 2022, he was vocal about how he was aiming to interrupt Caeleb Dressel‘s vaunted program data, as the 2 swimmers concentrate on the identical three occasions: 50 free, 100 free and 100 fly.
Now in his senior 12 months, Liendo has had an outstanding faculty profession up to now. By way of 9 occasions at three NCAA Championships, his worst particular person end is…2nd.
After successful the 100 free and ending because the runner-up in each the 50 free and 100 fly in his freshman 12 months in 2023, Liendo swept all of his occasions on the 2024 NCAAs, repeating within the 100 free whereas including the 50 free and 100 fly titles to his resume.
Final season, he made it three-for-three within the 100 free, defended his title within the 100 fly, and settled for 2nd behind Tennessee’s Jordan Crooks within the 50 free.
Nonetheless, regardless of successful six particular person NCAA titles, together with six relay titles, Liendo has nonetheless but to take down one in every of Dressel’s data.
When Liendo joined the NCAA, Dressel’s data at Florida additionally stood because the NCAA and U.S. Open Information within the 50 free (17.63), 100 free (39.90) and 100 fly (42.80).
Since then, solely one in every of them has been damaged, with Crooks knocking off the 100 free mark final season in 39.83.
For Liendo, he turned the third man in historical past to interrupt 40 seconds within the 100 free on the 2025 NCAAs (39.99) en path to successful the title, and within the 100 fly, he clocked 43.06 to mark the second-fastest swim in historical past behind Dressel’s 42.80.
Within the 50 free, he’s been as quick as 18.07.
Dressel v. Liendo Greatest Occasions
Occasion
Dressel
Liendo
50 free
17.63
18.07
100 free
39.90
39.99
100 fly
42.80
43.06
Although he’s swept the 100 free at three straight NCAAs, the 100 fly would in all probability be regarded by most as his greatest occasion. He received the Olympic silver medal final 12 months, becoming a member of the elite sub-50 membership in lengthy course, and most not too long ago, he broke the world file briefly course meters on the Toronto leg of the World Cup collection in October. Liendo’s time of 47.68 lowered the earlier file of 47.71, set by Switzerland’s Noe Ponti final December, which knocked off Dressel’s earlier mark of 47.78.
In brief course yards, Liendo has constantly churned out sub-44 swims. He owns 9 of the 25-fastest performances in historical past, and much more impressively, six of the highest 9.
All-Time Performances, Males’s 100 Fly (SCY)
Caeleb Dressel (Florida), 42.80 – 2018
Josh Liendo (Florida), 43.06 – 2025
Josh Liendo (Florida), 43.07 – 2024
Youssef Ramadan (Virginia Tech), 43.15 – 2023
Josh Liendo (Florida), 43.23 – 2025
Josh Liendo (Florida), 43.30 – 2024
Ilya Kharun (ASU), 43.38 – 2025
Josh Liendo (Florida), 43.40 – 2023
Josh Liendo (Florida), 43.42 – 2025
Ilya Kharun (ASU, 43.43 – 2025
Based mostly on his year-by-year development, it appears like he’s on observe to be below 43 seconds by the point the 2026 NCAAs roll round, probably reducing Dressel’s longstanding file, which shall be eight years previous at that time.
In his freshman 12 months, Liendo solely went sub-44 at NCAAs. Then, up to now two seasons, he’s gone 43-point at each SECs and NCAAs.
Thus far in his senior 12 months, he’s already been below 44 twice, clocking 43.87 on the Florida v. Georgia twin meet on Oct. 31 after which getting all the way down to 43.40 on the midseason UGA Fall Invtational final weekend.
Liendo’s 100 Fly Development
Freshman (2022-23)
Sophomore (2023-24)
Junior (2024-25)
Senior (2025-26)
Pre-Invite Time
47.05
46.30
46.31
43.87
Invite Time
45.79
44.39
44.60
43.42
SECs
44.11
43.89
43.23
?
NCAAs
43.40
43.07
43.06
?
Though it’s potential Liendo has carried out so nicely early this season as a consequence of his time spent racing the World Cup in October, when he was possible extra targeted on staying sharp reasonably than placing in heavy yardage (which he could have been doing in prior seasons), there’s little doubt he’s trying unbelievable up to now in 2025-26.
And whereas that 42.80 mark by Dressel appears formidable, particularly given Liendo has by no means cracked the 43-second barrier from a flat begin, he has performed so thrice with a relay takeover, together with a mind-boggling 42.12 break up final season at SECs.
In our newest SwimSwam ballot, 78.6% of readers stated they consider Liendo will break Dressel’s file this season (or tie it), with the opposite 21.4% being non-believers.
Nonetheless, it’s not a forgone conclusion that Liendo wins the 100 fly at NCAAs, both, provided that ASU’s Ilya Kharun holds the highest time within the nation up to now this season at 43.38.
Beneath, vote in our new A3 Efficiency Ballot, which asks: Which swim from final week’s invitationals shocked you probably the most?
Observe: There’s a ballot embedded inside this put up, please go to the positioning to take part on this put up’s ballot.
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Learn the total story on SwimSwam: SwimSwam Pulse: 78.6% Consider Josh Liendo Takes Down Dressel’s 100 Fly Mark This Season
