During the Friday night finals session at the 2018 SEC swimming and diving championships, Auburn freshman Hugo Gonzalez and Tennessee sophomore Erika Brown each became the second-fastest performer in history in their respective events, Gonzalez in the men’s 400 IM and Brown in the women’s 100 fly.
In the women’s team competition, Texas A&M has opened up a big lead, with 737 points, while Tennessee sits slightly ahead of Georgia for second, 544.5 to 543. As for the men’s side, Florida has the lead with 595 points, but Texas A&M (527), Georgia (514) and Tennessee (506) sit not that far behind.
Read below for event-by-event recaps from the finals session.
Women’s 400 IM
Texas A&M’s Sydney Pickrem added a 400 IM victory to her earlier triumph in the 200 IM, taking the lead on the backstroke leg, holding teammate Bethany Galat at bay on the breaststroke leg and pulling away on the free. Pickrem finished in 3:59.30 to win the race by almost four seconds. She surpassed Katie Ledecky (3:59.69) as the fastest swimmer in the country this season.
Galat ended up finishing second in 4:04.17, and South Carolina’s Emma Barksdale took third in 4:05.66 for the first podium finish for the Gamecock women this week.
Tennessee’s Meghan Small touched fourth in 4:07.17, and Missouri’s Sharli Brady was fifth in 4:07.47. Rounding out the night’s first final were Florida’s Hannah Burns (4:08.22), Tennessee’s Tess Cieplucha (4:08.29) and Georgia’s Megan Kingsley (4:08.67).
Event 16 Women 400 Yard IM
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US Open: O 3:56.54 3/16/2012 Katinka Hosszu, Southern Cal
NCAA: N 3:56.54 3/16/2012 Katinka Hosszu, Southern Cal
American: M 3:57.57 3/17/2017 Ella Eastin, Stanford
SEC Meet: S 3:58.35 2/17/2012 Elizabeth Beisel, Florida
Pool Record: P 3:59.53 2/20/2013 Elizabeth Beisel, UF
4:04.70 A
4:19.39 B
Name Year School Prelims Finals Points
=========================================================================
=== A - Final ===
1 Sydney Pickrem JR Texas A&M 4:03.11 3:59.30PA 32
r:+0.76 26.26 56.00 (29.74)
1:26.05 (30.05) 1:55.78 (29.73)
2:29.50 (33.72) 3:03.41 (33.91)
3:31.91 (28.50) 3:59.30 (27.39)
2 Bethany Galat SR Texas A&M 4:05.99 4:04.17 A 28
r:+0.69 25.66 54.34 (28.68)
1:25.98 (31.64) 1:56.86 (30.88)
2:30.62 (33.76) 3:04.98 (34.36)
3:34.90 (29.92) 4:04.17 (29.27)
3 Emma Barksdale JR South Carolina 4:05.43 4:05.66 B 27
r:+0.78 26.25 55.61 (29.36)
1:27.50 (31.89) 1:58.67 (31.17)
2:32.68 (34.01) 3:07.79 (35.11)
3:37.41 (29.62) 4:05.66 (28.25)
4 Meghan Small SO Tennessee 4:06.91 4:07.17 B 26
r:+0.73 25.63 54.50 (28.87)
1:25.87 (31.37) 1:56.80 (30.93)
2:32.54 (35.74) 3:08.68 (36.14)
3:38.55 (29.87) 4:07.17 (28.62)
5 Sharli Brady SR Missouri 4:06.57 4:07.47 B 25
r:+0.77 26.32 56.25 (29.93)
1:27.53 (31.28) 1:58.12 (30.59)
2:33.51 (35.39) 3:09.87 (36.36)
3:39.25 (29.38) 4:07.47 (28.22)
6 Hannah Burns JR Florida 4:08.10 4:08.22 B 24
r:+0.67 26.56 57.10 (30.54)
1:28.82 (31.72) 2:00.05 (31.23)
2:35.09 (35.04) 3:10.96 (35.87)
3:40.11 (29.15) 4:08.22 (28.11)
7 Tess Cieplucha SO Tennessee 4:06.27 4:08.29 B 23
r:+0.78 26.24 56.76 (30.52)
1:29.35 (32.59) 2:00.83 (31.48)
2:36.27 (35.44) 3:11.64 (35.37)
3:40.57 (28.93) 4:08.29 (27.72)
8 Megan Kingsley SR Georgia 4:06.51 4:08.67 B 22
r:+0.69 26.01 55.33 (29.32)
1:26.47 (31.14) 1:56.93 (30.46)
2:33.65 (36.72) 3:10.86 (37.21)
3:40.07 (29.21) 4:08.67 (28.60)
Men’s 400 IM
Auburn’s Hugo Gonzalez led wire-to-wire on his way to becoming the second-fastest performer in history in the event. The freshman from Spain hit the wall in 3:35.76, behind only Chase Kalisz on the all-time list. Kalisz has twice been quicker, so the time ranks as the third-fastest performance in history.
