Press Release courtesy of Auburn Athletics
On Friday it was the 200 IM. Twenty-four hours later, Hugo Gonzalez knocked off another Auburn school record, smashing the field in winning the 400 IM on night two of the Georgia Invitational.
Gonzalez, a freshman, sliced through the water in 3:39.28 to win the 400 IM by three-quarters of a second and obliterate Joe Patching’s school record of 3:41.79 from 2016.
“Our men were strong from top to bottom tonight but none better than Hugo posting the fastest 400 IM time in the country and breaking the Auburn school record,” Auburn coach Brett Hawke said. “Pete Turnham was sensational winning the 1-meter as well.”
Turnham, a senior, scored a 355.75 to win the 1-meter for the second time this season, easily out-scoring second place by almost 20 points. He was joined in the victory celebration by Alison Maillard, who won the women’s 3-meter with a 324.80, her fourth win on the board.
“Great day for diving today. Two wins and a lot of improvement,” diving coach Jeff Shaffer said. “Pete came back from a disappointing prelims where he was off the mark but really stepped up in the finals, which is always great to see. Alison executed a new dive and it is going to really help her raise her scoring potential.”
Zach Apple earned a second-place finish in the 200 free, going 1:35.23, which places him in the top 15 in the country.
Petter Fredricksson (46.63) and Gonzalez (46.66) finished four-five in the 100 back, with Fredricksson’s time a lifetime best.
Tommy Brewer was sixth in the 100 breaststroke in 53.85, which puts him just outside the top 20 nationally.
Liam McCloskey won the B Final of the 100 fly in 46.21, which was also the fifth-fastest time of the night, while Peter Holoda captured the B Final of the 200 free in 1:36.18, also the fifth-fastest time of the night.
Gonzalez, Brewer, McCloskey and Apple started the night with a NCAA B cut in the 200 medley relay of 1:25.22.
Apple, Owen Upchurch, Holoda and Gonzalez then closed the night with a 6:29.66 in the 800 free relay.
After two days, Auburn stands in fourth with 469 points. California leads with 670 points, Michigan is second (639), host Georgia is third (479) and Virginia is fifth (241).
The competition concludes on Sunday with prelims at 8:30 am CT and finals at 2 pm from the Gabrielsen Natatorium.