SEC Championships, Day 5 Prelims: Josh Liendo Sets Sprint Showdown

From left, Gui Caribe, Jordan Crooks and Josh Liendo in the 50 free podium; Photo Courtesy: Luke Allen/Auburn Tigers

Left Sidebar

SEC Championships, Day 5 Prelims: Josh Liendo Sets Sprint Showdown

Little has been quite as enjoyable at the SEC Championships the last few years as the men’s sprint events. Another doozy should be on tap Saturday night.

Josh Liendo set the pace (and a pool record) of 40.95 seconds on Saturday morning at Auburn University, leading what should be a packed field for the men’s 100 freestyle.

He’s only .11 seconds ahead of Jordan Crooks, and Crooks’ Tennessee teammate Gui Caribe is in the midst of a great meet. An A final that featured two ties promises to have plenty of action later on.

All the morning swims from the James E. Martin Aquatic Center on the final day of prelims:

Women’s 200 backstroke

Let’s just quickly reset the meet for Bella Sims. Win and an SEC record in the 200 butterfly. SEC record in the 200 freestyle. Win in the 200 individual medley.

Add the top time in the 200 back to the pile, Sims going a season-best 1:50.78. She’s a half-second up on the field, with Josephine Fuller of Tennessee second in 1:51.36. Miranda Grana of Texas A&M finished fourth in 1:51.69. South Carolina’s Amy Riordan and Kentucky’s Grace Frericks are also in the A final.

Any doubt about the team race – Florida entered 214 points up on Tennessee – should be dispelled by the Gators pushing three into the A final. Catherine Choate is sixth, Jo Jo Ramey seventh.

Event 36  Women 200 Yard Backstroke
==================================================================
         NCAA: N 1:47.24  3/23/2019 Beata Nelson, Wisconsin
          SEC: S 1:48.06  2/22/2020 Ryan White, Alabama
     SEC Meet: M 1:48.06  2020      Rhyan White, Alabama
         Pool: P 1:48.06  2/22/2020 Rhyan White, Alabama
    Name                 Year School               Seed    Prelims        
==================================================================
                      === Preliminaries ===                       
 
  1 Sims, Bella G          FR FLOR-FL           1:51.15    1:50.78  
    r:+0.56  25.57        53.19 (27.62)
        1:21.90 (28.71)     1:50.78 (28.88)
  2 Fuller, Josephine A    SO Tennessee-SE      1:53.97    1:51.36  
    r:+0.71  25.98        54.12 (28.14)
        1:22.98 (28.86)     1:51.36 (28.38)
  3 Grana, Miranda P       FR Texas A&M-GU      1:53.30    1:51.69  
    r:+0.65  26.59        54.68 (28.09)
        1:23.00 (28.32)     1:51.69 (28.69)
  4 Riordan, Amy L         SO South Carolina-S  1:54.45    1:52.85  
    r:+0.65  26.75        55.40 (28.65)
        1:24.10 (28.70)     1:52.85 (28.75)
  5 Frericks, Grace M      SO UK Wildcats-KY    1:53.77    1:52.97  
    r:+0.60  26.18        54.35 (28.17)
        1:23.32 (28.97)     1:52.97 (29.65)
  6 Choate, Catherine G    FR FLOR-FL           1:51.94    1:53.18  
    r:+0.62  26.18        54.27 (28.09)
        1:23.40 (29.13)     1:53.18 (29.78)
  7 Ramey, Jo Jo M         FR FLOR-FL           1:54.60    1:53.62  
    r:+0.61  26.59        55.20 (28.61)
        1:24.28 (29.08)     1:53.62 (29.34)
  8 Barzelay, Aviv         JR Texas A&M-GU      1:53.33    1:53.95  
    r:+0.57  27.23        56.31 (29.08)
        1:25.26 (28.95)     1:53.95 (28.69)

Men’s 200 backstroke

Bradley Dunham grabbed the top seed out of prelims, but he’s one of three swimmers clustered within a half-second. The Georgia grad student went 1:38.46 to lead the way. He’s .11 up on Florida’s fab freshman Jonny Marshall. Aidan Stoffle of Auburn went 1:38.85 to grab the third seed, a half-second up on his brother Nathaniel Stoffle.

Georgia has four in the A final, with Ruard van Renen fifth and Ian Grum sixth.

