Josh Bey's performance at the Big Ten Championships is nothing short of remarkable. When he first committed to Indiana University, few could have predicted the extraordinary impact he would have. As the ninth-ranked recruit in the 2025 high school class, Bey was already a force to be reckoned with, boasting the fastest 100 and 200-yard breaststroke times in his class. However, it was his performance in the 400 IM that truly stood out.
In the preliminaries at the Big Ten Championships, Bey dropped a staggering 6 seconds in the 400 IM, becoming the fifth-fastest freshman in the event's history with a time of 3:36.92. This achievement is even more impressive considering he still has at least three more opportunities to taper and improve this season. What's more, Bey's biggest drop didn't come in the 400 IM; it occurred in the 100 breaststroke, a marked shift in his event focus.
But the real intrigue lies in the splits comparison. While there's no definitive evidence yet that Bey's breaststroke has taken a huge leap forward in his single season at Indiana, the circumstantial evidence points to a significant improvement. Bey has learned to use his breaststroke more effectively in the 400 IM, and there's a strong possibility of a big time in the 200 breaststroke later in the meet. He already swam a 1:52.51 midseason, a 1.2-second drop from his high school times, at the same meet where he went a 3:43 in the 400 IM.
This performance is a testament to the transformative power of college coaching. While not every swimmer drops huge times in their freshman season, the best college coaches, like Todd DeSorbo, Bob Bowman, Braden Holloway, and Indiana's Ray Looze, have a knack for identifying a better path for athletes. Bey's success is a prime example of this, as he continues to push the boundaries of what's possible in the pool.
