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Josh Liendo Hits 18.83 50 Free, Jake Magahey Clocks 4:12 500 To Open Georgia Invite

2022 UGA Fall Invitational

The heavy hitters came to play during the opening session of the UGA Fall Invite, as Florida’s Josh Liendo and Georgia’s Jake Magahey put up some blistering times at the Gabrielsen Natatorium Thursday morning.

Liendo, a Canadian freshman who entered this week as the fastest man in the 50 free this season at 19.27, clocked 18.83 in the heats to mark a new personal best time by over four-tenths while also producing a time that would’ve made the ‘A’ final at last season’s NCAAs and going under the NCAA ‘A’ cut of 18.88.

Liendo’s time overtakes the 18.94 Brooks Curry produced on Wednesday night at the Art Adamson Invite, but trails the 18.68 clocked by Jordan Crooks at the Tennessee Invite this morning.

Liendo’s sophomore teammate Macguire McDuff qualified second into the final in 19.18, just .03 shy of his personal best set at the 2022 SECs (19.15).

The men’s 50 free field as a whole was blazing fast, as Georgia’s Dillon Downing (19.27), Auburn’s Kalle Makinen (19.31) and Florida’s Adam Chaney (19.42) were also sub-19.5, and a total of 11 swimmers were faster than 19.8.

In the 500 free, Georgia’s Jake Magahey posted a time of 4:12.91 to take over the top time in the nation, surpassing the 4:14.34 done by Alabama’s Victor Johansson last night at Art Adamson.

Magahey, 21, owns a personal best time of 4:06.71, done at the 2021 SECs, and has been as fast as 4:10.48 at this point in the season (2020 Georgia Invite).

Moving into third and fourth in the nation were Georgia’s Andrew Abruzzo (4:14.54) and Auburn’s Mason Mathias (4:14.44). Abruzzo’s swim is his fastest since setting a PB of 4:13.54 at the 2020 Georgia Invite, while Mathias’ marks a three-second best time.

Another highlight from the session came in the women’s 50 free, where Georgia sophomore Eboni McCarty joined the sub-22 club in a time of 21.91. McCarty’s time improves on her previous best of 22.10, and makes her the seventh woman under 22 seconds this season—with four having done so at the Tennessee Invite this morning and two last night at Art Adamson.

Florida’s Katie Mack was a distant second in 22.36.

OTHER TOP QUALIFIERS

  • Georgia’s Abby McCulloh led a very competitive field in the women’s 500 free, clocking 4:41.51 to slightly outpace Florida’s Mabel Zavaros (4:41.59), Auburn’s Emily Hetzer (4:41.89) and Georgia Tech’s Deniz Ertan (4:42.19). All swimmers were under the time required to earn an NCAA invite last season (4:43.08), and both Zavaros and Ertan set sizeable best times.
  • Zoie Hartman qualified first into the women’s 200 IM final for the Bulldogs in 1:55.28, nearly matching her time from the final of last season’s Georgia Tech Invite (1:55.20).
  • A total of five men were in the 1:44-range in the 200 IM heats, with the Florida duo of Julian Smith (1:44.20) and Joaquin Gonzalez Pinero (1:44.25) setting the pace. Smith’s time improves his previous best of 1:44.58 from the 2022 SECs, while Gonzalez Piniero lowers his 1:45.03 from the same meet.

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PFA
2 years ago

Man it’s not even Friday yet and there’s already 2 guys under 19 seconds..

Curious
Reply to  PFA
2 years ago

Three with Crooks going 18.6 and Curry going 18.9

PFA
Reply to  Curious
2 years ago

Didn’t even catch crooks one and wow he’s only .02 off Dressel’s mid season record this morning. Whatever happens tonight were likely going to see some sort of history made.

Buttafly
2 years ago

18.68 tonight is my prediction

Andrew
2 years ago

I severely underestimated Josh Liendo’s yards speed in the 50, let’s see if he can further develop his 100s.

At this point though, I’d like to see a little more out of chaney.

Florida is going to have some deadly 200 relays at NCs that’s for sure.

Riley
Reply to  Andrew
2 years ago

Yeah, I’ve been flip flopping in my mind who has the advantage at NCs in 200 medley relay.

  • The Gators keep Cheney, Hillis and Friese and replace Davis’ heroics with Liendo.
  • NC State keeps Stokowski, Korstanje and Curtiss and replaces Kusto with Hunter.
  • Cal keeps Seeliger and Bell and replaces Julian and Carr with (presumably) Jett and Alexy.
  • Caribe’s emergence immediately moves Tennessee into the picture between him, Crooks, Houlie and whoever they have on back
  • Virginia is a threat with Brownstead, Nichols, King and (presumably) Lamb
  • And even if this is probably not the relay for Texas, a 22.5 or so from Corbeau would certainly keep them in contention no matter who else is
… Read more »

25Back
Reply to  Riley
2 years ago

For Cal, I actually think Jensen in the fly leg makes sense. He’s a true 50/100 sprinter (unlike Rose, Jett) so while he might not be put on that 400 Medley I have no doubt he can put down a 19.xx in the 50. Saves Jett for the 4×200 at NCAAs as well.

Last edited 2 years ago by 25Back
ArtVanDeLegh10
Reply to  Andrew
2 years ago

Liendo and Chaney’s best times are already 18s.
McDuff is about to be an 18.
Friese has split 18.2 or 18/3 before.

This relay is gonna be quick come NCAAs. They might be sub 1:13.5,

Sean
Reply to  Andrew
2 years ago

I feel like Chaney just gets better as sessions go on. I expect him to be 19.0 tonight and 18.7 by March.

About James Sutherland

James Sutherland

James swam five years at Laurentian University in Sudbury, Ontario, specializing in the 200 free, back and IM. He finished up his collegiate swimming career in 2018, graduating with a bachelor's degree in economics. In 2019 he completed his graduate degree in sports journalism. Prior to going to Laurentian, James swam …

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