Event 37  Men 200 Yard Backstroke
==================================================================
         NCAA: N 1:35.73  3/26/2016 Ryan Murphy, California
          SEC: S 1:35.75  3/27/2021 Shaine Casas, Texas A&M
     SEC Meet: M 1:36.85  2021      Shaine Casas, Texas A&M
         Pool: P 1:37.20  2/22/2020 Shaine Casa, Texas A&M
    Name                 Year School               Seed    Prelims        
==================================================================
                      === Preliminaries ===                       
 
  1 Dunham, Bradley        GS UGA-GA            1:38.80    1:38.46  
    r:+0.66  23.32        48.01 (24.69)
        1:13.24 (25.23)     1:38.46 (25.22)
  2 Marshall, Jonny C      FR FLOR-FL           1:38.52    1:38.57  
    r:+0.63  22.54        47.22 (24.68)
        1:12.52 (25.30)     1:38.57 (26.05)
  3 Stoffle, Aidan F       GS Auburn-SE         1:38.57    1:38.85  
    r:+0.72  24.00        48.78 (24.78)
        1:13.47 (24.69)     1:38.85 (25.38)
  4 Stoffle, Nathaniel L   JR Auburn-SE         1:39.01    1:39.41  
    r:+0.59  23.23        48.51 (25.28)
        1:13.92 (25.41)     1:39.41 (25.49)
  5 Van Renen, Ruard       SO UGA-GA            1:41.92    1:39.54  
    r:+0.57  23.07        48.59 (25.52)
        1:14.00 (25.41)     1:39.54 (25.54)
  6 Grum, Ian P            GS UGA-GA            1:38.88    1:40.09  
    r:+0.58  23.33        48.18 (24.85)
        1:13.94 (25.76)     1:40.09 (26.15)
  7 Hagar, Tommy E         FR BAMA-SE           1:41.65    1:40.20  
    r:+0.61  23.79        48.98 (25.19)
        1:14.19 (25.21)     1:40.20 (26.01)
  8 Powe, Sam P            SO UGA-GA            1:39.96    1:40.32  
    r:+0.52  23.61        49.02 (25.41)
        1:14.63 (25.61)     1:40.32 (25.69)

Women’s 100 freestyle

Camille Spink was the class of prelims, a season-best 47.11 for the Tennessee swimmer. She was well ahead of Micayla Cronk of Florida, who entered with the only other 47-second time of the season and went 47.89. Brooklyn Douthwright and Chloe Stepanek tied for third in 47.97.

Event 38  Women 100 Yard Freestyle
==================================================================
         NCAA: N 45.56  3/19/2017 Simone Manuel, Stanford
          SEC: S 45.83  2/22/2020 Erika Brown, Tennessee
     SEC Meet: M 45.83  2020      Erika Brown, Tennessee
         Pool: P 45.83  2/22/2020 Erika Brown, Tennessee
    Name                 Year School               Seed    Prelims        
==================================================================
                      === Preliminaries ===                       
 
  1 Spink, Camille            Tennessee-SE        47.28      47.11  
    r:+0.68  10.63        22.44 (11.81)
          34.82 (12.38)       47.11 (12.29)
  2 Cronk, Micayla M       JR FLOR-FL             47.77      47.89  
    r:+0.65  10.92        22.90 (11.98)
          35.40 (12.50)       47.89 (12.49)
  3 Douthwright, Brooklyn     Tennessee-SE        48.46      47.97  
    r:+0.62  11.08        23.32 (12.24)
          35.77 (12.45)       47.97 (12.20)
  3 Stepanek, Chloe M      SR Texas A&M-GU        48.03      47.97  
    r:+0.68  10.87        23.04 (12.17)
          35.50 (12.46)       47.97 (12.47)
  5 Jones, Helena P        FR UGA-GA              48.27      48.33  
    r:+0.73  11.12        23.22 (12.10)
          35.76 (12.54)       48.33 (12.57)
  6 Petkova, Diana         SR BAMA-SE             49.00      48.47  
    r:+0.69  11.00        23.20 (12.20)
          35.67 (12.47)       48.47 (12.80)
  7 Smith, Sierra          SR Missouri-MV         48.98      48.52  
    r:+0.63  11.07        23.43 (12.36)
          36.01 (12.58)       48.52 (12.51)
  8 Nevmovenko, Polina     JR Auburn-SE           48.35      48.60  
    r:+0.68  11.40        23.58 (12.18)
          36.00 (12.42)       48.60 (12.60)

Men’s 100 freestyle

The stage is set. Josh Liendo led the way in prelims at 40.95 seconds for Florida. Jordan Crooks went 41.06 for the second seed. Gui Caribe is third at 41.46. The meet record of 40.87 set by Caeleb Dressel is the carrot for the night session. Liendo took down Matt Targett’s super-suited pool record of 41.55 from 2009, though each of the top three were under it.

