Gators win SEC Swim and Dive Championships

After five days of exciting and record-breaking swims, both the Gator men’s and women’s swimming and diving teams won SEC Championships.

The Gator men won their 11th consecutive SEC title with a final total of 1488.5 points. It’s the 44th SEC Championship title in the program’s history which is the second-most by any SEC team across all sports.

The last time the women’s team won the title was in 2009. This year, the women triumphed with 1255 points for the 18th conference title in the program’s history.

These titles give Florida their 257th and 258th overall SEC championships, which is a league high.

https://twitter.com/SEC/status/1627167656418676736?s=20

Day 4 blowouts

On Friday night, Florida added six medals to their collection before the final day. Day four also showcased more record-breaking swims.

Joaquin Gonzalez Pinero won the first medal of the night, silver, in the 200 butterfly with a 1:41.37.

The men’s 400 medley relay shattered not only the school record but also the meet and SEC record. Adam Chaney, Dillon Hillis, Josh Liendo and Macguire McDuff broke three minutes with a 2:59.22. Florida is now the three-time defending conference champions in this event.

Adam Chaney also won gold in the 100 backstroke with a 44.18, the fastest time in the nation right now and breaking his own school record.

The Gators stole first and second on the podium for the men’s 100 breast. Dillon Hillis won with a 51.02 and Aleksas Savickas followed with a 51.07.

Heading into the final day, Florida had 22 medals.

https://twitter.com/GatorsSwimDv/status/1626771470922706945?s=20

Final night

Aleksas Savickas had a big night, swimming a 1:50.08 in his 200 breaststroke, breaking the SEC, meet, pool and school record. He of course took gold on the podium.

https://twitter.com/GatorsSwimDv/status/1627122073934888961?s=20

The women’s 400 free relay set a new school record and earned silver. Ekaterina Nikonova, Talia Bates, Katie Mack and Micayla Cronk swam a 3:10.83, only 0.26 behind gold. The men’s relay team of McDuff, Liendo, Chaney and Julian Smith also won silver.

The 100 freestyle was a showdown as usual. Josh Liendo secured silver at 41.24, improving from prelims. McDuff took fourth at 41.59.

https://twitter.com/GatorsSwimDv/status/1627116017552850944?s=20

Leonardo Garcia gave the Gators the first men’s diving medal on platform, earning bronze.

At the end of the meet, there was a total of 30 medals in Florida’s collection; 10 gold, 11 silver and 10 bronze. Fourteen records were set; two SEC, six school records, four meet records and two pool records.