Jack Alexy Bio - SwimSwam (original) (raw)

Jack Alexy is a 2x NCAA Champion as a part of the Cal Bears. At the 2021 Olympic Trials, he swam a 48.69 at age 18, breaking Caeleb Dressel’s NAG record in the event.

High School

During his high school career in New Jersey, Alexy was a 3x high school state champion, a 3x Morris County champion, a YNats champion, and a back-to-back junior national champion (2018 & 2019) in the 100 free.

Jack Alexy was ranked #5 on SwimSwam’s Way Too Early Recruit Ranks for the high school boys of 2021. He was later ranked #6 on SwimSwam’s Official Rankings of the class as well as in the Re-rank of the class.

On October 7, 2019, Alexy announced his verbal commitment to Cal.

College (California)

2021-2022

Alexy was an immediate impact swimmer for the Bears. At his first Pac-12 Championships, he placed 6th in the 50 free (19.35), 10th in the 100 back (46.15), and 3rd in the 100 free (41.93). He also swam on Cal’s winning 200 and 400 free relays.

At his first NCAA Championships, Alexy placed 23rd in the 50 free (19.27), 36th in the 100 back (46.37), and 23rd in the 100 free (42.21). He once again swam key legs on Cal’s 3rd place 400 free relay and 2nd place 200 free relay, contributing to the Bears’ team title.

2022-23

Alexy continued to improve during his sophomore season. At the Pac-12 Championships, he placed 5th in the 50 free (19.13), 8th in the 100 back (46.14), and 2nd in the 100 free (41.42). He once again swam on Cal’s winning 200 and 400 free relays, notably anchoring the 400 free relay to a come-from-behind victory against ASU.

At NCAAs, Alexy scored individually, placing 6th in the 50 free (18.87) and 2nd in the 100 free (40.92). He swam on Cal’s 2nd place 200 and 400 free relays as well as their 4th place 200 medley relay.

2023-24

Like most of his Cal teammates, Alexy stayed under the radar until mid-season, where he clocked some solid times. At the Minnesota Invite, Alexy clocked an 18.48 50 free split on the opening night, .29 seconds faster than his flat start PB. The following night, Alexy clocked a season-best in the 50 free, winning with a 19.19. He backed that up at the end of the evening with an 18.71 50 free split in the 200 free relay.

Going into day 3, Alexy’s 200 free PB rested at a 1:35.52, a mark he put up twice as a high schooler in 2019 and 2021. Alexy swam a 1:33.83 in prelims. He just missed that mark by .1 seconds in the final. He also had a good anchor leg on Cal’s “B” medley relay, clocking a 41.21. On the final day, Alexy showed great consistency, posting 3 41-point 100 frees. In prelims, he was 41.63; in finals, he was 41.41; and leading off in the 400 free relay, he was 41.54.

Alexy clocked another 200 free PB in mid-January, swimming a 1:32.74 for 2nd in a tight race with Destin Lasco at the Arizona/Cal dual meet. Alexy also clocked an 18.42 50 free split. The next day, against ASU, Alexy showed out. To kick off a thrilling meet, he nearly replicated the previous day’s 50 free split, anchoring Cal’s 200 medley relay in 18.44. That was just enough to hold off a charging Jonny Kulow as Cal clocked an NCAA-leading 200 medley relay time of 1:21.67.

Alexy followed that up with an 18.97 in the 50 free for 2nd, just .05 seconds back of teammate Bjorn Seeliger. After a break, Alexy returned in the 100 free and just edged out Seeliger for the win by .01 seconds, 41.40 to 41.41. Both swims were season-best for Alexy. In the final 200 free relay, Alexy got Cal out to a good lead with an 18.99 leadoff. ASU managed to take back the lead by the 150 and held onto it until the end. Amazingly, when the scores were added up, Cal and ASU tied.

At the LCM Triton Invite, Alexy clocked some head-turning times. He won both the 50 free (22.03) and 100 free (48.24), both season-bests. Alexy and several other Cal stars opted to race at the PSS stop in Westmont instead of Pac-12 Championships.

At NCAAs, Alexy was full throttle from the first time he touched the water. Anchoring in the 200 medley relay, he crushed an 18.40 50 free split to help Cal to a 4th-place finish. He returned just a little later in the 800 free relay. Gabriel Jett (1:30.32) and Destin Lasco (1:29.60) got Cal out to a good start with some big splits before Alexy (1:30.50) had a big split of his own, over 2 seconds under his PB. Robin Hanson anchored the crew with a 1:31.84 as Cal took the win in a huge 6:02.26, which lowered the previous record of 6:03.42 by 1.16 seconds. It marked the first title for Cal in this event since 1986 when Matt Biondi was a prominent member of the team.

