Townley Haas

Francis Townley Haas (born December 13, 1996) is an American retired competitive swimmer who specialized in freestyle events. He is an Olympic gold medalist in the 4 × 200 m freestyle relay from the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. Haas competed collegiately for the University of Texas at Austin from 2015 to 2019 under head coach Eddie Reese where he was a 10-time NCAA Champion, a 17-time All-American, and a 3-time NCAA team champion (2016, 2017, and 2018). He is the former American record-holder in the 200-yard freestyle (1:29.50) and represented the Cali Condors in the International Swimming League. and graduated from Benedictine College Prep. Before his college career, he swam for Geoff Brown at Nova of Virginia Aquatics (NOVA), which sent nine swimmers to the 2016 Olympic Trials in Omaha, Nebraska. In College, Haas swam for Hall of Fame Coaches Eddie Reese, and Kris Kubik at the University of Texas.

Townley has two siblings, an older sister, Emily, and older brother, Wyatt. His sister was shot twice in the Virginia Tech Shooting, but survived. His mother is the Virginia State Director for the Coalition to Stop Gun Violence.

In December 2020, Haas announced his engagement to his girlfriend of over 5 years, Megan Meseck. They married on May 28, 2022.

Career 2014: Five-time Junior Pan Pacific gold medalist 2014 Junior Pan Pacific Championships In August 2014, as a 17-year-old at the 2014 Junior Pan Pacific Swimming Championships in Hawaii, Haas won gold medals in five events, the 200 meter freestyle with a Championships record time of 1:48.32, the 800 meter freestyle with a 8:00.99, the 4×100 meter freestyle relay with a 3:18.68, the 4×200 meter freestyle with a 7:21.36, and the 4×100 meter medley relay with a 3:39.09.

2016 2016 NCAA Championships On the first day of the 2016 NCAA Division I Men's Swimming and Diving Championships in his freshman season, Haas won the 4×200-yard freestyle relay for the Longhorns alongside teammates Jack Conger, Clark Smith, and Joseph Schooling, setting a new U.S. Open record with Haas swimming the fastest relay split ever for a 200-yard freestyle in 1:30.52. The next day, Haas won his first individual NCAA Championship in the 500-yard freestyle going 4:09.00. This time eclipsed the elusive 10-year-old mark of 1:31.20 held by the Arizona Wildcat Simon Burnett.

2016 U.S. Olympic Trials At the 2016 U.S. Olympic Trials in Omaha, Nebraska, Haas won the 200-meter freestyle in 1:45.66 ahead of Conor Dwyer and Jack Conger, qualifying for the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro. Haas also placed third in the 400 m freestyle.

2016 Summer Olympics Conor Dwyer, Haas, Ryan Lochte, and Michael Phelps celebrating a victory in the freestyle relay. At the Rio Olympics, Haas placed fifth in the 200-meter freestyle and won gold in the 4×200-meter freestyle relay. He swam the second leg of the relay, providing the fastest split of the entire field by 0.71 seconds going 1:44.14.

2017 2017 NCAA Championships At the 2017 NCAA Division I Men's Swimming and Diving Championships, Haas again won the 200 free, going just shy of his record time in 1:30.65. His second victory of the meet came in the 400 freestyle relay, with Haas splitting a 41.01 on the third leg. His relay consisting of Brett Ringgold, Jack Conger and Joseph Schooling set a new NCAA and U.S. Open record in 2:45.39. In the 500 free, Haas wasn't able to defend his title and finished second behind teammate Clark Smith, swimming a personal best time of 4:08.92. Haas also won the 500 free in a new personal best time of 4:08.60 and got 6th place in the 100 free (41.67).

2018 Pan Pacific Championships In Tokyo, Haas got more hardware by winning two gold medals. In the 200 m freestyle, Haas outlasted United States teammate Andrew Seliskar, winning in 1:45.56 to Seliskar's 1:45.74. On the second day of competition, Haas competed in the freestyle relay alongside Andrew Seliskar, Blake Pieroni, and Zach Apple. With only one swimmer left to swim, the USA dove in 1.40 seconds behind Australia. The Aussie lead slowly diminished as Haas closed on Jack Cartwright. With his final lunge to the wall, Haas outtouched Cartwright in a clutch swim as the USA beat Australia 7:04.36 to 7:04.70. Haas' split of 1:43.78 was the 3rd fastest rolling-start split in history. Despite the victory, the Longhorns finished second in the team standings to the Cal Golden Bears.

2019 World Championships

In his first event at the 2019 World Championships, Haas swam in the prelims of the free relay, leading off in 48.60. The relay would go on to victory later that night, winning Haas a gold medal. In the 200 m free, Haas regressed to 14th place going 1:46.37, well off his silver medal performance from 2 years prior. Swimming the anchor leg of the 800 free relay, Haas split 1:45.16 to get the USA on the podium with a bronze medal.

2022: Retirement In February 2022, Haas announced his retirement from competitive swimming through his Instagram post.

Personal bests

Long course Event Time Meet Date Note(s) 100 m freestyle 48.20 2017 U.S. Summer Nationals June 27, 2017 200 m freestyle 1:45.03 2017 U.S. Summer Nationals June 28, 2017 400 m freestyle 3:45.04 2016 U.S. Olympic Trials June 26, 2016 Short course Event Time Meet Date Note(s) 200 m freestyle 1:40.49 2020 International Swimming League Final November 22, 2020Current American record 400 m freestyle 3:52.37 2020 International Swimming League Match 1 October 15, 2020 Short course yards Event Time Meet Date Note(s) 100 y freestyle 41.67 2018 NCAA Championships March 24, 2018 200 y freestyle 1:29.50 2018 NCAA Championships March 23, 2018 Former NCAA, American, and U.S. Open record 500 y freestyle 4:08.19 2019 NCAA Championships March 28, 2019 Big 12 Conference and University of Texas school record, former NCAA record 1650 y freestyle 14:34.36 2016 NCAA Championships March 26, 2016