Cal Breaks Two More Pool Records En Route to Winning 2021 Chick-Fil-A Invite

2021 Chick-Fil-A Invitational

• Dates: October 8-9, 2021
• Session 1: Friday, October 8 – 11:00AM
• Session 2: Friday, October 8 – 6:00PM
• Session 3: Saturday, October 9 – 10:00AM
• Fresno State Aquatic Center, Fresno, California
• SCY (25 yards)
• Teams: Fresno State (hosts), San Diego State, San Jose State, Cal, UCLA and Washington State
• Results: Meet Mobile (“Chick Fil A Invite 2021”)
• Video: Mountain West Network

Cal wrapped up the 2021 Chick-Fil-A Invitational with a pair of pool records in the 4×100 medley and 4×100 free relays, adding to the three records they had already broken on Friday: 4×50 free, 4×50 medley, and 4×200 free, all marks previously held by the Golden Bears from either the 2018 or 2019 Chick-Fil-A meets.

The two relays bookended Session 3 on Saturday morning. In the medley, both Cal’s A (Isabelle Stadden–53.79, Ema Rajic-1:02.33, Mia Kragh-53.84, and Isabel Ivey-49.21) and B (Ayla Spitz-56.30, Alicia Henry-1:01.82, Lizzy Cook-54.54, and Elise Garcia-49.53) relays came in under the previous pool record of 3:42.44, stopping the clock with 3:39.17 and 3:42.19, respectively. Cal’s Emily Gantriis (50.00), Ella Mazurek (50.11), Garcia (50.32), and Ivey (49.21) combined for 3:19.64 to take 1.7 second off the previous pool record.

The Golden Bears won all the individual events except the 200 breast, in which San Diego State seniors Klara Thormalm (2:14.95) and Kristina Murphy (2:15.32) went 1-2.

Cal junior Sarah DiMeco won the 1650 free with a 50-yard margin on the field, clocking a 17:01.43, a full 30 seconds ahead of the rest of the field, and narrowly missing her own pool record. DiMeco was the sole Golden Bear entered in the event. Darino Khisiamova of Fresno State (17:31.43) led the next wave of finishers. She was followed by UCLA’s Stephanie Su (17:36.83), San Diego State’s Paige Mitchell (17:51.10) and Ryan Dulaney (17:58.20), and UCLA freshman Taylor Schaffer (17.59.66).

Sophomore Stadden led a 1-2-3-4 Cal sweep in the 200 back with 1:57.59. She was followed by teammates Alicia Wilson, Spitz, and Robin Neumann. UCLA snagged the next three spots with Abriana Howard, Delaney Smith, and Ella Kirschke.

In the 100 free, Cal captured the top six spots, with Ivey getting the win in 49.41. Gantriis (50.27), Mazurek (50.64), Garcia (59.68), and Emma Davidson (50.87) all broke 51 seconds. UCLA’s Sophia Kosturos (51.17) and Angela Di Palo of Washington State (51.94) rounded out the top eight.

Cal junior Rachel Klinker clocked a 1:57.82 to win the 200 fly ahead of a cabal of Golden Bear freshmen: Cook (1:59.30), Kragh (2:0236), Annika McEnroe (2:03.11), and Fanni Fabian (2:03.73). San Jose State’s Reka Kovacs (2:04.16) beat UCLA’s Sam Baron (2:04.95) and Crystal Murphy (2:05.15) for sixth.

Final Team Scores

1. Cal – 1481.5
2. San Diego State – 679.5
3. UCLA – 670
4. Fresno State – 396
5. Washington State – 307
6. San Jose State – 221