SEC Championships, Day 5 Prelims: Josh Liendo Sets Sprint Showdown
Little has been quite as enjoyable at the SEC Championships the last few years as the men’s sprint events. Another doozy should be on tap Saturday night.
Josh Liendo set the pace (and a pool record) of 40.95 seconds on Saturday morning at Auburn University, leading what should be a packed field for the men’s 100 freestyle.
He’s only .11 seconds ahead of Jordan Crooks, and Crooks’ Tennessee teammate Gui Caribe is in the midst of a great meet. An A final that featured two ties promises to have plenty of action later on.
All the morning swims from the James E. Martin Aquatic Center on the final day of prelims:
- Live Results
- Night 1 FULL RESULTS
- Night 2 FULL RESULTS
- Night 3 FULL RESULTS
- Night 4 FULL RESULTS
- Night 1 Finals Recap
- Day 2 Prelims Recap
- Night 2 Finals Recap
- Day 3 Prelims Recap
- Night 3 Finals Recap
- Day 3 Prelims Recap
- SEC Championships Schedule and Livestream
- SEC Championships Home
- Day 5 Heat Sheets
Women’s 200 backstroke
Let’s just quickly reset the meet for Bella Sims. Win and an SEC record in the 200 butterfly. SEC record in the 200 freestyle. Win in the 200 individual medley.
Add the top time in the 200 back to the pile, Sims going a season-best 1:50.78. She’s a half-second up on the field, with Josephine Fuller of Tennessee second in 1:51.36. Miranda Grana of Texas A&M finished fourth in 1:51.69. South Carolina’s Amy Riordan and Kentucky’s Grace Frericks are also in the A final.
Any doubt about the team race – Florida entered 214 points up on Tennessee – should be dispelled by the Gators pushing three into the A final. Catherine Choate is sixth, Jo Jo Ramey seventh.
Event 36 Women 200 Yard Backstroke
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NCAA: N 1:47.24 3/23/2019 Beata Nelson, Wisconsin
SEC: S 1:48.06 2/22/2020 Ryan White, Alabama
SEC Meet: M 1:48.06 2020 Rhyan White, Alabama
Pool: P 1:48.06 2/22/2020 Rhyan White, Alabama
Name Year School Seed Prelims
==================================================================
=== Preliminaries ===
1 Sims, Bella G FR FLOR-FL 1:51.15 1:50.78
r:+0.56 25.57 53.19 (27.62)
1:21.90 (28.71) 1:50.78 (28.88)
2 Fuller, Josephine A SO Tennessee-SE 1:53.97 1:51.36
r:+0.71 25.98 54.12 (28.14)
1:22.98 (28.86) 1:51.36 (28.38)
3 Grana, Miranda P FR Texas A&M-GU 1:53.30 1:51.69
r:+0.65 26.59 54.68 (28.09)
1:23.00 (28.32) 1:51.69 (28.69)
4 Riordan, Amy L SO South Carolina-S 1:54.45 1:52.85
r:+0.65 26.75 55.40 (28.65)
1:24.10 (28.70) 1:52.85 (28.75)
5 Frericks, Grace M SO UK Wildcats-KY 1:53.77 1:52.97
r:+0.60 26.18 54.35 (28.17)
1:23.32 (28.97) 1:52.97 (29.65)
6 Choate, Catherine G FR FLOR-FL 1:51.94 1:53.18
r:+0.62 26.18 54.27 (28.09)
1:23.40 (29.13) 1:53.18 (29.78)
7 Ramey, Jo Jo M FR FLOR-FL 1:54.60 1:53.62
r:+0.61 26.59 55.20 (28.61)
1:24.28 (29.08) 1:53.62 (29.34)
8 Barzelay, Aviv JR Texas A&M-GU 1:53.33 1:53.95
r:+0.57 27.23 56.31 (29.08)
1:25.26 (28.95) 1:53.95 (28.69)
Men’s 200 backstroke
Bradley Dunham grabbed the top seed out of prelims, but he’s one of three swimmers clustered within a half-second. The Georgia grad student went 1:38.46 to lead the way. He’s .11 up on Florida’s fab freshman Jonny Marshall. Aidan Stoffle of Auburn went 1:38.85 to grab the third seed, a half-second up on his brother Nathaniel Stoffle.
