TicketsAll season long, the names of men's swimmers from the University of Cincinnati have sat atop the American Athletic Conference leaderboard in distance events. In the 500 freestyle, UC holds five of the top seven times in the conference this season, and four Bearcats sit in the top six in the 1,000 free.
UC has clearly emerged as the frontrunner in men's distance swimming. Success comes from a cohesive group that challenges each other daily in practice.
"I feel like how our distance program is set up, especially our distance boys, we're really close-knit and we're really good at working hard together," said sophomore Din Selmanovic. "I think a lot of other teams don't have that opportunity or have those other boys on their team that they can race against. If you look at other schools, they only usually have one or two top boys, but we have many who are really good in the mile and the 500."
Selmanovic holds the fastest 500 freestyle time in the conference this season with senior Chris Bready close behind in second. In the 1,000 and the 1,650, Bready's name comes first with Selmanovic's second. The men's 500 has been exciting all season long for the Bearcats as the duo continually brings in close finishes and top-notch competition.
In the team's first meet of the season, Bready came to the wall in 4:31:31 in the 500 free while Selmanovic swam it in 4:39:98. Two weeks later, Selmanovic out-touched Bready 4:34:39 to 4:34:53. Both clinched NCAA B times in mid-November with Bready getting back in front. The time difference between the two at that race was less than a second. At the US Winter Nationals, Selmanovic posted the conference's top time of the season in the 500 free at 4:21:73. In one of the last meets of the regular season the duo tied in the event, both taking first-place honors.
The men's 500 free has become not just an event that keeps the fans excited, but that keeps the two swimmers constantly motivated to beat each other and keep improving.
"I always think it's going to be a battle with Din no matter what, especially in the 500," said Bready. "In practice we're always pushing each other to the best of our ability and we are just neck-and-neck every meet, every race."
"We're always fighting, we're always trying to one-up the other," added Selmanovic. "The ability to race every day really helps. Having someone who's better than me is motivating me, and has not only improved my swimming but both of us."
Despite Selmanovic's name tied to the fastest 500 time this season, Bready reigns as UC's school record holder in all three distance events: the 1,650, 1,000 and the 500. He made his NCAA debut last season as a junior, qualifying for the 1,650 and the 500 freestyle. Bready set the school record in the 500 at the NCAA championship in 2017, breaking none-other than Selmanovic's record set weeks prior at his debut at the conference championships. This battle is nothing new for the competitive duo.
"It's the best opportunity I've ever had," Selmanovic said of racing against the school record holder. "I never really had the chance to find someone who was better than me in an event and who really pushed me. Finally being able to, not only this year but the past year, really learn how to train off someone and race off someone is the greatest opportunity because even though I'm not the school record holder in either of the events - now - I still have two more years."
In his last year of collegiate swimming, Bready doesn't have as much time to continue to out-perform. As the current record holder, he can only improve on the times that he set a year ago, then sit back and watch his younger teammates chase them down in years to come.
"Of course I'd like to keep the records up there forever," Bready said, "but I also want the team to improve. One way that that has to happen is that records have to be broken. Whether it's Din breaking my record or Toby [Van Dyke] get it, or [Tyler Jones] or whoever gets my record, it's well-deserved. All these guys put in great work. I want it to stay up there forever but if they break it I'm happy for them, and it's what's best for the team."
Bready, Selmanovic and the rest of the Bearcats will have ample opportunity to set new records this week at the conference championships taking place in Dallas, Texas. If the past year has been any indication, the men's 500 freestyle will be an entertaining exhibit of the duo from UC battling it out in the pool for the top spot on the podium. Champions are ready to be crowned and records are ready to fall – it's only a matter of days before it is known who the top swimmer will be.
// COMING UP NEXT
• The 2018 AAC Swimming and Diving Championships will begin Wednesday, February 14 and run through Saturday, February 17
• All action will be aired online on the American Digital Network
• Championship information can be found at TheAmerican.org
// FOLLOW THE BEARCATS
For all the latest information on Cincinnati swimming and diving, visit GoBEARCATS.com. For an inside look at the program, follow the team on Twitter and Instagram (@GoBearcatsSwim).
