Emma Weyant, Julian Smith Pace Florida’s Sweep of Georgia
Per tradition, Southeastern Conference rivals Florida and Georgia faced off in a dual meet the day before the two schools meet in football, and the Gators maintained the upper hand they have built in this rivalry in recent years. The Florida women took down Georgia by a narrow 158-142 margin while the men won 172.5-127.5, despite some impressive performances from two Bulldog veteran males.
The Florida women cruised in the 200 medley relay to begin the meet. The team of Catie Choate, Molly Mayne, Olivia Peoples and Micayla Cronk took the win in 1:38.44, one-and-a-half seconds ahead of Georgia. Choate had Florida’s first individual win, touching out Georgia’s Eboni McCarty to win the 100 backstroke by two hundredths, 52.82 to 52.84, and Mayne topped the 100 breaststroke (1:02.85). Julia Heimstead scored first place in the 200 butterfly (1:59.09).
Choate’s second win of the day came in the 200 back, her time of 1:54.86 beating the field by 2.60 seconds. Emma Weyant took first in the 200 breast (2:14.50) as well as the 400 IM (4:08.90), and Peoples won the 100 fly (53.20). Diving wins went to Camyla Monroy on 3-meter (361.43) and 1-meter (296.03).
Georgia’s freestyle crew shined against Florida. Rachel Stege pulled away from teammate Abby McCulloh, the reigning NCAA Champion in the 1650 freestyle, to win the 1000-yard event in 9:39.32. Ieva Maluka topped the 200 free (1:46.55), and in the sprints, Katie Belle Sikes won the 50 (22.95) and Helena Jones took first in the 100 (49.38). Stege won again in the 500 free (4:44.35), and the team of Jones, Stege, Sloane Reinstein and Maluka dominated the 400 free relay in 3:17.99.
The Gator men also had their way in this competition, beginning with Jonny Marshall, Julian Smith, Josh Liendo and Ed Fullum-Holt topping the 200 medley relay in 1:25.74. Smith was the individual star of the day, winning the 100 breast in 52.93 and returning to take the top spot in the 100 free in 43.39.
Fullum-Huot won the 50 free (19.78), and Aiden Norman was victorious in the 200 back (1:44.48). Aleksas Savickas took a narrow win in the 200 breast (1:58.74) In diving, Peyton Donald won 3-meter (382.95), and Conor Gesing took first on 3-meter. Fullum-Huot, Smith, Liendo and Alex Painter swam away with a 400 free relay win in 2:53.66.
It came in a losing effort, but Luca Urlando’s return to college swimming continues to go exceptionally well. Urlando led off the Bulldogs’ 200 medley relay in 21.56, putting Florida in a huge hole that the Gators would need the entire race to make up, and he would take down Liendo to win both butterfly races. He clocked 1:41.40 in the 200 and 45.46 in the 100.
Jake Magahey topped the 1000 free (8:56.04) and 500 free (4:19.77), with Tomas Koski taking the 200-yard race in 1:34.48. Wesley Ng was the winner in the 100 back (46.89), and Magahey returned with one more triumph in the 400 IM (3:49.30).