Reese Branzell is the top American in 41.71 for Georgia. That’s when things get interesting. Julian Smith and Macquire McDuff tied for fifth in 42.07. A swimoff is required to separate Jere Hribar of LSU and Georgia’s Dillon Downing, tied for eighth in 42.16.

Event 39  Men 100 Yard Freestyle
==================================================================
         NCAA: N 39.90  3/24/2018 Caeleb Dressel, Florida
          SEC: S 39.90  3/24/2018 Caeleb Dressel, Florida
     SEC Meet: M 40.87  2018      Caeleb Dressel, Florida
         Pool: P 41.55  2/21/2009 Matt Targett, Auburn
    Name                 Year School               Seed    Prelims        
==================================================================
                      === Preliminaries ===                       
 
  1 Liendo, Josh           SO FLOR-FL             40.90      40.95P 
     r:+0.60  9.35        19.81 (10.46)
          30.41 (10.60)       40.95 (10.54)
  2 Crooks, Jordan J       SO Tennessee-SE        41.03      41.06  
     r:+0.59  9.15        19.51 (10.36)
          30.36 (10.85)       41.06 (10.70)
  3 Santos, Guilherme C       Tennessee-SE        41.66      41.46  
     r:+0.59  9.34        19.93 (10.59)
          30.67 (10.74)       41.46 (10.79)
  4 Branzell, Reese        JR UGA-GA              41.92      41.71  
     r:+0.66  9.43        19.75 (10.32)
          30.69 (10.94)       41.71 (11.02)
  5 Smith, Julian          JR FLOR-FL             42.24      42.07  
     r:+0.63  9.53        20.21 (10.68)
          31.18 (10.97)       42.07 (10.89)
  5 McDuff, Macguire V     JR FLOR-FL             41.85      42.07  
     r:+0.62  9.28        19.80 (10.52)
          30.83 (11.03)       42.07 (11.24)
  7 Tirheimer, Logan B     SR Auburn-SE           43.24      42.10  
     r:+0.62  9.39        19.85 (10.46)
          30.98 (11.13)       42.10 (11.12)
  8 Hribar, Jere           FR LSU-LA              42.97      42.16  
     r:+0.74  9.40        20.12 (10.72)
          31.26 (11.14)       42.16 (10.90)
  8 Downing, Dillon        GS UGA-GA              43.08      42.16  
     r:+0.63  9.34        19.90 (10.56)
          30.95 (11.05)       42.16 (11.21)
 Swim-Off Required ----------------------------------------------

Women’s 200 breaststroke

Fresh off a third gold medal in the 100 breast, Mona McSharry is chasing her second straight breaststroke double. She may not have much of a push for it after going a season-best 2:05.62 in prelims, a second quicker than her seed time and nearly there seconds clear of second-place Zoie Hartman of Georgia.

Emilie Fast, the runner-up in the 100, was third in 2:08.72. Alessia Ferraguti of Arkansas and Avery Wiseman of Alabama were the only other swimmers to break 2:10.

 Event 40  Women 200 Yard Breaststroke
==================================================================
         NCAA: N 2:01.29  3/18/2023 Kate Douglass, Virginia
          SEC: S 2:03.26  3/17/2018 Bethany Galat, Texas A&M
     SEC Meet: M 2:04.62  2018      Sydney Pickrem, Texas A&M
         Pool: P 2:04.76  3/17/2012 Caitlin Leverenz, California
    Name                 Year School               Seed    Prelims        
==================================================================
                      === Preliminaries ===                       
 
