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AUBURN, Alabama, March 16. THE record books have been scorched this evening as Georgia's Megan Romano turned in yet another American, U.S. Open and NCAA record in the 200 free at the NCAA Division I Women's Championships.
Out under record pace with a 49.26 and 1:14.96 split, Romano brought it home with a scintillating time of 1:41.21. The swim pushed her past Dana Vollmer's previous record of 1:41.53 set as a relay leadoff for California in 2009. The swim comes on the heels of Romano putting up what is believed to be the fastest anchor leg in history with a 46.07 for Georgia on the 400 medley relay.
The win gave Georgia its fifth victory in the event's history with Maritza Correia (2000), Kara Lynn Joyce (2006) and Allison Schmitt (2010, 11) producing the other victories. Georgia has now won the title for a third straight year, and with its fifth overall triumphed, moved into sole possession of second all time behind Florida's top-ranked seven wins.
Texas' Karlee Bispo raced into second with a 1:42.78 to take eighth all time in the event. California's Liv Jensen earned third in 1:43.45, while Arizona's Alyssa Anderson (1:43.52), Georgia's Shannon Vreeland (1:43.76), Tennessee's Lindsay Gendron (1:43.89), Arizona State's Shannon Landgrebe (1:44.62) and Stanford's Andrea Murez (1:44.67) placed fourth through eighth.
Missouri's Shara Stafford, out under American-record pace with a 49.51 at the 100, held on to win the B final with a 1:43.62. Florida's Jamie Bohunicky took second in 1:44.79, while Indiana's Margaux Farrell placed third in 1:44.90. Georgia's Jordan Mattern (1:45.29), California's Caroline Piehl (1:45.41), California's Catherine Breed (1:45.45) and SMU's Nina Rangelova (1:45.77) finished fourth through seventh. California's Sara Isakovic, who just won the 100 fly the previous heat, jumped right back into the competition pool to take the final team point available in the 200 free with a 1:46.21.
California continued to build its lead with 248 points, while Stanford moved into second with 182 points. Southern California (177), Georgia (166) and Arizona (156) made up the rest of the top five.
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