UC has clearly emerged as the frontrunner in men's distance swimming. Success comes from a cohesive group that challenges each other daily in practice.
"I feel like how our distance program is set up, especially our distance boys, we're really close-knit and we're really good at working hard together," said sophomore Din Selmanovic. "I think a lot of other teams don't have that opportunity or have those other boys on their team that they can race against. If you look at other schools, they only usually have one or two top boys, but we have many who are really good in the mile and the 500."
Selmanovic holds the fastest 500 freestyle time in the conference this season with senior Chris Bready close behind in second. In the 1,000 and the 1,650, Bready's name comes first with Selmanovic's second. The men's 500 has been exciting all season long for the Bearcats as the duo continually brings in close finishes and top-notch competition.
In the team's first meet of the season, Bready came to the wall in 4:31:31 in the 500 free while Selmanovic swam it in 4:39:98. Two weeks later, Selmanovic out-touched Bready 4:34:39 to 4:34:53. Both clinched NCAA B times in mid-November with Bready getting back in front. The time difference between the two at that race was less than a second. At the US Winter Nationals, Selmanovic posted the conference's top time of the season in the 500 free at 4:21:73. In one of the last meets of the regular season the duo tied in the event, both taking first-place honors.
The men's 500 free has become not just an event that keeps the fans excited, but that keeps the two swimmers constantly motivated to beat each other and keep improving.
"I always think it's going to be a battle with Din no matter what, especially in the 500," said Bready. "In practice we're always pushing each other to the best of our ability and we are just neck-and-neck every meet, every race."
"We're always fighting, we're always trying to one-up the other," added Selmanovic. "The ability to race every day really helps. Having someone who's better than me is motivating me, and has not only improved my swimming but both of us."
Despite Selmanovic's name tied to the fastest 500 time this season, Bready reigns as UC's school record holder in all three distance events: the 1,650, 1,000 and the 500. He made his NCAA debut last season as a junior, qualifying for the 1,650 and the 500 freestyle. Bready set the school record in the 500 at the NCAA championship in 2017, breaking none-other than Selmanovic's record set weeks prior at his debut at the conference championships. This battle is nothing new for the competitive duo.
"It's the best opportunity I've ever had," Selmanovic said of racing against the school record holder. "I never really had the chance to find someone who was better than me in an event and who really pushed me. Finally being able to, not only this year but the past year, really learn how to train off someone and race off someone is the greatest opportunity because even though I'm not the school record holder in either of the events - now - I still have two more years."
In his last year of collegiate swimming, Bready doesn't have as much time to continue to out-perform. As the current record holder, he can only improve on the times that he set a year ago, then sit back and watch his younger teammates chase them down in years to come.
"Of course I'd like to keep the records up there forever," Bready said, "but I also want the team to improve. One way that that has to happen is that records have to be broken. Whether it's Din breaking my record or Toby [Van Dyke] get it, or [Tyler Jones] or whoever gets my record, it's well-deserved. All these guys put in great work. I want it to stay up there forever but if they break it I'm happy for them, and it's what's best for the team."
Bready, Selmanovic and the rest of the Bearcats will have ample opportunity to set new records this week at the conference championships taking place in Dallas, Texas. If the past year has been any indication, the men's 500 freestyle will be an entertaining exhibit of the duo from UC battling it out in the pool for the top spot on the podium. Champions are ready to be crowned and records are ready to fall – it's only a matter of days before it is known who the top swimmer will be.
// COMING UP NEXT
• The 2018 AAC Swimming and Diving Championships will begin Wednesday, February 14 and run through Saturday, February 17
• All action will be aired online on the American Digital Network
• Championship information can be found at TheAmerican.org
// FOLLOW THE BEARCATS
For all the latest information on Cincinnati swimming and diving, visit GoBEARCATS.com. For an inside look at the program, follow the team on Twitter and Instagram (@GoBearcatsSwim).