After 25 years of swimming, U.S. Olympian and American Record holder Townley Hass has decided to retire. The swimmer made the decision on Instagram, writing, “After some time off and much of contemplation, I’ve decided it’s time to retire from swimming. One of the most difficult choices I’ve ever had to make, but I’m confident in my decision.
T. Haas Olympic Games
Haas’s influence can be felt on a global and NCAA scale. Haas helped earn a gold medal in the 4200 freestyle relay at the 2016 Olympics. Haas’s split of 1:44.14 was the quickest of the field and tied for the sixth-fastest ever from a flying start. Haas also competed in the individual 200 metre freestyle and placed fifth in 1 minute, 45.58 seconds.
During the 2018 Pan Pacific Championships, Haas maintained its record for quickest relay splits. There, he anchored in a time of 1:43.78, which was the third-fastest split in history at the time, and helped the American men win gold in the 4200 freestyle relay.
Haas swam a second-place 1:45.66 in the 200-meter freestyle at the Olympic Trials in June 2021, securing his spot in the 2020 Olympic Games. Haas swam a 1:46.07 in the 200-meter freestyle semifinals at the 2020 Olympics, good enough for 12th place. For the 4200 freestyle relay, Haas served as the anchor and clocked in at 1 minute, 44 seconds. Overall, that relay team placed in the bottom four.
Haas’s Achievements at the University of Texas were Just as Noteworthy as those at the Olympics..
Between 2015 and 2019, Haas competed for Texas, where he amassed a record-breaking 17 CSCAA All-American honours and won 10 NCAA Championships.
In addition, he helped the Longhorns win championships in 2016, 2017, and 2018. Haas swam a 1:30.46 in the 200-meter freestyle in the NCAA Championships during his freshman year at the University of Texas, breaking the American, NCAA, and US Open records.
Haas’s American record in the SCY 200 freestyle was broken by Blake Pieroni of Indiana, who swam the opening leg of the 800 freestyle relay at the 2018 NCAA Championships, Haas’s junior year.
Haas reclaimed the record two days later, when he clocked in at 1:29.50 to win the 200-meter freestyle event on an individual basis. In 2019, Dean Farris swam a 1:29.15 in the NCAA Championships, officially breaking the record formerly held by Hass.
Haas split 1:29.66 as the anchor of the Longhorns’ 4×200 freestyle relay team in his final year. The combined time of that relay was 6 minutes, 05 seconds, which at the time was an American record and still holds.
After finishing his studies at the University of Texas, Haas signed with the California Condors of the inaugural season of the Indoor Soccer League. Haas swam a time of 1 minute, 40 seconds, and 49 seconds in the 200-meter freestyle at the ISL final during his second season with the Condors, which at the time was an American record.
Last Words
Haas led the Condors in scoring with 68.5 points last year. At the ISL finals, Haas was most successful in the 200-meter freestyle event, where he won in 1 minute, 42.18 seconds, and the 400-meter freestyle event, where he placed second in three minutes, 40.82 seconds. Thanks for reading our article T. Haas Olympic Games Tokyo 2020.
