To paint Iowa’s Big Ten meet performance as disappointing would be a disservice to many of the swimmers.
Numerous best times were swum, and the Hawkeyes broke several school records, but junior Roman Trussov had arguably the best meet of any Hawkeye swimmer.
Trussov broke school records in the 100 and 200 breaststrokes and posted a 51.71 split on the 400-medley relay. He joined Michigan senior Richard Funk as the only breaststroker to split under 52 seconds at the meet.
For his teammate, senior Grant Betulius, Trussov’s big weekend was no surprise.
“His medley relay splits, especially his 400 medley relay split, were incredible,” Betulius said. “Last year, he had a really good year, and this year has been even better.”
The school records came as no surprise, either. Trussov posted a 52.85 100 to break the old record of 52.98 on the third day of competition.
On the final day of competition, he obliterated the old 1:55.45 standard in the 200, which he set in the prelims that morning, with a 1:54.57 to finish fourth, the Hawkeyes highest individual finish of the weekend.
“I mean, his 1:54 tonight was incredible, he went out after it,” Betulius said.
Head coach Marc Long had similar beliefs.
“Roman had an outstanding meet,” Long said. “I tell you, good things are to come from him, world-class things going on with him.”
If the Big Ten championships were any preview, Long could be right. The NCAA meet features top-level competition from American and international swimmers alike, and Long has said the meet is arguably the fastest in the world.
The Big Ten championships alone featured Trussov, Iowa freshman Jerzy Twarowski from Poland, Michigan junior Dylan Bosch of South Africa, and Michigan senior Bruno Ortiz of Spain, just to name a few.
Trussov competed well against Michigan senior Dylan Funk, a Canadian National Team member, and eventual champion Lyam Dias, another Canadian National Team member.
Trussov, a native of Kazakhstan, led the field that included the pair of Canadians with one 50 to go in the 200 before ultimately finishing fourth.
“I tried my best; I took it out as fast as I could,” Trussov said. “I think I could have been faster.”
Over that final 50, Trussov said he had trouble with his pullout off the wall did his best to keep his stroke together and hit his walls. He believes he and his teammates will be faster at the NCAA championships, which begin on March 26.
His focus for NCAAs, rather than the 200 breaststroke, where he is well under last season’s cut off time of 1:55.64 and currently the number 15 swimmer in the country, is on the medley relays, and improving on their Big Ten finish.
“I’m very excited for NCAA’s, I think people are ready to do that,” Trussov said. “I think we’ll be top eight in relays.”
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