Florida’s Mark Szaranek put together a stellar swim of his own to finish second, and his time of 3:37.50 moves him into No. 2 in the national rankings this season behind Gonzalez. South Carolina’s Brandonn Almeida took third in 3:39.09, becoming the second freshman to make the podium.
Almeida’s teammate Tom Peribonio took fourth in 3:41.67, while Georgia’s Jay Litherland finished a surprising fifth (3:42.50). Litherland’s teammate Gunnar Bentz finished event further back, seventh, in 3:45.92. Texas A&M teammates Austin Van Overdam (3:43.35) and Benjamin Walker (3:47.97) took sixth and eighth, respectively.
Event 17 Men 400 Yard IM
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US Open: O 3:33.42 3/24/2017 Chase Kalisz, Georgia
NCAA: N 3:33.42 3/24/2017 Chase Kalisz, Georgia
American: M 3:33.42 3/24/2017 Chase Kalisz, Georgia
SEC Meet: S 3:36.21 2/16/2017 Chase Kalisz, Georgia
Pool Record: P 3:35.98 3/27/2009 Tyler Clary, MICH
3:39.95 A
3:54.49 B
Name Year School Prelims Finals Points
=========================================================================
=== A - Final ===
1 Hugo Gonzalez FR Auburn 3:40.31 3:35.76PA 32
r:+0.69 22.74 49.55 (26.81)
1:16.98 (27.43) 1:44.11 (27.13)
2:13.94 (29.83) 2:44.29 (30.35)
3:10.46 (26.17) 3:35.76 (25.30)
2 Mark Szaranek SR Florida 3:42.02 3:37.50 A 28
r:+0.71 22.91 49.56 (26.65)
1:17.77 (28.21) 1:45.32 (27.55)
2:15.55 (30.23) 2:46.19 (30.64)
3:12.21 (26.02) 3:37.50 (25.29)
3 Brandonn Almeid FR South Carolina 3:41.80 3:39.09 A 27
r:+0.71 24.21 51.29 (27.08)
1:18.67 (27.38) 1:45.58 (26.91)
2:16.56 (30.98) 2:47.63 (31.07)
3:13.83 (26.20) 3:39.09 (25.26)
4 Tom Peribonio SR South Carolina 3:42.49 3:41.67 B 26
r:+0.62 23.74 51.11 (27.37)
1:19.57 (28.46) 1:47.54 (27.97)
2:18.15 (30.61) 2:49.59 (31.44)
3:15.97 (26.38) 3:41.67 (25.70)
5 Jay Litherland SR Georgia 3:42.57 3:42.50 B 25
r:+0.78 24.08 51.23 (27.15)
1:19.28 (28.05) 1:46.69 (27.41)
2:19.06 (32.37) 2:51.48 (32.42)
3:17.38 (25.90) 3:42.50 (25.12)
6 Austin Van Over JR Texas A&M 3:43.76 3:43.35 B 24
r:+0.68 24.21 51.82 (27.61)
1:19.93 (28.11) 1:47.93 (28.00)
2:18.64 (30.71) 2:50.16 (31.52)
3:16.82 (26.66) 3:43.35 (26.53)
7 Gunnar Bentz SR Georgia 3:44.60 3:45.92 B 23
r:+0.74 24.20 51.93 (27.73)
1:21.33 (29.40) 1:49.91 (28.58)
2:22.10 (32.19) 2:53.79 (31.69)
3:20.53 (26.74) 3:45.92 (25.39)
8 Benjamin Walker SO Texas A&M 3:44.44 3:47.97 B 22
r:+0.76 23.96 51.63 (27.67)
1:21.15 (29.52) 1:50.48 (29.33)
2:21.07 (30.59) 2:52.99 (31.92)
3:20.56 (27.57) 3:47.97 (27.41)
Women’s 100 Fly
Tennessee sophomore Erika Brown won her second individual title of the meet, and she became the second-fastest woman in history in the process. Brown touched the wall in 49.85, joining American record-holder Kelsi Worrell (49.43) as the only swimmers in history to crack the 50-second barrier.