Georgia has four in the A final, with Ruard van Renen fifth and Ian Grum sixth.
Event 37 Men 200 Yard Backstroke
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NCAA: N 1:35.73 3/26/2016 Ryan Murphy, California
SEC: S 1:35.75 3/27/2021 Shaine Casas, Texas A&M
SEC Meet: M 1:36.85 2021 Shaine Casas, Texas A&M
Pool: P 1:37.20 2/22/2020 Shaine Casa, Texas A&M
Name Year School Seed Prelims
==================================================================
=== Preliminaries ===
1 Dunham, Bradley GS UGA-GA 1:38.80 1:38.46
r:+0.66 23.32 48.01 (24.69)
1:13.24 (25.23) 1:38.46 (25.22)
2 Marshall, Jonny C FR FLOR-FL 1:38.52 1:38.57
r:+0.63 22.54 47.22 (24.68)
1:12.52 (25.30) 1:38.57 (26.05)
3 Stoffle, Aidan F GS Auburn-SE 1:38.57 1:38.85
r:+0.72 24.00 48.78 (24.78)
1:13.47 (24.69) 1:38.85 (25.38)
4 Stoffle, Nathaniel L JR Auburn-SE 1:39.01 1:39.41
r:+0.59 23.23 48.51 (25.28)
1:13.92 (25.41) 1:39.41 (25.49)
5 Van Renen, Ruard SO UGA-GA 1:41.92 1:39.54
r:+0.57 23.07 48.59 (25.52)
1:14.00 (25.41) 1:39.54 (25.54)
6 Grum, Ian P GS UGA-GA 1:38.88 1:40.09
r:+0.58 23.33 48.18 (24.85)
1:13.94 (25.76) 1:40.09 (26.15)
7 Hagar, Tommy E FR BAMA-SE 1:41.65 1:40.20
r:+0.61 23.79 48.98 (25.19)
1:14.19 (25.21) 1:40.20 (26.01)
8 Powe, Sam P SO UGA-GA 1:39.96 1:40.32
r:+0.52 23.61 49.02 (25.41)
1:14.63 (25.61) 1:40.32 (25.69)
Women’s 100 freestyle
Camille Spink was the class of prelims, a season-best 47.11 for the Tennessee swimmer. She was well ahead of Micayla Cronk of Florida, who entered with the only other 47-second time of the season and went 47.89. Brooklyn Douthwright and Chloe Stepanek tied for third in 47.97.
Event 38 Women 100 Yard Freestyle
==================================================================
NCAA: N 45.56 3/19/2017 Simone Manuel, Stanford
SEC: S 45.83 2/22/2020 Erika Brown, Tennessee
SEC Meet: M 45.83 2020 Erika Brown, Tennessee
Pool: P 45.83 2/22/2020 Erika Brown, Tennessee
Name Year School Seed Prelims
==================================================================
=== Preliminaries ===
1 Spink, Camille Tennessee-SE 47.28 47.11
r:+0.68 10.63 22.44 (11.81)
34.82 (12.38) 47.11 (12.29)
2 Cronk, Micayla M JR FLOR-FL 47.77 47.89
r:+0.65 10.92 22.90 (11.98)
35.40 (12.50) 47.89 (12.49)
3 Douthwright, Brooklyn Tennessee-SE 48.46 47.97
r:+0.62 11.08 23.32 (12.24)
35.77 (12.45) 47.97 (12.20)
3 Stepanek, Chloe M SR Texas A&M-GU 48.03 47.97
r:+0.68 10.87 23.04 (12.17)
35.50 (12.46) 47.97 (12.47)
5 Jones, Helena P FR UGA-GA 48.27 48.33
r:+0.73 11.12 23.22 (12.10)
35.76 (12.54) 48.33 (12.57)
6 Petkova, Diana SR BAMA-SE 49.00 48.47
r:+0.69 11.00 23.20 (12.20)
35.67 (12.47) 48.47 (12.80)
7 Smith, Sierra SR Missouri-MV 48.98 48.52
r:+0.63 11.07 23.43 (12.36)
36.01 (12.58) 48.52 (12.51)
8 Nevmovenko, Polina JR Auburn-SE 48.35 48.60
r:+0.68 11.40 23.58 (12.18)
36.00 (12.42) 48.60 (12.60)
Men’s 100 freestyle
The stage is set. Josh Liendo led the way in prelims at 40.95 seconds for Florida. Jordan Crooks went 41.06 for the second seed. Gui Caribe is third at 41.46. The meet record of 40.87 set by Caeleb Dressel is the carrot for the night session. Liendo took down Matt Targett’s super-suited pool record of 41.55 from 2009, though each of the top three were under it.
