{"id":625571,"date":"2025-10-31T17:59:53","date_gmt":"2025-11-01T00:59:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.swimmingworldmagazine.com\/news\/?p=625571"},"modified":"2025-10-31T17:59:53","modified_gmt":"2025-11-01T00:59:53","slug":"josh-liendo-anita-bottazzo-brilliant-in-floridas-sweep-of-georgia","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.swimmingworldmagazine.com\/news\/josh-liendo-anita-bottazzo-brilliant-in-floridas-sweep-of-georgia\/","title":{"rendered":"Josh Liendo, Anita Bottazzo Brilliant in Florida’s Sweep of Georgia"},"content":{"rendered":"

Josh Liendo, Anita Bottazzo Brilliant in Florida’s Sweep of Georgia<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Florida Gators welcomed SEC rival Georgia to town over the past two days and secured a pair of dual-meet victories.\u00a0Josh Liendo<\/strong> returned to Gainesville to lead his team to a 191-154 victory while\u00a0Anita Bottazzo<\/strong> was key in the Florida women winning 194-145.<\/p>\n

Days after a brilliant performance at the final stop of the World Cup in Toronto, which included a short course meters world record in the 100 butterfly<\/a>, Liendo had three individual wins against the Bulldogs. During Thursday’s session, Liendo won the 50 fly in 19.69 before clocking 18.68 for the win in the 50 free. A day later, he ripped a rare sub-44 performance in the 100 fly, clocking 43.87 to top the field by more than one-and-a-half seconds.<\/p>\n

Ahmed Jaouadi<\/strong>, the freshman from Tunisia who won world titles in the 800 and 1500-meter races this year, crushed the field in the 1000 free in 8:36.65. He later swam a time of 4:15.82 to win the 500 free by almost three seconds.<\/p>\n

Backstroke star\u00a0Jonny Marshall<\/strong>, the runnerup in the 100-yard event at last year’s NCAA Championships, went 21.24 to win the 50 back. At the start of Friday’s session, Marshall led off the Gators’ 200 medley relay that also included\u00a0Aleksas Savickas<\/strong>, Liendo and\u00a0Alex Painter<\/strong>. The team claimed first in 1:24.43. Devin Dilger<\/strong> took first in the 100 free (43.02) while\u00a0Aiden Norman<\/strong> swam the fastest time in the 200 back (1:42.70).<\/p>\n

In diving, the Gator men had wins from Conor Gesing<\/strong> on 1-meter (373.73) and\u00a0Jesus Agundez Mora<\/strong> on 3-meter (369.38). The team of\u00a0Scotty Buff<\/strong>, Digler, Painter and Liendo put up a time of 1:17.28 for the win in the 200 free relay.<\/p>\n

Georgia’s\u00a0Elliot Woodburn<\/strong> took first in the 50 breaststroke (24.00) Thursday and returned Friday to win both the 100 breast (52.08) and 200 breast (1:56.35). Tomas Koski<\/strong> grabbed first in the 200 free in 1:32.92 while Ruard Van Renen<\/strong> topped the 100 back in 45.62, well ahead of Florida’s Marshall (46.38). Drew Hitchcock<\/strong> grabbed the top spot in the 200 fly (1:43.00) as well as the 400 IM (3:45.73).<\/p>\n