2017 SEC Championships: Day 4 Prelims Live Recap

2017 SEC SWIMMING & DIVING CHAMPIONSHIPS

• Tuesday, February 14 – Saturday, February 18
• Allan Jones Intercollegiate Aquatic Center, Knoxville, TN (Eastern Time Zone)
• Prelims 10AM / Finals 6PM
• Defending Champion: Florida men (4x), Texas A&M women (results)
• Championship Central
• Psych Sheet
• Live results
• Live Video

Day 4 prelims at the 2017 SEC Swimming and Diving Championships in Knoxville, Tennessee bring competition in the 200 fly, 100 back, 100 breast, and women’s platform diving. Texas A&M’s Sarah Gibson and Georgia’s Chelsea Britt will headline the women’s 200 fly, while Georgia’s Chase Kalisz and Pace Clark are featured in the men’s version. Missouri’s Hannah Stevens and Georgia’s Olivia Smoliga are slated to swim the women’s 100 back. On the men’s side, Alabama’s Luke Kaliszak and Connor Oslin are among the top contenders. The Missouri men will field All-Americans Michael Chadwick and defending NCAA champ Fabian Schwingenschlogl in the 100 breast, but Auburn’s defending SEC champ Michael Duderstadt will be there to challenge.

WOMEN’S 200 FLY

1. Chelsea Britt, Georgia, 1:53.90
2. Sarah Gibson, Texas A&M, 1:54.43
3. Megan Kingsley, Georgia, 1:54.94
4. Kara Kopcso, LSU, 1:56.86
5. Bailey Nero, Auburn, 1:56.96
6. Sharli Brady, Missouri, 1:57.02
7. Alyssa Yambor-Maul, Florida, 1:57.34
8. Michelle Cefal, Tennessee, 1:57.62

Georgia’s Chelsea Britt, a junior transfer from Florida State, swam a season-best 1:53.90 to lead 200 fly prelims, followed by Texas A&M’s Sarah Gibson (1:54.43). That puts them right next to each other in tonight’s final after their close 1-2 finish in the 100 fly. Britt probably has the best front half speed ofthe field, but Gibson will try to run her down on the back half.

Georgi’s Megan Kingsley was the only other swimmer to break 1:56 this morning, turning in a 1:54.94 for 3rd seed. Florida’s Alyssa Yambor-Maul will give the Gators their first championship final swim of the meet after qualifying 7th in 1:57.34.

MEN’S 200 FLY

1. Chase Kalisz, Georgia, 1:42.37
2. Jan Switkowski, Florida, 1:43.04
3. Fynn Minuth, South Carolina, 1:43.09
4. Gunnar Bentz, Georgia, 1:43.16
5. Mark Szaranek, Florida, 1:43.49
6. Pace Clark, Georgia, 1:43.52
7. Mick Litherland, Georgia, 1:43.71
8. Hugo Morris, Auburn, 1:43.82

Georgia’s Chase Kalisz and Florida’s Mark Szaranek will get on last showdown in tonight’s 200 fly final, as Kalisz led the way in 1:42.37 and Szaranek earned 5th seed for finals. The Bulldogs will make up half of the final, as Kalisz will be joined by Gunnar Bentz, Mick Litherland, and Pace Clark. Florida will also have multiple swimmers, with Jan Switkowski taking 2nd this morning.

Also in the medal hunt will be South Carolina’s Fynn Minuth, who qualified 3rd, and Auburn’s defending SEC champion Hugo Morris, who snuck in at 8th ahead of Kentucky’s Kyle Higgins (1:43.84).

WOMEN’S 100 BACK

1. Olivia Smoliga, Georgia, 51.10
2. Hannah Stevens, Missouri, 51.13
3. Kira Toussaint, Tennessee, 51.56
4. Asia Seidt, Kentucky, 51.66
5. Nadine Laemmler, Missouri, 51.98
6. Danielle Galyer, Kentucky, 52.02
7. Emma Ball, Florida, 52.49
8. Chelsea Britt, Georgia, 52.54

Georgia’s Olivia Smoliga and Missouri’s Hannah Stevens were separated by just 3 hundredths this morning, turning in a pair of 51.1s. The Bulldogs have 2 in the final, with Chelsea Britt taking on a double this morning to squeak in at 8th. Stevens’ teammate Nadine Laemmler picked up another A-final slot for the Tigers at 5th.

Florida has another championship finalist tonight with freshman Emma Ball taking 7th this morning. The Kentucky women put 2 up, with freshman Asia Seidt taking 4th behind Tennessee All-American Kira Toussaint, and regining NCAA 200 back champ Danielle Galyer taking 6th.

MEN’S 100 BACK

1. Connor Oslin, Alabama, 45.29
2. Luke Kaliszak, Alabama, 45.64
3. Taylor Dale, Georgia, 45.67
4. Logan Rysemus, LSU, 46.27
5. Karl Luht, LSU, 46.38
6. Christopher Reid, Alabama, 46.43
7. Brock Bonetti, Texas A&M, 46.62
8. Daniel Hein, Missouri, 46.65

Alabama’s backstroke group came up huge for the Crimson Tide this morning, with Connor Oslin and Luke Kaliszak taking the top 2 seeds and Christopher Reid making it in at 6th. Georgia’s Taylor Dale posted a sub-46 to take 3rd seed, followed by LSU teammates Logan Rysemus and Karl Luht.

Georgia freshman Javier Acevedo just missed the final by hundredths, taking 9th in 46.66 behind Texas A&M’s Brock Bonetti and Missouri’s Daniel Hein.

WOMEN’S 100 BREAST

1. Jorie Caneta, Texas A&M, 59.78
2. Bridget Blood, Alabama, 59.83
3. Madison Winstead, Kentucky, 1:00.09
4. Colleen Callahan, Tennessee, 1:00.20
5. Ashley McGregor, Texas A&M, 1:00.28
6. Natasha Lloyd, Auburn. 1:00.30
7. Franko Jonker, Texas A&M, 1:00.44
8. Colleen O’Neil, LSU, 1:00.66

Texas A&M’s Jorie Caneta and Alabama’s Bridget Blood were the only 2 swimmers to break the minute barrier this morning. Kentucky’s Madison Winstead nearly accomplished that as well, turning in a minute flat for 3rd seed. The next 3 swimmers in were Tennessee’s Colleen Callahan, Texas A&M’s Ashley McGregor, and Auburn’s Natasha Lloyd, all turning in 1:00-lows.

MEN’S 100 BREAST

1. Nils Wich-Glasen, South Carolina, 51.58
2. Fabian Schwingenschlogl, Missouri, 52.08
3. Anton McKee, Alabama, 52.33
4. Michael Duderstadt, Auburn, 52.46
5. Michael Chadwick, Missouri, 52.76
6. Peter Stevens, Tennessee, 52.81
7. Chandler Bray, Florida, 53.03
8. Pavel Romanov, Alabama, 53.06

South Carolina’s Nils Wich-Glasen turned in an NCAA ‘A’ cut time of 51.58 to lead prelims, making him the 2nd fastest swimmer in the nation this year. Defending NCAA champion Fabian Schwingenschlogl picked up 2nd seed, while defending SEC champ Michael Duderstadt took 4th seed behind Alabama’s Anton McKee. Missouri’s Michael Chadwick will challenge for a medal after taking 5th, and Tennessee’s Peter Stevens looks for redemption as the 6th seed after taking a DQ in this race last season.