Josh Liendo's 100 Fly NCAA Win: Inspiration For High School Swimmers

March is here… and the NCAA Championships are delivering.

And if you watched Josh Liendo’s 100 butterfly this year, you saw something special.

He didn’t just win.

He rewrote what’s possible.

Let’s talk about it—and more importantly, what it means for YOU as a swimmer.

Josh Liendo’s 100 Fly: What Actually Happened

Florida’s Josh Liendo threw down one of the most insane performances in NCAA history.

• He went 42.54 in prelims, breaking Caeleb Dressel’s NCAA record
• Then came back in finals and went even faster: 42.49
• Won his third straight NCAA title in the 100 fly

Let that sink in.

He didn’t just swim fast once.

He did it twice… in the same day.

That’s not talent.

That’s consistency.

And that’s exactly what we’re going to break down.

The Biggest Lesson: It’s Not One Lap… It’s Four Perfect 25s

Most swimmers look at a 100 fly and think:

“I need to go fast.”

Wrong.

The 100 fly is not one race.

It’s four races of 25.

And Liendo didn’t win because of one insane lap.

He won because all four were dialed in.

Here’s what that looks like:

First 25 — Controlled speed, not reckless
Second 25 — Establish rhythm, don’t rush
Third 25 — Hold technique under fatigue
Fourth 25 — Finish with precision, not panic

That’s it.

Simple.

Not easy—but simple.

And if you actually watch elite swimmers at NCAAs, that’s what you’ll notice:

No wasted movement.
No panic strokes.
No breakdown.

Just four connected 25s.

Why Most High School Swimmers Fall Apart After 50

Let’s be honest.

Most swimmers look great for the first 50.

Then everything falls apart.

Hips drop.
Kick disappears.
Breathing gets rushed.
Arms start spinning instead of holding water.

Why?

Because they trained the race wrong.

They trained it like this:

“Go fast → survive → hope”

Instead of:

“Build → hold → maintain → finish”

The difference?

One is chaos.

The other is control.

Distance Per Stroke Wins Championships

Here’s something nobody talks about enough:

Liendo wasn’t just fast…

He was efficient.

At that level, nobody is just “spinning arms.”

They are:

Holding water
Maximizing distance per stroke
Maintaining body line

Because if you lose distance per stroke—even slightly—you’re dead in the water.

That’s why in private swim lessons and stroke clinics, we always go back to this:

How far are you going per stroke?

Not:

How fast are your arms moving?

Tempo without traction is just splashing.

Training for 100 Fly (or Any Race): Think in 25s

If you’re a high school swimmer in the Greater Seattle area—Seattle, Bellevue, Redmond, Snohomish—this is how you should train.

Break your race down.

Train it in pieces.

Instead of swimming random 100s, try:

25-focused sets:

• 25 perfect breakout + 25 hold rhythm
• 25 at race tempo + 25 holding distance per stroke
• 4×25 where each one has a specific purpose

Because if you can’t control a 25…

You won’t control a 100.

And if you can control all four 25s?

Now you’re racing.

NCAA Swimmers Don’t “Try Harder”—They Break Less

This is the biggest misconception.

People think NCAA swimmers are just tougher.

No.

They’re cleaner.

They don’t fall apart.

Their third 25 looks like their first.
Their fourth 25 still holds shape.

That’s the difference.

At Swim With Milo, whether we’re working with age group swimmers, high school swimmers, or even masters and triathletes, the goal is always:

Hold technique under fatigue.

Because that’s where races are won.

High School Swimmers: This Is Your Blueprint

If you want to swim at the NCAA level one day, here’s your takeaway:

Stop thinking about races as distances.

Start thinking about them as segments.

Your job is to master:

Each 25
Each transition
Each breath
Each stroke

Because when it all adds up…

That’s when you drop time.

Greater Seattle Swimmers: Train Like It Matters

If you’re serious about getting to that level, you need more than just yardage.

You need:

Technique refinement
Race strategy
Stroke efficiency

That’s where:

Private swim lessons
Stroke clinics
Age group swim coaching

come in.

Because someone needs to show you:

Where you’re breaking down
Which 25 is costing you the race
What to fix first

You don’t need more swimming.

You need better swimming.

Final Thought: Watch NCAA Differently

When you watch NCAA Championships this March, don’t just think:

“Wow, they’re fast.”

Watch differently.

Watch the first 25.
Watch the third 25.
Watch the finish.

Ask yourself:

Where do they stay composed?
Where do they gain ground?
Where do others fall apart?

Because that’s your blueprint.

Josh Liendo didn’t win with one great moment.

He won with four consistent ones.

And that’s exactly how you drop time too.

Now get back in the water—and start owning your 25s.

Let’s get to work.