Chris Swanson to be Inducted into Penn Athletics Hall of Fame
The University of Pennsylvania has announced the 10 individuals who will be inducted into the school’s Athletics Hall of Fame, and the group includes Chris Swanson. A multi-time Ivy League Swimmer of the Year, Swanson will be recognized in a ceremony on September 25, with recognition also taking place the next day during halftime of Penn’s football game against Lehigh at the famed Franklin Field.
Swanson’s most notable achievement as a Penn athlete unfolded at the 2016 NCAA Championships, where he put together a come-from-behind performance to be crowned champion in the 1650-yard freestyle. Swanson was time in 14:31.54, which got him to the wall just ahead of South Carolina’s Akram Mahmoud, who touched the wall in 14:31.66. After staring at an early deficit, Swanson gradually reeled in Mahmoud, capped by his final flurry.
“The strategy going into it was to stay calm,” Swanson said at the time. “You have some incredibly fast guys in that heat. (Townley Haas) yesterday going 1:30.4 which is ridiculous, so that’s the speed I was racing against. My strategy was to stay in range with those guys and then try to strike at the end and it seemed to have worked out.”
Swanson was a four-time NCAA qualifier at Penn and earned All-American honors in the 500 freestyle and 1650, while collecting nine individual titles at the Ivy League Championships. Swanson was the Ivy League champion in the 1650 freestyle during each of his four years. He remains Penn’s school-record holder in the 500 freestyle, 1000 freestyle and 1650 freestyle.
At the 2016 United States Olympic Trials, Swanson placed 12th in the 1500 freestyle.
