Day Two NCAA Prelims: One UF Record Falls, Six Return to Finals
Friday, March 27, 2009 | Men's Swimming & Diving
The Florida 200-yard medley relay broke a school record after swimming to a sixth-place, 1:24.94, seed Friday morning. Six Gators qualified for consolations and finals on the second day of competition in College Staion, in addition to the UF 200-yard medley and 800-yard free relays, at the 2009 NCAA Championships.
The 200 medley relay, composed of junior Omar Pinzon (Bogota, Colombia), junior Clark Burckle (Louisville, Ky.), senior Bradley Ally (Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.) and sophomore Brett Fraser (George Town, Cayman Islands), clocked a 1:24.94 for the UF record, topping the 1:25.03, set by Lochte, Ratliff, Mangabeira and Penniman in 2005.
Leading the way for UF in individual events, two men will swim finals of the 400-yard IM, including 2009 200 IM national champion, Ally, and teammate Burckle. Ally and Burckle finished second (3:40.58) and fifth (3:41.57), respectively, in prelims of the event.
Additionally, brothers Shaune and Brett Fraser (George Town, Cayman Islands) will swim in the championship final and consolation final, respectively, of the 200-yard freestyle. Shaune swam to a career-best mark in the event (1:33.10) to place fourth heading into the championship final Friday evening, while Brett clocked a 1:33.78, good for 11th, and will return in the consolation heat.
In the last event of the morning session, the 100-yard backstroke, Pinzon and senior Rex Tullius (Port Orange, Fla.) both swam career-best times, Pinzon clocking a 45.85 to qualify for sixth in the championship heat, while Tullius hit 46.41, good for 11th in the consolation heat.
The Gators will additionally compete in the 800-meter free relay finals Friday evening.
Finals of Friday competition are set to begin at 7 p.m. (CT). Gator fans can follow the meet live here or visit www.GatorZone.com following finals for complete results and a recap of the day's swimming and diving action.
Florida Preliminary Results
200 Medley Relay
6. Pinzon, Burckle, Ally, Fraser (B): 1:24.94 – UF Record
Leadoff Split (Pinzon): 21.43
400 IM
2. Bradley Ally: 3:40.58 – Career-best
5. Clark Burckle: 3:41.57 – Career-best
26. Joey Pedraza: 3:50.44
28. Ryan Crete: 3:51.08
200 Freestyle
4. Shaune Fraser: 1:33.10 – Career-best
11. Brett Fraser: 1:33.78
29. Balazs Gercsak: 1:35.67
34. Jeff Raymond: 1:35.88
100 Backstroke
6. Omar Pinzon: 45.85 – Career-best
11. Rex Tullius: 46.41 – Career-best
-UF-
