Falemana Tuufui Lowers Kentucky Record in 50 Free in Sweep of Notre Dame
Kentucky freshman sprinter Falemana Tuufui lowered his program record in the men’s 50 freestyle as Kentucky earned a sweep of Notre Dame on Friday.
The men’s team claimed a 187-112 win in Lexington. The women’s meet was tighter, the Wildcats claiming a 158-141 decision.
Tuufui went 19.20 in the 50 free. He had taken down Peter Wetzler’s 2020 record of 19.27 already this season. The French international also won the 100 free in 42.94, a time the moves him to sixth in program history.
The Kentucky men took control early with a 1-2-3 sweep in the 100 breaststroke, led by Adomas Gatulis’ winning time of 52.59. Gatulis also won the 200 breast in 1:58.60 in another sweep. Second in both events was Eli Greinke, in the 200 getting within .11 seconds of Gatulis.
Kentucky dominated distance. Levi Sandidge won the 1,000 free and was second to teammate Carson Hick in the 500. Hick finished second in the 200 free. Javier Lopez-Guillen did the butterfly double, going 47.10 in the 100 and 1:44.07 in the 200. Second in the 200 was Ryan Merani, who won the 200 individual medley in 1:47.23. Kentucky’s Gabriel Vieira Perdigao won 3-meter diving with a score of 353.03 after Notre Dame had swept 1-meter.
Marcus Reyes-Gentry won both backstroke events for Notre Dame. Jeremy Kelly went 1:53.93 to win the 200 free. Matthew Wong led the 1-2-3 in 1-meter. Shane Eckler finished second to Tuufui in both sprint events.
Kentucky’s start to the women’s meet gave it the cushion to win. The Wildcats were on the wrong side of a Notre Dame 1-2 in the 400 medley relay, but won the next four races. Paige Housman won the 1,650 free, Katy Jost followed with a win in the 200 free, and Fernanda De Goeij won the 100 back. Sarah Shaffer followed with a win in the 100 breast.
De Goeij returned to win the 200 back, as did Shaffer in breaststroke. Jost edged Notre Dame’s Lainey Mullins by fourth tenths in the 500 free, with Housman third. De Goeij was second in the 200 IM, won by teammate Hayden Penny in 1:59.35.
Kentucky’s divers were pivotal. Kristy Pfaff led a 1-2-3 result on 3-meter diving with a score of 342.45. Pfaff was second and 3-meter runner-up Devynn Bishop was third on 1-meter, won by Avery Giese.
Notre Dame threatened to turn the meet behind its sprinters. Hollie Widdows won the 50 free with a time of 22.68, spurring a sweep. Widdows won the 100 free in 49.23 with Becky Rentz second. Rentz won the 100 fly in 53.57, just ahead of Carli Cronk, who won the 200 fly in 1:56.87 ahead of Mullins. Cronk was second in the 200 free. The Irish also won the 200 free relay to cap it.
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