  1 McSharry, Mona L       JR Tennessee-SE      2:06.63    2:05.62  
    r:+0.74  28.52        59.82 (31.30)
        1:31.71 (31.89)     2:05.62 (33.91)
  2 Hartman, Zoie E        GS UGA-GA            2:07.12    2:08.54  
    r:+0.73  29.06      1:01.51 (32.45)
        1:34.79 (33.28)     2:08.54 (33.75)
  3 Fast, Emelie              Tennessee-SE      2:09.28    2:08.72  
    r:+0.70  28.82      1:01.26 (32.44)
        1:34.71 (33.45)     2:08.72 (34.01)
  4 Ferraguti, Alessia     SR Arkansas-AR       2:07.53    2:09.11  
    r:+0.66  29.00      1:01.71 (32.71)
        1:35.39 (33.68)     2:09.11 (33.72)
  5 Wiseman, Avery         JR BAMA-SE           2:08.22    2:09.22  
    r:+0.69  29.10      1:01.94 (32.84)
        1:35.25 (33.31)     2:09.22 (33.97)
  6 Goettler, Laura B      SR South Carolina-S  2:11.71    2:10.42  
    r:+0.68  29.97      1:02.72 (32.75)
        1:36.24 (33.52)     2:10.42 (34.18)
  7 Mayne, Molly           FR FLOR-FL           2:07.72    2:10.53  
    r:+0.67  28.79      1:01.56 (32.77)
        1:35.43 (33.87)     2:10.53 (35.10)
  8 Fisher, Jocelyn        GS BAMA-SE           2:10.05    2:10.76  
    r:+0.65  29.28      1:01.93 (32.65)
        1:35.81 (33.88)     2:10.76 (34.95)

Men’s 200 breaststroke

Alex Sanchez is poised to add another chapter to a stellar meet, the Texas A&M senior going 1:51.18 to set a pool record in the 200 breast and secure the top seed. It’s only .05 behind his in-season time, and it downs the pool record set in 2015 by Nic Fink.

The Aggies took the top three seeds in prelims, with double IM champ Baylor Nelson lopping eight seconds off his seed time to 1:52.57. It’s his lifetime best by 1.4 seconds. Vincent Ribeiro is third in 1:53.68.

But … not to rain on the TAMU party but Aleksas Savickas is lurking. The Florida sophomore won the 100 breast and set the meet record last year in 1:50.08. He’s been 1:51.57 this season. He went 1:54.05 to take the fourth seed in prelims.

Event 41  Men 200 Yard Breaststroke
==================================================================
         NCAA: N 1:46.91  3/24/2023 Leon Marchand, Arizona State
          SEC: S 1:50.08  2/20/2023 Aleksas Savickas, Florida
     SEC Meet: M 1:50.08  2023      Aleksas Savickas, Florida
         Pool: P 1:51.58  2/21/2015 Nic Fink, Georgia
    Name                 Year School               Seed    Prelims        
==================================================================
                      === Preliminaries ===                       
 
  1 Sanchez, Alex R        SR Texas A&M-GU      1:51.13    1:51.18P 
    r:+0.68  24.90        53.04 (28.14)
        1:21.69 (28.65)     1:51.18 (29.49)
  2 Nelson, Baylor M       SO Texas A&M-GU      2:00.40    1:52.57  
    r:+0.61  25.33        53.70 (28.37)
        1:22.66 (28.96)     1:52.57 (29.91)
  3 Ribeiro, Vincent M     SR Texas A&M-GU      1:54.16    1:53.68  
    r:+0.61  25.63        54.11 (28.48)
        1:23.39 (29.28)     1:53.68 (30.29)
  4 Savickas, Aleksas      SO FLOR-FL           1:51.57    1:54.05  
    r:+0.66  25.45        53.86 (28.41)
        1:23.44 (29.58)     1:54.05 (30.61)
  5 Goodwin, Will A        SR Missouri-MV       1:54.01    1:54.37  
    r:+0.56  25.73        54.43 (28.70)
        1:23.90 (29.47)     1:54.37 (30.47)
  6 Bretzmann, Peter R     JR FLOR-FL           1:54.77    1:54.45  
    r:+0.68  25.77        54.64 (28.87)
        1:24.26 (29.62)     1:54.45 (30.19)
  7 Rathle, Jacques L      JR Auburn-SE         1:56.20    1:55.19  
    r:+0.62  25.61        54.67 (29.06)
        1:24.60 (29.93)     1:55.19 (30.59)
  8 Flores, Alejandro M    SR Auburn-SE         1:57.21    1:55.27  
    r:+0.61  25.60        54.49 (28.89)
        1:24.43 (29.94)     1:55.27 (30.84)
Subscribe
Notify of
guest

Welcome to our community. We invite you to join our discussion. Our community guidelines are simple: be respectful and constructive, keep on topic, and support your fellow commenters. Commenting signifies that you agree to our Terms of Use

0 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
0
Would love your thoughts, please comment.x
()
x