Reese Branzell is the top American in 41.71 for Georgia. That’s when things get interesting. Julian Smith and Macquire McDuff tied for fifth in 42.07. A swimoff is required to separate Jere Hribar of LSU and Georgia’s Dillon Downing, tied for eighth in 42.16.
Event 39 Men 100 Yard Freestyle
==================================================================
NCAA: N 39.90 3/24/2018 Caeleb Dressel, Florida
SEC: S 39.90 3/24/2018 Caeleb Dressel, Florida
SEC Meet: M 40.87 2018 Caeleb Dressel, Florida
Pool: P 41.55 2/21/2009 Matt Targett, Auburn
Name Year School Seed Prelims
==================================================================
=== Preliminaries ===
1 Liendo, Josh SO FLOR-FL 40.90 40.95P
r:+0.60 9.35 19.81 (10.46)
30.41 (10.60) 40.95 (10.54)
2 Crooks, Jordan J SO Tennessee-SE 41.03 41.06
r:+0.59 9.15 19.51 (10.36)
30.36 (10.85) 41.06 (10.70)
3 Santos, Guilherme C Tennessee-SE 41.66 41.46
r:+0.59 9.34 19.93 (10.59)
30.67 (10.74) 41.46 (10.79)
4 Branzell, Reese JR UGA-GA 41.92 41.71
r:+0.66 9.43 19.75 (10.32)
30.69 (10.94) 41.71 (11.02)
5 Smith, Julian JR FLOR-FL 42.24 42.07
r:+0.63 9.53 20.21 (10.68)
31.18 (10.97) 42.07 (10.89)
5 McDuff, Macguire V JR FLOR-FL 41.85 42.07
r:+0.62 9.28 19.80 (10.52)
30.83 (11.03) 42.07 (11.24)
7 Tirheimer, Logan B SR Auburn-SE 43.24 42.10
r:+0.62 9.39 19.85 (10.46)
30.98 (11.13) 42.10 (11.12)
8 Hribar, Jere FR LSU-LA 42.97 42.16
r:+0.74 9.40 20.12 (10.72)
31.26 (11.14) 42.16 (10.90)
8 Downing, Dillon GS UGA-GA 43.08 42.16
r:+0.63 9.34 19.90 (10.56)
30.95 (11.05) 42.16 (11.21)
Swim-Off Required ----------------------------------------------
Women’s 200 breaststroke
Fresh off a third gold medal in the 100 breast, Mona McSharry is chasing her second straight breaststroke double. She may not have much of a push for it after going a season-best 2:05.62 in prelims, a second quicker than her seed time and nearly there seconds clear of second-place Zoie Hartman of Georgia.
Emilie Fast, the runner-up in the 100, was third in 2:08.72. Alessia Ferraguti of Arkansas and Avery Wiseman of Alabama were the only other swimmers to break 2:10.
