MADISON, Wis. – A sweep of the freestyle sprints by Jānis Dzirkalis and a 1-2 finish from Blake Rowe and Dylan Burau in the 200 backstroke headlined Purdue Men’s Swimming’s four event victories in a dual meet loss at No. 20 Wisconsin on Saturday.
The Badgers won the meet 156-104 to deal Purdue its first defeat in dual action this season.
The Boilermakers closed the meet with a victory in the 200 free relay. Dzirkalis teamed with Andy Kelly, Nathaniel Thomas and Burau to finish the day on a high note for Purdue.
Dzirkalis swept the freestyle sprints at a dual for the third time this season, winning the 50 and 100 about 25 minutes apart with the traditional 20-minute meet break between the two races. He out touched UW’s Enzo Solitario by .08 hundredths of a second in the 100.
Dzirkalis and Rowe now share the team lead with the six individual event victories apiece this season.
As the two fastest Boilermakers ever in the event, only 0.84 hundredths separated Rowe and Burau in their 1-2 finish in the 200 back. Rowe’s winning time of 1:42.15 was just .01 hundredth shy of an NCAA Championships qualifying time, a standard the sophomore has achieved twice previously this season. Burau’s time of 1:42.99 was a personal season best and Purdue’s second-best mark this season.
Burau was also the runner-up in the 100 back, teaming with Rowe for a 2-3 finish. The Boilermakers also went 2-3 in the 200 breaststroke and with Gio Mango and Maxwell Blume. Evan Mackesy (200 IM) and Pat Broderick (1000 free) were also the runner-up in an event. Senior Cooper Callahan posted a lifetime best of 48.56 as Purdue’s top finisher in the 100 butterfly.
Burau’s 50 split of 19.34 on the third leg of the race was the top showing by a Boilermaker in the 200 free relay. Dzirkalis contributed to a team-high eighth relay winner this season. Thomas was part of his sixth relay winner.
Dzirkalis Sweeps Freestyle Sprints in Madison
Rowe & Burau go 1-2 in 200 backstroke but Boilermakers fall in dual meet at #20 Wisconsin.