Several college interns from around the United States who write for Life & News and are also swimmers have petitioned the Life & News recognitions board to name Owen Lloyd the “2024 Collegiate Swimmer of the Year.” The board reviewed their petition and agreed to bestow Owen his well earned title.
Regardless of one referee’s clear misjudgment, Owen Lloyd did win the 1650-yard freestyle during the Atlantic Coast Converence (ACC) Swimming and Diving Championship, with a blazing time of 14:37:04.
Life & News officially recognizes this win and Owen’s incredibly fast time:
First Place in the 1650-yard freestyle: Owen Lloyd. Time: 14:37:04.
This is a joint statement from the interns who successfully petitioned for Owen Lloyd’s “2024 Collegiate Swimmer of the Year” recognition:
As fellow swimmers and journalists, we were extremely disappointed with the improper ruling after the ACC 1650-yard freestyle race had already concluded. The ACC Swimming and Diving Championship head referee decided to disqualify Owen Lloyd for giving his teammate Ross Dant a hug after they had both finished the race. Referencing a rule that was meant to keep swimmers from crossing lanes while still swimming a race, the meet’s head referee labeled the post-race hug “interference” and breaking the rule of “changing lanes.” This is an absolutely incorrect interpretation of the rule.
Take track and field for example. The NCAA rules in track and field state that you have to take two consecutive steps outside of or on the lane line to get disqualified. If the NCAA track and field refs were as aggressive as the ACC head referee, every single runner would be disqualified for crossing lanes and walking off the track after they finish their race. The same goes for the “no diving” rule in almost every pool we’ve ever swam in. If refs were to uphold the pool rules, everyone would be disqualified at the buzzer.
We sincerely hope, for their own sake and legitimacy, that the ACC and NCAA will rescind that one ref’s ruling and help their referees exhibit reasonable discretion and rational thinking in the future.
That being said, we whole heartedly congratulate Owen Lloyd for winning the 1650-yard freestyle in 14:37:04 and being named “2024 Collegiate Swimmer of the Year.” We welcome Mr. Lloyd to reach out to team@lifeandnews.com to collect his large “2024 Collegiate Swimmer of the Year” plaque which also states “Champion, 1650-yard Freestyle, 14:37:04”