Auburn finished 2-3 in the race with Haley Black (50.68) and Aly Tetzloff (51.32), and Missouri’s Ann Ochitwa took fourth in 51.86.
Others in the final included Brown’s Volunteer teammate Maddy Banic (52.03), Texas A&M’s Jing Qhah (52.05), Georgia’s Chelsea Britt (52.26) and Auburn’s Bailey Nero (52.37).
Event 18 Women 100 Yard Butterfly
=========================================================================
US Open: O 49.43 3/18/2016 Kelsi Worrell, Louisville
NCAA: N 49.43 3/18/2016 Kelsi Worrell, Louisville
American: M 49.43 3/18/2016 Kelsi Worrell, Louisville
SEC Meet: S 50.49 2/16/2018 Erika Brown, Tennessee
Pool Record: P 50.49 2/16/2018 Erika Brown, Tennessee
51.19 A
54.49 B
Name Year School Prelims Finals Points
=========================================================================
=== A - Final ===
1 Erika Brown SO Tennessee 50.49 49.85SA 32
r:+0.65 10.94 23.43 (12.49)
36.53 (13.10) 49.85 (13.32)
2 Haley Black SR Auburn 50.99 50.68 A 28
r:+0.67 10.79 23.56 (12.77)
37.05 (13.49) 50.68 (13.63)
3 Alyssa Tetzloff JR Auburn 51.41 51.32 B 27
r:+0.74 10.65 23.70 (13.05)
37.33 (13.63) 51.32 (13.99)
4 Ann Ochitwa JR Missouri 52.23 51.86 B 26
r:+0.69 11.02 24.19 (13.17)
37.95 (13.76) 51.86 (13.91)
5 Madeline Banic JR Tennessee 52.08 52.03 B 25
r:+0.76 11.04 23.94 (12.90)
37.59 (13.65) 52.03 (14.44)
6 Jing Quah FR Texas A&M 52.00 52.05 B 24
r:+0.65 11.10 24.32 (13.22)
38.03 (13.71) 52.05 (14.02)
7 Chelsea Britt SR Georgia 52.07 52.26 B 23
r:+0.67 11.16 24.07 (12.91)
37.74 (13.67) 52.26 (14.52)
8 Bailey Nero JR Auburn 52.27 52.37 B 22
r:+0.71 11.28 24.73 (13.45)
38.42 (13.69) 52.37 (13.95)
Men’s 100 Fly
Texas A&M’s Mauro Castillo Luna, typically known as a breaststroker, had the lead for the race’s first 75 yards while swimming in lane eight, but he faded slightly down the stretch, leaving the door open for Florida’s Jan Switkowski to steal the win. Switkowski came home fastest on the last 25 and touched in 45.26, well ahead of Castillo (45.63).
Texas A&M put two men on the podium as Jose Martinez came in third at 45.69. Auburn teammates Santiago Grassi (45.73) and Liam McCloskey (45.75) finished just behind.
Other finalists included Georgia’s Camden Murphy (45.83), Auburn’s Luis Martinez (46.28) and Tennessee’s Ryan Coetzee (46.70).
