2016 MEN’S NCAA CHAMPIONSHIPS

Texas freshman Townley Haas threw down an emphatic 1:30.52 on the second leg of Texas’ 800 free relay as the Longhorns assuaged any concerns that they might misplay their taper for the 2016 NCAA Swimming & Diving Championships.

That split, as far as we can tell, is the fastest in history: clearing the 1:30.60 done by Michigan swimmer Michael Wynalda at the 2014.

Haas’ reaction time on the swim was a .18, meaning that the flat-start all-time record of 1:31.20, done by Simon Burnett of Arizona, is in danger. When Wynalda did his split, he only swam 1:32.52 in the individual race later in the meet – which is a fast time by most standards except that of his earlier relay split.

Wynalda’s splits: 21.19/44.17/1:07.27/1:30.60

Haas’ splits: 20.41/43.36/1:06.89/1:30.52

Also in that relay, Conger swam a 1:31.89 on the leadoff leg, which goes down as the 8th-fastest 200 freestyle flat-start swim in history and puts him as the 7th-best performer of all time.

The two combined to lead Texas to a 6:08.03 win, which is the fastest 800 free relay of all-time. Even in an Olympic year, with doubts about tapers and focus, the three-fastest 800 free relays in history all came out of this race.