Kieran Smith Blasts New American Record With 4:06 500 at SECs (RACE VIDEO)

Photo Courtesy: Connor Trimble

Nearly 24 hours after nearly breaking 1:30 in the 200 freestyle, Florida sophomore Kieran Smith absolutely demolished the record books in the 500 freestyle, scorching a 4:06.32. The time lowered the NCAA record set last season by Townley Haas of Texas (4:08.19) and also took down Zane Grothe’s American record of 4:07.25 set in December 2017.

Smith finished ahead of Texas A&M junior Mark Theall (4:10.77) and Florida teammate Bobby Finke (4:10.86).

Kieran Smith led from start to finish and used an incredible last three 50’s to get under the American record. His win marks the first for Florida in the 500 at SECs since Pawel Werner in 2016.

This was the second record set on Wednesday night at the 2020 SEC Swimming and Diving Championships in Auburn as Arkansas’ Anna Hopkin swam the fastest 50 freestyle relay split earlier in the night in the 200 freestyle relay.

Georgia’s Walker Higgins (4:13.98), Florida’s Khader Baqlah (4:15.86), Georgia’s Andrew Abruzzo (4:17.04), Georgia’s Greg Reed (4:18.88) and Alabama’s Nico Hernandez-Tome (4:19.47) also competed in the championship final.

Kieran Smith will be in the 400 IM on Thursday morning and his third event has not yet been determined. He is entered in the 200 butterfly, 200 backstroke and 100 freestyle and will have to choose one of those events. He is in his sophomore year at Florida and swam the 200 IM, 400 IM and 200 back at last year’s NCAA Championships. He reached the final in both IMs last year, finishing seventh in the 400 and eighth in the 200.

Former record holder Zane Grothe has already reacted to the news of his record getting broken.

That was awesome

— Zane Grothe (@zane_growth_ee) February 20, 2020

American Record Progression – Men’s 500 Freestyle

4:06.32, Kieran Smith (2020)
4:07.25, Zane Grothe (2017)
4:08.42, Clark Smith (2017)
4:08.54, Peter Vanderkaay (2008)
4:08.60, Peter Vanderkaay (2006)
4:08.75, Tom Dolan (1995)
4:11.59, Chad Carvin (1994)
4:13.06, Mike O’Brien (1985)
4:14.85, Matt Cetlinski (1985)
4:15.36, George DiCarlo (1984)

 Event 10  Men 500 Yard Freestyle
=========================================================================
         NCAA: N 4:08.19  3/28/2019 Townley Haas, Texas
     SEC Meet: S 4:10.51  2/15/2018 Fynn Minuth, South Carolina
         Pool: P 4:10.77  2/18/2015 Mitch D'Arrigo, Florida
                 4:11.82  A
                 4:23.34  B
    Name           Year School            Prelims     Finals       Points 
=========================================================================
                            === A - Final ===                            
 
  1 Smith, Kieran S  SO FLOR              4:14.55    4:06.32NA       32  
    r:+0.68  22.45        47.28 (24.83)
        1:12.07 (24.79)     1:37.08 (25.01)
        2:02.25 (25.17)     2:27.35 (25.10)
        2:52.40 (25.05)     3:17.25 (24.85)
        3:42.19 (24.94)     4:06.32 (24.13)
  2 Theall, Mark J   JR Texas A&M         4:13.98    4:10.77PA       28  
    r:+0.66  22.68        47.21 (24.53)
        1:12.30 (25.09)     1:37.63 (25.33)
        2:03.16 (25.53)     2:28.93 (25.77)
        2:54.72 (25.79)     3:20.25 (25.53)
        3:45.76 (25.51)     4:10.77 (25.01)
  3 Finke, Bobby C   SO FLOR              4:13.74    4:10.86 A       27  
    r:+0.72  22.88        47.74 (24.86)
        1:12.95 (25.21)     1:38.28 (25.33)
        2:03.79 (25.51)     2:29.31 (25.52)
        2:54.98 (25.67)     3:20.61 (25.63)
        3:46.36 (25.75)     4:10.86 (24.50)
  4 Higgins, Walker  SR Georgia           4:13.66    4:13.98 B       26  
    r:+0.67  22.37        47.10 (24.73)
        1:12.54 (25.44)     1:38.19 (25.65)
        2:04.04 (25.85)     2:29.86 (25.82)
        2:55.88 (26.02)     3:22.05 (26.17)
        3:48.26 (26.21)     4:13.98 (25.72)
  5 Baqlah, Khader   SR FLOR              4:15.56    4:15.86 B       25  
    r:+0.70  23.00        48.05 (25.05)
        1:13.30 (25.25)     1:38.72 (25.42)
        2:04.75 (26.03)     2:30.32 (25.57)
        2:56.36 (26.04)     3:23.07 (26.71)
        3:49.72 (26.65)     4:15.86 (26.14)
  6 Abruzzo, Andrew  SO Georgia           4:15.03    4:17.04 B       24  
    r:+0.76  23.32        48.62 (25.30)
        1:14.49 (25.87)     1:40.52 (26.03)
        2:06.84 (26.32)     2:33.16 (26.32)
        2:59.64 (26.48)     3:25.74 (26.10)
        3:51.91 (26.17)     4:17.04 (25.13)
  7 Reed, Greg C     JR Georgia           4:16.79    4:18.88 B       23  
    r:+0.66  23.42        49.13 (25.71)
        1:15.08 (25.95)     1:41.40 (26.32)
        2:07.77 (26.37)     2:34.43 (26.66)
        3:00.77 (26.34)     3:27.25 (26.48)
        3:53.32 (26.07)     4:18.88 (25.56)
  8 Hernandez-Tome,  SO Alabama           4:17.64    4:19.47 B       22  
    r:+0.67  23.41        48.90 (25.49)
        1:14.87 (25.97)     1:41.09 (26.22)
        2:07.56 (26.47)     2:33.80 (26.24)
        3:00.33 (26.53)     3:27.24 (26.91)
        3:53.72 (26.48)     4:19.47 (25.75)

 Men - Team Rankings - Through Event 10                  
 
  1. University of Florida             282   
  2. Texas A&M University              271
  3. Georgia, University of            263   
  4. Tennessee, University of, Knox    241
  5. Kentucky, University of           206   
  6. University of Alabama             205
  7. Auburn University                 179   
  7. Missouri                          179
  9. Louisiana State University        167  
 10. South Carolina, University of,    161