Event 19 Men 100 Yard Butterfly
=========================================================================
US Open: O 43.58 3/24/2017 Caeleb Dressel, Florida
NCAA: N 43.58 3/24/2017 Caeleb Dressel, Florida
American: M 43.58 3/24/2017 Caeleb Dressel, Florida
SEC Meet: S 44.21 2/16/2017 Caeleb Dressel, Florida
Pool Record: P 44.18 3/28/2009 Austin Staab, STAN
45.49 A
48.29 B
Name Year School Prelims Finals Points
=========================================================================
=== A - Final ===
1 Jan Switkowski SR Florida 45.95 45.26 A 32
r:+0.67 9.67 21.23 (11.56)
33.68 (12.45) 45.26 (11.58)
2 Mauro Castillo SR Texas A&M 46.26 45.63 B 28
r:+0.63 9.52 20.96 (11.44)
32.87 (11.91) 45.63 (12.76)
3 Jose Martinez JR Texas A&M 45.82 45.69 B 27
r:+0.69 9.59 21.52 (11.93)
33.65 (12.13) 45.69 (12.04)
4 Santiago Grassi SO Auburn 46.23 45.73 B 26
r:+0.65 9.70 21.12 (11.42)
33.18 (12.06) 45.73 (12.55)
5 Liam McCloskey JR Auburn 45.75 45.75 B 25
r:+0.67 9.55 21.11 (11.56)
33.29 (12.18) 45.75 (12.46)
6 Camden Murphy FR Georgia 45.94 45.83 B 24
r:+0.72 9.76 21.40 (11.64)
33.60 (12.20) 45.83 (12.23)
7 Luis Martinez SR Auburn 46.05 46.28 B 23
r:+0.66 9.79 21.71 (11.92)
34.05 (12.34) 46.28 (12.23)
8 Ryan Coetzee SR Tennessee 46.20 46.70 B 22
r:+0.63 9.73 21.30 (11.57)
33.70 (12.40) 46.70 (13.00)
Women’s 3-meter Diving
Arkansas’ Brooke Schultz finished on top of the final springboard diving event of the meet, posting a score of 385.65, while South Carolina’s Julia Vincent edged Tennessee’s Rachel Rubadue for second, 369.00 to 366.40.
Others diving in the championship final included LSU’s Lizzie Cui (360.10), Florida’s Brooke Madden (336.55), Georgia’s McKensi Austin (334.70), South Carolina’s Karlee Price (327.00) and Tennessee’s Ana Celaya-Hernandez (253.90).
Event 20 Women 3 mtr Diving
=========================================================================
SEC Meet: S 413.75 2/20/2014 Laura Ryan, Georgia
Pool Record: P 437.75 3/20/2009 Christina Loukas, IU
Name Year School Prelims Finals Points
=========================================================================
=== A - Final ===
1 Brooke Schultz FR Arkansas 354.90 385.65 32
2 Julia Vincent SR South Carolina 350.90 369.00 28
3 Rachel Rubadue JR Tennessee 347.50 366.40 27
4 Lizzie Cui JR LSU 356.30 360.10 26
5 Brooke Madden SO Florida 353.10 336.55 25
6 McKensi Austin SO Georgia 349.30 334.70 24
7 Karlee Price FR South Carolina 317.00 327.00 23
8 Ana Celaya-Hern FR Tennessee 318.40 253.90 22
Women’s 200 Free
Georgia’s Meaghan Raab led for the majority of the race, but on the final 25, it was Texas A&M’s Claire Rasmus who took a slight lead and touched the wall first. Buoyed by a partisan Aggie home crowd, Rasmus finished in 1:43.62, to Raab’s 1:44.15.
Tennessee’s Stanzi Moseley took third in 1:44.88, holding off Texas A&M’s Katie Portz (1:45.08).
Other finalists included Missouri’s Erin Metzger-Seymour (1:45.34), Texas A&M’s McKenna DeBever (1:46.36), Florida’s Amelia Maughan (1:46.93) and Auburn’s Erin Falconer (1:47.08).
