Smith Leads Florida on Day Two of SEC Championships

Wednesday, February 20

Athens, GA

All Day

Florida Gators

SEC Championships

Smith wins the 200 IM and helps the 200 Free Relay place second

Smith Leads Florida on Day Two of SEC Championships

Wednesday, February 20, 2019 | Men's Swimming & Diving

By: Chad Smith

Results

ATHENS, Ga. – Kieran Smith picked up the first individual SEC championship for the Gators on Wednesday at the Gabrielsen Natatorium. The University of Florida men's swimming & diving team finished day two of the 2019 SEC Championships in second place with 353.5 points.

In the 500 Free A Final, Trey Freeman posted the fourth-fastest swim in Florida history with a personal-best time of 4:12.80 and placed second. Khader Baqlah finished right behind in third with a career-best 4:12.96 and moved into the No. 5 spot in UF history. Robert Finke won the B Final and finished ninth overall with a career-best 4:14.86, which is the 10th best in program history. Erge Gezmis placed 12th overall with a personal-best mark of 4:16.49.

Smith just out touched Missouri's Nick Alexander by two one-hundredths of a second with a swim of 1:43.13 to win the 200 IM A Final. Grant Sanders notched an eighth-place finish with a mark of 1:45.06. Alex Lebed posted a season-best time of 1:43.85 to win the C Final and placed 17th overall.

In the 50 Free B Final, Will Davis recorded a career-best time of 19.36 and tied with Zane Waddell of Alabama for first place. Bayley Main placed sixth in the C Final with a swim of 19.88.

The men's 200 Free Relay team posted the fourth-best time in program history. Maxime Rooney, Davis, Main, and Smith combined for a time of 1:16.29 and placed second.

Freeman posted the fastest time by a Gator and fourth best in the prelims of the 500 Free with a swim of 4:16.25. Baqlah clocked a time of 4:17.07 and finished with the seventh-fastest time to make the A Final. Finke had the 11th-fastest mark in prelims with a time of 4:17.25 and qualified for the B Final. Gezmis also qualified for the B Final and recorded a mark of 4:18.51 for the 13th-best time in prelims. Ross Palazzo finished prelims in 34th place after a personal-best swim of 4:24.66. Grady Heath added a 40th-place swim with an effort of 4:27.51.

With a personal-best time of 1:42.94, Smith registered the fastest swim in the 200 IM prelims and secured an A Final spot. Sanders made the A Final with the seventh-best mark in prelims with a season-best mark of 1:44.23. Lebed swam a season-best effort of 1:45.91 and earned a spot in the C Final. Marco Guarente finished in 38th with a 1:48.11. Stanley Wu notched a career-best time of 1:48.52 and placed 41st.

Davis recorded the 11th-fastest swim in the 50 Free prelims and earned a spot in the B Final with time of 19.53. Main clocked a season-best mark of 19.78 and earned a spot in the C Final with a 17th-place finish. With a season-best swim of 20.00, Christoph Margotti finished in 26th.

Day three begins with the 400 IM prelims at 10 a.m. ET on Thursday.

Team Standings
1. Missouri – 378
2. Florida – 353.5
3. Texas A&M – 344
4. Alabama – 331.5
5. Tennessee – 312
6. Kentucky – 270
7. Georgia – 267
8. Auburn – 252
9. South Carolina – 234
10. LSU – 170

Results
500 Free
A Final
2. Trey Freeman – 4:12.80 PR
3. Khader Baqlah – 4:12.96 PR
B Final
1. Robert Finke – 4:14.86 PR
4. Erge Gezmis – 4:16.49 PR
Prelims
4. Trey Freeman – 4:16.25
6. Khader Baqlah – 4:17.07
11. Robert Finke – 4:17.25
13. Erge Gezmis – 4:18.51
34. Ross Palazzo – 4:24.66 PR
40. Grady Heath – 4:27.51
200 IM
A Final
1. Kieran Smith – 1:43.13
8. Grant Sanders – 1:45.06
C Final
1. Alex Lebed – 1:43.85
Prelims
1. Kieran Smith – 1:42.94 PR
7. Grant Sanders – 1:44.23
17. Alex Lebed – 1:45.91
38. Marco Guarente – 1:48.11
41. Stanley Wu – 1:48.52 PR
50 Free
B Final
T1. Will Davis – 19.36 PR
C Final
6. Bayley Main – 19.88
Prelims
11. Will Davis – 19.53 PR
17. Bayley Main – 19.78
26. Christoph Margotti – 20.00

2019 Swim & Dive Championship Schedule

Date	Time (ET)	Event
Thurs., Feb. 21	10:00 a.m.	Swimming Prelims (M&W) 400 IM, 100 Fly, 200 Free
	12:30 p.m.	Men's 3-meter Prelims
	6:00 p.m.	Swimming & Diving Finals (M&W) 400 IM, 100 Fly, 200 Free, Men's 3-meter
Fri., Feb. 22	10:00 a.m.	Swimming Prelims (M&W) 200 Fly, 100 Back, 100 Breast
	12:30 p.m.	Women's Platform Prelims
	6:00 p.m.	Swimming & Diving Finals (M&W) 200 Fly, 100 Back, 100 Breast, Women's Platform, 400 Medley Relay
Sat., Feb 23	10:00 a.m.	Swimming Prelims (M&W) 200 Back, 100 Free, 200 Breast
	12:30 p.m.	Men's Platform Prelims
	TBD	Swim 1650 Free Prelims
	6:00 p.m.	Swimming & Diving Finals (M&W) 1650 Free, 200 Back, 100 Free, 200 Breast, Men's Platform, 400 Free Relay