Tennessee Invitational: Jordan Crooks Moves to Third All-Time in 100 Free, Swims Fastest Relay Split Ever
Not long after Claire Curzan swam the fastest-time ever in the women’s 200 backstroke, Tennessee’s Jordan Crooks made a run at another all-time best in the men’s 100 freestyle. The accomplished sprinter, who is the second-fastest man ever in the 50-yard free, put forth a time of 40.26 in the 100 free to come within four tenths of the all-time mark posted in March 2018 by Caeleb Dressel.
Crooks was out in 19.13 and back in 21.13 on the way to a time of 40.26, taking 13-hundredths off his previous best time of 40.39 posted at last season’s NCAA Championships. Crooks jumped Leon Marchand to become the third-fastest man ever in the event, behind only Dressel and Josh Liendo.
In the process, Crooks easily beat out teammate Gui Caribe, the runnerup to Liendo at the college national meet last year, with Caribe taking second in 40.85. Caribe’s best time of 40.55 ranks No. 5 all-time. Another Volunteer, Micah Chambers, was third in 42.14.
Later in the session, Crooks would get under 40 seconds, albeit on a relay. Anchoring Tennessee’s 400 free relay, he went out in 18.65 on the way to a time of 39.89, the fastest split ever recorded. Previously, Dressel split 40.15 in 2018 while Chris Guiliano went 40.17 in February. The team of Caribe, Chambers, Nikoli Blackman and Crooks combined for a time of 2:44.13, a mark which would have been good enough for second place behind Arizona State at last year’s NCAA Championships. Virginia finished four seconds back in 2:48.33.
In the men’s 200 backstroke, Virginia freshman David King touched touched out veteran teammate Jack Aikins by two hundredths, 1:39.82 to 1:39.84, with fellow Cavalier Will Thompson third in 1:42.20. Virginia also topped the 200 breaststroke as Noah Nichols clocked 1:52.96, ahead of Kentucky’s Jonathan Rom (1:54.16) and Tennessee’s Jed Garner (1:54.98).
The Vols got a 1-2 finish in the 200 butterfly, with Martin Espernberger winning in 1:39.34 and Bjoern Kammann taking second in 1:40.75, with Virginia’s Hayden Bellotti third (1:41.97). In diving, Tennessee’s Owen Redfearn topped platform with a score of 368.00, ahead of teammates Bennett Greene (343.15) and Nick Stone (326.10).
Kentucky swept the field in the men’s 1650 free, with Carson Hick beating Levi Sandidge by three seconds. Hick posted a time of 14:43.70, followed by Sandidge (14:46.97) and Chris Nagy (15:17.99).