Event 40 Women 200 Yard Breaststroke
==================================================================
NCAA: N 2:01.29 3/18/2023 Kate Douglass, Virginia
SEC: S 2:03.26 3/17/2018 Bethany Galat, Texas A&M
SEC Meet: M 2:04.62 2018 Sydney Pickrem, Texas A&M
Pool: P 2:04.76 3/17/2012 Caitlin Leverenz, California
Name Year School Seed Prelims
==================================================================
=== Preliminaries ===
1 McSharry, Mona L JR Tennessee-SE 2:06.63 2:05.62
r:+0.74 28.52 59.82 (31.30)
1:31.71 (31.89) 2:05.62 (33.91)
2 Hartman, Zoie E GS UGA-GA 2:07.12 2:08.54
r:+0.73 29.06 1:01.51 (32.45)
1:34.79 (33.28) 2:08.54 (33.75)
3 Fast, Emelie Tennessee-SE 2:09.28 2:08.72
r:+0.70 28.82 1:01.26 (32.44)
1:34.71 (33.45) 2:08.72 (34.01)
4 Ferraguti, Alessia SR Arkansas-AR 2:07.53 2:09.11
r:+0.66 29.00 1:01.71 (32.71)
1:35.39 (33.68) 2:09.11 (33.72)
5 Wiseman, Avery JR BAMA-SE 2:08.22 2:09.22
r:+0.69 29.10 1:01.94 (32.84)
1:35.25 (33.31) 2:09.22 (33.97)
6 Goettler, Laura B SR South Carolina-S 2:11.71 2:10.42
r:+0.68 29.97 1:02.72 (32.75)
1:36.24 (33.52) 2:10.42 (34.18)
7 Mayne, Molly FR FLOR-FL 2:07.72 2:10.53
r:+0.67 28.79 1:01.56 (32.77)
1:35.43 (33.87) 2:10.53 (35.10)
8 Fisher, Jocelyn GS BAMA-SE 2:10.05 2:10.76
r:+0.65 29.28 1:01.93 (32.65)
1:35.81 (33.88) 2:10.76 (34.95)
Men’s 200 breaststroke
Alex Sanchez is poised to add another chapter to a stellar meet, the Texas A&M senior going 1:51.18 to set a pool record in the 200 breast and secure the top seed. It’s only .05 behind his in-season time, and it downs the pool record set in 2015 by Nic Fink.
The Aggies took the top three seeds in prelims, with double IM champ Baylor Nelson lopping eight seconds off his seed time to 1:52.57. It’s his lifetime best by 1.4 seconds. Vincent Ribeiro is third in 1:53.68.
But … not to rain on the TAMU party but Aleksas Savickas is lurking. The Florida sophomore won the 100 breast and set the meet record last year in 1:50.08. He’s been 1:51.57 this season. He went 1:54.05 to take the fourth seed in prelims.
Event 41 Men 200 Yard Breaststroke
==================================================================
NCAA: N 1:46.91 3/24/2023 Leon Marchand, Arizona State
SEC: S 1:50.08 2/20/2023 Aleksas Savickas, Florida
SEC Meet: M 1:50.08 2023 Aleksas Savickas, Florida
Pool: P 1:51.58 2/21/2015 Nic Fink, Georgia
Name Year School Seed Prelims
==================================================================
=== Preliminaries ===
1 Sanchez, Alex R SR Texas A&M-GU 1:51.13 1:51.18P
r:+0.68 24.90 53.04 (28.14)
1:21.69 (28.65) 1:51.18 (29.49)
2 Nelson, Baylor M SO Texas A&M-GU 2:00.40 1:52.57
r:+0.61 25.33 53.70 (28.37)
1:22.66 (28.96) 1:52.57 (29.91)
3 Ribeiro, Vincent M SR Texas A&M-GU 1:54.16 1:53.68
r:+0.61 25.63 54.11 (28.48)
1:23.39 (29.28) 1:53.68 (30.29)
4 Savickas, Aleksas SO FLOR-FL 1:51.57 1:54.05
r:+0.66 25.45 53.86 (28.41)
1:23.44 (29.58) 1:54.05 (30.61)
5 Goodwin, Will A SR Missouri-MV 1:54.01 1:54.37
r:+0.56 25.73 54.43 (28.70)
1:23.90 (29.47) 1:54.37 (30.47)
6 Bretzmann, Peter R JR FLOR-FL 1:54.77 1:54.45
r:+0.68 25.77 54.64 (28.87)
1:24.26 (29.62) 1:54.45 (30.19)
7 Rathle, Jacques L JR Auburn-SE 1:56.20 1:55.19
r:+0.62 25.61 54.67 (29.06)
1:24.60 (29.93) 1:55.19 (30.59)
8 Flores, Alejandro M SR Auburn-SE 1:57.21 1:55.27
r:+0.61 25.60 54.49 (28.89)
1:24.43 (29.94) 1:55.27 (30.84)
