Chase Kalisz Hunting For 2nd Title After Strong 200 Fly at SEC Prelims

Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick

AUBURN – The fourth day of competition at the 2015 SEC Championships featured Chase Kalisz making a bid for his second SEC title of the meet after winning the 400 IM last night.

Men’s Meet

Georgia’s Chase Kalisz, the 400 IM winner last night, turned in the top time of the morning in the 200-yard fly with a 1:42.14.  That’s a second and change back from Sebastien Rousseau’s SEC meet record of 1:41.07.

Three other swimmers also cleared the NCAA A cut in prelims with Auburn’s Hugo Morris (1:42.25), Tennessee’s Sam McHugh (1:42.27) and Georgia’s Pace Clark (1:42.54) all locking down swims at NCAAs.

It was a big event for Georgia with three making A finals as Ty Stewart also took fifth in 1:43.14.

Alabama’s Connor Oslin will be looking to add to the Tide’s SEC title already won by Kristian Gkolomeev as he clocked an NCAA A cut time of 45.47 in the 100-yard back prelims.  That’s just half-a-second off Ryan Lochte’s 2005 SEC Meet record of 45.19.

Florida had a strong event in the 100 back with Jack Blyzinskyj (45.81), Christian Homer (46.54) and Corey Main (46.62) each making the A final.

Tonight should be fun in the men’s 100-yard breast as a trio of swimmers already cleared 52 seconds en route to A cuts.

Missouri’s Sam Tierney paced prelims with a 51.79, while Georgia’s Nic Fink snared second in 51.84.  Tennessee’s Peter John Stevens, who obliterated the field in the breaststroke leg of the 200 medley relay on night one, qualified third in 51.88.

Auburn, however, might have the best overall event in terms of the team battle as Jacob Molacek (52.45), Michael Duderstadt (52.54) and Zach Warner (52.55) all made the A final.

Women’s Meet

Kentucky’s Christina Bechtel nearly blasted the SEC meet record in the 200-yard fly this morning with a 1:52.43.  That’s not far off Cammile Adams’ 1:52.19 from last year.

Georgia’s Hali Flickinger (1:53.97) and Laura Harrington (1:54.27) joined her under the NCAA A cut in prelims with UGA also getting Megan Kingsley (1:55.29) and Courtney Weaver (1:56.60) into finals as they march to the SEC team title.

A pair of 51s went up on the board during the women’s 100-yard back. Georgia’s Olivia Smoliga clocked a 51.66 to lead the way, while 100 fly victor Beryl Gastaldello of Texas A&M placed second in 51.97.  Georgia’s Kylie Stewart wound up third in 52.29.

Alabama’s Kaylin Burchell dominated prelims in the 100-yard breast with a time of 58.48.  That gave her an automatic qualifier to NCAAs, and put her in position to win the SEC title.

The A final proved to be stunningly deep as it took a sub-1:00 to make the A final.  Tennessee’s Molly Hannis qualified second in 59.38 with Arkansas’ Nikki Daniels taking third in 59.46.

Women’s platform diving prelims take place later today.
2015 SEC Swimming Championships, Live Results – Results

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