Alexy continued to roll on day 2, qualifying 3rd in the 50 free with a PB of 18.44, taking a third of a second off his best time in the process. Alexy found a little more in the final with an 18.38 to maintain seed. He followed that up with an 18.40 leading off in the 200 free relay as Cal took 2nd.

Not known for his relay start, Alexy dropped a 1:30.38 200 free in prelims on day 3. That was .12 seconds under what he split in the 800 free relay. Compared to that split, Alexy changed up his tactics. In the relay, he split 42.26/48.24 while he split 44.00/46.38 in his new PB. Alexy continued to tinker and in finals, found the middle of his two previous swims, leading the field over the first 100 with a 43.31. Luke Hobson found another gear over the back half and took the win in a new NCAA record of 1:28.81, but Alexy managed to hold onto 2nd, splitting 23.16/23.28 coming home for a 1:29.75.

On the final day, Alexy clocked another prelim PB in the 100 free, taking the 4th seed with a 40.80. In the final, Alexy sat 6th at the 50 but surged past Chris Guiliano and Jordan Crooks to touch 3rd with a 40.59. Alexy put up his 2nd fastest 100 free ever at the end of the night, leading off Cal’s 3rd-place 400 free relay in 40.79.

National/International Competition

2019 World Jr Championships

In Budapest, Jack Alexy swam on the prelims relay of the 4×100 free relay, leading off in 50.26. The relay would go on to win in finals, netting Alexy a gold medal.

2020 Olympic Trials

Alexy made headlines in Omaha on Day 4 on the competition, clocking a 48.69 100 free at 18 years old to break Caeleb Dressel’s 17-18 National Age Record in the event from 2015. He was ranked 9th heading into the semi-final and would go on to finish 10th overall.

2023 U.S. International Team Trials (Indianapolis, Indiana)

In the prelims of the 100 free, Alexy proved he could convert his short course gains to the long pool. Alexy held a previous best of 48.69 from Olympic Trials and absolutely smashed it with a 47.75 to claim lane 5 in the final behind Ryan Held. In the final, Alexy got off to a quick start, turning first. He was able to hold onto his position and place first despite adding with a 47.93.

In the 50 free, Alexy posted a 21.83 personal best in the prelims. In the finals, he shaved a further .20 seconds off to place 2nd. He held off Michael Andrew by a mere .01. The swim makes him the #7 American ever and #4 win the world ranking for the year to that point.

2023 World Aquatics Championships (Fukuoka, Japan)

Alexy opened his meet with a 47.56 split on the 400 free relay to help the Americans to 3rd. He was 2nd in prelims of the 100 free with a 47.68 best time. Alexy was disastrous off the blocks but fought back to a 48.06 to barely make it back 8th into the final. Down in lane 8 in the final, Alexy was off a lot faster than the semis, out in 22.48 to lead the field. He held on down the stretch, keeping all but Kyle Chalmers at bay with a 47.31 for 2nd. The swim also makes him the #2 American ever, passing David Walters.

Alexy secured his status as America’s new sprint star with his 50 free. He moved through prelims with a 21.73 for 4th and semis with a 21.60 PB for 2nd. In the final, it was all Cam McEvoy as he roared to a 21.06 (and the largest margin of victory in championship history), but it was Alexy 2nd in 21.57, just .01 ahead of Ben Proud.

After his silver, Alexy led off the American Mixed 400 free relay in 47.68, the fastest lead off in the field. America ended up 2nd to Australia. He wrapped his meet by anchoring the 400 medley relay in a 47.00 as they dominated the field with a championship record of 3:27.78.

2024 US Olympic Team Trials (Indianapolis, Indiana)

Racing in the 100 free, Alexy was stunning. He opened his race fast, turning in a 22.44 at the 50. He continued his speed, powering home in a 24.64 to post a 47.08. That broke Dessel and Held’s join US Open record and marked a PB. It also made him #8 in history and #2 in the world at the time. Alexy advanced from semis 2nd with a 47.33. In the final, Alexy and Guilano were in a dead heat at the 50 with a 22.51 while Dressell sat .19 back. Dressel out-split both of them but not by enough as Alexy out-split Guiliano and the two touched 1-2. Alexy’s 47.38 was actually the slowest of all three rounds but was enough to earn him his first Olympic berth.

International Medals

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