Event 21 Women 200 Yard Freestyle
=========================================================================
US Open: O 1:39.10 3/20/2015 Missy Franklin, California
NCAA: N 1:39.10 3/20/2015 Missy Franklin, California
American: M 1:39.10 3/21/2015 Missy Franklin, California
SEC Meet: S 1:41.83 2/20/2014 Shannon Vreeland, Georgia
Pool Record: P 1:42.01 3/20/2009 Dana Vollmer, CAL
1:43.30 A
1:47.99 B
Name Year School Prelims Finals Points
=========================================================================
=== A - Final ===
1 Claire Rasmus JR Texas A&M 1:44.98 1:43.62 B 32
r:+0.71 24.57 51.04 (26.47)
1:17.55 (26.51) 1:43.62 (26.07)
2 Meaghan Raab SR Georgia 1:45.73 1:44.15 B 28
r:+0.76 24.60 50.76 (26.16)
1:17.19 (26.43) 1:44.15 (26.96)
3 Stanzi Moseley SO Tennessee 1:45.19 1:44.88 B 27
r:+0.72 24.41 51.09 (26.68)
1:17.64 (26.55) 1:44.88 (27.24)
4 Katie Portz SO Texas A&M 1:45.51 1:45.08 B 26
r:+0.70 24.94 51.50 (26.56)
1:18.27 (26.77) 1:45.08 (26.81)
5 Erin Metzger-Se SR Missouri 1:45.87 1:45.34 B 25
r:+0.73 24.72 51.23 (26.51)
1:18.07 (26.84) 1:45.34 (27.27)
6 McKenna DeBever JR Texas A&M 1:45.98 1:46.36 B 24
24.91 52.24 (27.33)
1:19.17 (26.93) 1:46.36 (27.19)
7 Amelia Maughan SR Florida 1:45.51 1:46.93 B 23
r:+0.75 24.57 51.51 (26.94)
1:19.07 (27.56) 1:46.93 (27.86)
8 Erin Falconer JR Auburn 1:45.53 1:47.08 B 22
r:+0.76 24.59 51.53 (26.94)
1:19.09 (27.56) 1:47.08 (27.99)
Men’s 200 Free
The Florida Gators won their second straight men’s event and extended their lead in the team race as sophomores Khader Baqlah and Maxime Rooney finished 1-2 in the 200 free to end the evening. Baqlah posted a time of 1:31.96, becoming the first swimmer this season to crack 1:32, while Rooney touched in 1:32.97.
Missouri’s Mikel Schreuder touched out Auburn’s Zach Apple for third, 1:33.24 to 1:33.31.
Tennessee’s Joey Reilman was fifth in 1:34.18, followed by the 500 free champion, South Carolina’s Fynn Minuth, who touched in 1:34.35. Alabama’s Christopher Reid (1:34.54) and Missouri’s Giovanny Lima (1:34.75) finished seventh and eighth, respectively.
Event 22 Men 200 Yard Freestyle
=========================================================================
US Open: O 1:30.46 3/25/2016 Townley Haas, Texas
NCAA: N 1:30.46 3/25/2016 Townley Haas, Texas
American: M 1:30.46 3/25/2016 Townley Haas, Texas
SEC Meet: S 1:31.73 2/16/2011 Conor Dwyer, Florida
Pool Record: P 1:31.70 3/27/2009 Shaune Fraser, UF
1:32.54 A
1:37.99 B
Name Year School Prelims Finals Points
=========================================================================
=== A - Final ===
1 Khader Baqlah SO Florida 1:32.96 1:31.96 A 32
r:+0.79 21.84 45.05 (23.21)
1:08.35 (23.30) 1:31.96 (23.61)
2 Maxime Rooney SO Florida 1:33.67 1:32.97 B 28
r:+0.68 21.61 45.40 (23.79)
1:09.04 (23.64) 1:32.97 (23.93)
3 Mikel Schreuder JR Missouri 1:33.90 1:33.24 B 27
r:+0.74 22.17 46.10 (23.93)
1:09.64 (23.54) 1:33.24 (23.60)
4 Zachary Apple JR Auburn 1:33.21 1:33.31 B 26
r:+0.67 22.13 45.67 (23.54)
1:09.15 (23.48) 1:33.31 (24.16)
5 Joey Reilman JR Tennessee 1:34.47 1:34.18 B 25
r:+0.71 21.39 44.89 (23.50)
1:09.33 (24.44) 1:34.18 (24.85)
6 Fynn Minuth JR South Carolina 1:33.98 1:34.35 B 24
r:+0.70 21.92 45.73 (23.81)
1:09.99 (24.26) 1:34.35 (24.36)
7 Christopher Rei SR Alabama 1:34.50 1:34.54 B 23
r:+0.73 22.30 46.31 (24.01)
1:10.30 (23.99) 1:34.54 (24.24)
8 Giovanny Lima SO Missouri 1:34.42 1:34.75 B 22
r:+0.66 22.28 46.34 (24.06)
1:10.35 (24.01) 1:34.75 (24.40)
The Auburn website lists Hugo Gonzalez as from Spain, not Brazil.
It is third place finisher Brandonn Almeida, representing University of South Carolina who is from Brazil.
Either way, they are both pretty darn fast; what a race.