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Georgia’s Olivia Smoliga charged her way to an NCAA record in the women’s 50-yard free at the 2016 NCAA Division I Women’s Championships.
Smoliga, who already moved to sixth all time in the event’s history with a 21.46 relay leadoff, moved all the way up to second with a 21.21 to win the sprint free and set the NCAA mark. The swim broke the 2009 record of 21.27 set by Arizona’s Lara Jackson during relay duty in prelims.
Smoliga only trails Abbey Weitzeil, who set the American record with a 21.12 two weeks ago in Austin while swimming for Canyons Aquatics.
Smoliga reclaimed the title she won as a freshman in 2014, and became just the ninth person to win the event more than once.
Multiple 50 Free Winners:
4 – Kara Lynn Joyce, Georgia
4 – Leigh Ann Fetter, Texas
3 – Catherine Fox, Stanford
2 – Maritza Correia, Georgia
2 – Jenna Johnson, Stanford
2 – Jenny Thompson, Stanford
2 – Lara Jackson, Arizona
2—Liv Jensen, California
Smoliga also pushed Georgia into a tie for the NCAA record for most program wins in the 50 free, tying Stanford with a ninth victory.
Previous Georgia Wins:
2000 Courtney Shealy, Georgia, 24.80 *
2002 Maritza Correia, Georgia, 21.69
2003 Maritza Correia, Georgia, 21.83
2004 Kara Lynn Joyce, Georgia, 24.24 *
2005 Kara Lynn Joyce, Georgia, 21.97
2006 Kara Lynn Joyce, Georgia, 21.63
2007 Kara Lynn Joyce, Georgia, 21.71
2014 Olivia Smoliga, Georgia, 21.59
California’s Farida Osman took second tonight in 21.46, just off her fourth-ranked personal best of 21.32, while Ohio State’s Li Zhesi took third in 21.48 to move into eighth all time in the event’s history.
Louisville’s Kelsi Worrell (21.75), Texas A&M’s Beryl Gastaldello (21.82), Stanford’s Lia Neal (21.83), Michigan’s Ali Deloof (21.99) and Tennessee’s Maddy Banic (22.02) closed out the championship heat.
=== A - Final ===
1 Smoliga, Olivia JR Georgia 21.48 21.21N 20
r:+0.73 10.25 21.21 (10.96)
2 *Osman, Farida JR California 21.77 21.46P 17
r:+0.71 10.51 21.46 (10.95)
3 *Li, Liz SO Ohio St 21.63 21.48 16
r:+0.73 10.34 21.48 (11.14)
4 Worrell, Kelsi SR Louisville 21.57 21.75 15
r:+0.62 10.46 21.75 (11.29)
5 *Gastaldello, B SO Tex AM 21.88 21.82 14
r:+0.65 10.59 21.82 (11.23)
6 Neal, Lia JR Stanford 21.78 21.83 13
r:+0.71 10.65 21.83 (11.18)
7 Deloof, Ali SR Michigan 22.04 21.99 12
r:+0.75 10.65 21.99 (11.34)
8 Banic, Maddy FR Tennessee 21.98 22.02 11
r:+0.72 10.60 22.02 (11.42)
=== B - Final ===
9 Apostalon, Anik JR USC 22.09 21.82 9
r:+0.66 10.67 21.82 (11.15)
10 Kinney, Chase JR Wisconsin 22.12 21.90 7
r:+0.71 10.60 21.90 (11.30)
11 Mack, Linnea JR UCLA 22.08 21.98 6
r:+0.75 10.59 21.98 (11.39)
12 *Wilk, Kasia FR USC 22.07 22.15 4.5
r:+0.73 10.72 22.15 (11.43)
12 Hinds, Natalie SR Florida 22.11 22.15 4.5
r:+0.66 10.52 22.15 (11.63)
14 Ochitwa, Annie FR Arizona 22.13 22.18 3
r:+0.72 10.72 22.18 (11.46)
15 Johnson, Faith SR Tennessee 22.05 22.24 2
r:+0.65 10.69 22.24 (11.55)
16 Bonnema, Riki SR NC State 22.14 22.45 1
r:+0.70 10.97 22.45 (11.48)
Women - Team Rankings - Through Event 5 1. Georgia 132 2. California 130.5 3. Southern Cali 93.5 4. Texas A&M 91.5 5. Virginia 86 6. Louisville 60 7. Stanford 59 8. Michigan 54 8. NC State 54 10. Tennessee 51 11. Arizona 49 12. Indiana 42 13. Ohio St 40 14. Texas 35 15. Wisconsin 25 16. Missouri 14 17. UNC 12 18. Florida 6.5 19. Penn St 6 19. UCLA 6 21. Air Force (W) 4 21. Kentucky 4 23. Denver 3 23. Purdue 3 25. Minnesota 2
