The 2017 SEC Swimming and Diving Championships splashed in to action yesterday with the 200 medley relay, 800 free relay, and 1-meter diving.
Caeleb Dressel, a junior on the Florida Gators men’s team, produced the highlight of the night when he blasted to a 17.90 50 free split in the men’s 200 medley relay. Dressel rocketed the Gators to a first place finish and new SEC record of 1:23.44.
Florida is in lane two (near the top of the screen) in the video below.
Watch Race Video here (video courtesy of Texas A&M):
Original SEC report by Dan D’Addona
The first night of the SEC Championships is usually low key.
Diving and a couple of relays open the meet as most of the athletes prepare for the rest of the week.
Florida’s Caeleb Dressel made sure there were some fireworks on the first night, anchoring the 200-yard medley relay in 17.90. The anchor teamed with Jack Blyzinskyj, Chandler Bray and Jan Switkowski to win the relay in 1:23.44, an SEC record.
Dressel’s split marked just the second time any man had split under 18 on a relay after Vlad Morozov posted a 17.86 in 2013. Of course, Dressel has plenty more chances to get to or better that mark this season.
The Gators barely held off Alabama’s Connor Oslin, Pavel Romanov, Luke Kaliszak and Zane Waddell (1:23.52), which also was under the previous meet record set in 2009.
Florida made it two-for-two on relay wins as Khader Baqlah, Maxime Rooney, Mitch D’Arrigo and Mark Szaranek won the 800 free relay in 6:12.18, breaking the SEC meet record and the pool record.
Auburn finished four seconds behind.
Tennessee’s Liam Stone won 1-meter diving with 420.70 points.
In the women’s meet, the defending national champion Georgia Bulldogs got off to a fast start with Olivia Smoliga, Emily Cameron, Chelsea Britt and Chantal Van Landeghem winning the 200 medley relay in 1:35.28, a pool record at Tennessee.
Texas A&M was second (1:35.33), followed by Tennessee (1:35.45).
Texas A&M’s Sarah Gibson, Sydney Pickrem, Katie Portz and Claire Rasmus won the 800 free relay in 6:57.90 — two seconds ahead of Kentucky.
John Carlton Rich this is so nasty lol
Hes gonna do that from a flat start before too long.
Bro he beat them bc he had to. That was pure racing. Incredible.
He could have gone faster I think lol
Peter Bachour holy molly 😮 he’s fast
Insane!!!
Gasp!
Crazy! That’s unhuman like!
Yikes!
That’s blazing quick!
I wish he was on our team.
WOW!
? hm
Jean-Luc Diggins you next year?
This year?
Jean-Luc Diggins snags it is
James Seward, crazy huh!?!
Nick Lucash
Paul Zeng
Thank you thank you
Kyle Younker
Nolan Pelger
Gabriela Cuzzi Fernandes
Kayla King
not to be picky but the Gators didn’t “hold off” Alabama, they ran them down.
Plus he was .21 slow off the blocks. Could have been a 17.7
What a race! Go Gators!
Wow!!!
Those new suits are really helping. ??♂️
Max Costley unreal speed martin
Flyingggg
Marco Gonzalez crazy bro
Murron Seamus
Rubén Giménez
And I can’t even hit a 29 off a dive in practice right now….
Amijo Bearley he has that foot up in the air on his dive like Chase!
I saw that.. maybe it’s a sign?
Swimming before they hit the water.
He’s the man !! Love him !
Daphne Hallenbeck-Colbert
Anders Gauhl Birkbak Mads Bjerre Knoblauch Se lige løbet fra start til slut. Helt latterligt!
Wow !
https://youtu.be/cd6gUg1dWG4
#insanity, #nothuman
All in about 25 total strokes.
OMG!
Matheus Fernandez Amorim
David ????
Sally Benjamin Louis
And i thought going under 27 was hard?
cant even break 23
Wow
Wow
WOW ?
I witnessed Joe Bottom break 20 seconds in the 50 yard free at Cleveland State Natatorium in the late 70s. It was electric. Just like watching this swim. How exciting.
Ciana Sather Elliott Lewis Gary Dodd holy shit
Shane Kelly
good grief what a swim