Dressel Sets Second American Record of SEC Championships

Saturday, February 17

College Station, TX

ALL DAY

Florida Gators

SEC Championships

Feb. 17, 2018; College Station, TX, USA; During the Southeastern Conference Championships at the Texas A&M Rec Center Natatorium. Credit: John Glaser

Dressel Sets Second American Record of SEC Championships

Saturday, February 17, 2018 | Men's Swimming & Diving, Women's Swimming & Diving

Caeleb Dressel wins gold in the 100 breast; Florida men take top spot in 400 MR

By: Katie Callahan

Results | Day 4 Prelim Recap | Meet Notes | Championship Central

COLLEGE STATION, Texas – The Gators earned two medals on the fourth day of SEC Championships, including Caeleb Dressel's gold in the 100 breast, his second individual event win of the meet.

After the fourth day of competition, the no. 3 men sit first with 876 points, while the no. 17 women are holding steady at eighth with 429.5 points over the course of the meet.

Dressel once again outdid himself, setting a new American and NCAA record to win the 100 breast championship final. His time of 50.03 is an A-cut and surpassed the SEC Meet and UF program records that he broke in the preliminary. Dressel now currently holds five American records: 50 free, 100 free, 100 fly, 200 IM and 100 breast.

During the preliminary session, Dressel set a new SEC meet record with his swim of 51.07. The time broke the current UF program record of 51.88, which Dressel set in 2015.

Marco Guarente also competed in the A final, finishing sixth overall with a B-cut of 53.07. Chandler Bray swam in the B final for the Gators, finishing seventh with a B-cut time of 54.06.

The men's 400 medley relay of Bayley Main, Dressel, Jan Switkowski and Mark Szaranek also earned gold during Saturday's finals session, going 3:04.55 for an A-cut qualification. The time is currently the fastest in the nation and the third fastest time in program history. The Gator men have now won the 400 medley relay in two consecutive seasons and the medal was the first of Main's career.

Switkowski finished just shy of the podium in the men's 200 fly championship final, placing fourth with a season-best time of 1:41.60. Maxime Rooney clinched victory in the B final of the event, notching a career-best time of 1:43.11.

Grant Sanders rounded out the Gators in the 200 fly finals, recording an eighth place finish in the B final with a time of 1:47.42.

The Florida women had two swimmers qualify for a spot in the 200 fly finals and Hannah Burns finished sixth in the B final, posting a B-cut time of 1:58.20. Georgia Marris qualified for the C final and swam a personal-best B-cut time of 1:57.57 to win the heat.

Sherridon Dressel earned a spot in the first final of her career, finishing fifth in the women's 100 back with a personal-best time of 51.85. Emma Ball also raced in the 100 back A final, placing seventh with a season-best time of 52.22.

Sydney Sell swam in the B final of the 100 back for the women, finishing seventh with a time of 54.04.

The men had four Gators swimming in finals in the 100 back, including three appearances in the A final. Main notched a fourth place finish with a career-best time of 46.53. Michael Taylor followed in fifth place, recording his own personal-best time of 46.60. Brennan Balogh rounded out the Florida men in the A final, finishing eighth with a time of 46.60.

Clark Beach raced in the B final of the 100 back for the Gators, placing sixth with a time of 47.36.

Results can be followed live here and full results will be posted at the conclusion of competition each day at FloridaGators.com.

Fans who plan to attend are encouraged to check out the Championship Central for information on tickets, parking, the venue and Texas A&M's clear bag policy.

Gator Titles:

100 breast – Caeleb Dressel – 50.03
- American, NCAA, US Open, SEC Meet, Florida and pool record
400 medley relay – Bayley Main, Caeleb Dressel
100 fly – Jan Switkowski – 45.26
200 free – Khader Baqlah – 1:32.97
200 IM – Caeleb Dressel – 1:38.13
- American, NCAA, US Open, SEC Meet and pool record
200 medley relay – Michael Taylor, Chandler Bray, Jan Switkowski, Caeleb Dressel – 1:22.94
- New school record and new SEC Meet record
800 free relay – Jan Switkowski, Maxime Rooney, Khader Baqlah, Mark Szaranek – 6:12.06
- SEC Meet record

Straight from the Source – Head Coach Gregg Troy:

"We had a great morning session – we came in firing from all cylinders and knew the team race was getting a little close on the men's side, so both the men and the women stepped up and did a great job this morning. We came back tonight and backed it up. We might have had a few people who were a little slower this evening, but this is all about getting yourself in a good position in the morning and racing well at night. The men's medley relay was a great effort, one of the fastest times in the nation at the moment and we had a lot of good individual races on both the men's and women's side."

Standings – Men: