Schooling bounces back from 100-yard fly loss to help Texas set NCAA relay record

INDIANA - Singapore's Joseph Schooling lost one NCAA swimming record but helped to set another on Friday night (Saturday morning, March 25, Singapore time) as Singapore's Olympic champion bounced back moments after a  surprise loss in the 100-yard butterfly to help the University of Texas to set a new benchmark in the 200-yard medley relay final.

The 21-year-old had entered the second day of the NCAA Division 1 Men's Swimming Championships as the favourite to win a third straight 100-yard butterfly crown as he had set the NCAA record of 44.01sec in the event last year.

But Caeleb Dressel of the University of Florida had other ideas. The American, who won two relay golds at the Rio Olympics, had beaten Schooling in the 50-yard freestlye final on Thursday night, and made it two individual wins in a row over the Singaporean when he powered home in 43.58sec.

Schooling finished second in 43.75sec while fellow Singaporean Quah Zheng Wen, who is making his NCAA debut this year with the University of California, Berkeley, came in fifth in 45.06sec.

But instead of being weighed down by his loss, Schooling responded to the result in the best way possible - by helping the Texas Longhorns to set a new NCAA mark in the 200-yard medley relay, and snare his third relay gold at the Championships.

Just like the 400-yard medley relay final on Thursday night, Texas found itself just behind the University of Alabama after the first two legs (backstroke and breaststroke). Schooling plunged in for the butterfly leg, and powered his varisty into the lead with his 19.45sec effort. Brett Ringgold then ancored the Longhorns to a new NCAA record of 1:21.54, well under the four-year-old  NCAA and US Open record of 1:22.27.

"I did my best today in the 100 Fly. Was definitely looking to go under 44, which i did, and finish one-two with Jack (Texas teammate Jack Conger)," he said. "There were a couple of things which I could have executed better but well done to Caeleb for winning the event and breaking the NCAA record. 

"The 200 medley relay was phenomenal. We knew we wanted this record to go down and similar to yesterday's 400 medley relay, we went all out. Can't be happier for the boys and the team."

 Schooling now has three relay golds (200-yard freestyle, 400-yard medley and 200-yard medley), a silver (100-yard butterfly) and a bronze (50-yard freestyle).

He and Quah are set to compete in the 200-yard butterfly heats on Saturday night (Singapore time).

"We are 138.5 points ahead of California in second place, going into the final day so I think we are doing pretty good," said Schooling.