Florida Chomps Competition, Wins Seventh Consecutive SEC Championship

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Florida Chomps Competition, Wins Seventh Consecutive SEC Championship

Sunday, February 24, 2019 | Men's Swimming & Diving

By: Chad Smith

Day 5 Results | Complete Results

ATHENS, Ga. – The University of Florida men's swimming & diving team won its seventh straight SEC Championship title and the 40th in program history. Robert Finke had a historic performance in the 1,650 Free to open the men's finals with a bang and help the team win with a total of 1,233 points.

SEC Championships
1937, 1938, 1939, 1940, 1941, 1953, 1954, 1956, 1957, 1958, 1959, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1965, 1966, 1967, 1968, 1970, 1971, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019

This extends the university's streak for consecutive SEC titles across all sports to 42 years. This is the 242nd SEC title for Florida and 250th conference championship in the history of the university.

Finke broke almost every record possible in one swim. With his personal-best time of 14:23.01, he set the fourth-fastest time in NCAA history, the fastest time in UF history, an SEC Championship record and broke the Georgia pool record. Trey Freeman produced an outstanding swim as well, he finished second with a career-best 14:48.69 and set the seventh-fastest swim in Florida history.

Clark Beach recorded a third-place finish in the 200 Back A Final with a career-best swim of 1:39.95. Beach's time is the third-fastest swim in Florida history. Kacper Stokowski clocked a personal-best time of 1:41.31 and placed sixth. Stokowski is currently ranked No. 10 in the UF record books. Brennan Balogh collected a third-place finish in the B Final with an effort of 1:41.96. Kieran Smith came in fifth with a mark of 1:42.37. Dakota Mahaffey posted the best swim of his career with a time of 1:43.13 and placed second in the C Final.

Maxime Rooney posted the second-fastest time in Florida history with his personal-best time of 41.74 in the 100 Free. Rooney earned the bronze medal in the A Final. Khader Baqlah notched a sixth-place finish with a swim of 42.48. Bayley Main placed second in the B Final with a mark of 43.05. Christoph Margotti added a seventh-place finish with an effort 43.63. Will Davis finished second in the C Final with the fastest time in his career with a swim of 43.32.

Grant Sanders placed third in the 200 Breast A Final and in the process recorded the fourth-fastest mark in the UF record books with a swim of 1:53.36. Marco Guarente finished in eighth place with a time of 1:55.12. Ross Palazzo clocked a time of 1:59.01 and finished in eighth place in the B Final. Alex Lebed swam the fastest swim in his career with a mark of 1:56.93 and placed second in the C Final. Stanley Wu recorded an eighth-place time of 1:58.97.

The 400 Free Relay team of Rooney, Baqlah, Main, and Smith placed second with a combined effort of 2:48.82.

Alex Farrow tallied a career-high 252.80 points on his way to a 22nd-place finish on the Platform. Nick Lydon placed 23rd with a total of 241.15. Lyle Hayes-Macaluso compiled 235.45 points and placed 24th.

Beach started the prelims off in style when he posted the fastest time in the 200 Back with a swim of 1:40.10. Stokowski qualified for the A Final with the eighth-best mark with a time of 1:41.37. Balogh and Smith finished 11th and 12th, respectively, to make the B Final. Balogh swam a season-best 1:41.83. Smith notched a personal-best swim of 1:42.17. Mahaffey made the C Final when he placed 19th with a swim of 1:43.85.

In the 100 Free, Rooney posted the fourth-fastest time in the prelims with his swim of 42.41. Baqlah also qualified for the A Final with a time of 42.52. Main recorded a career-best time of 43.04 and posted the 11th-best mark of the prelims for a spot in the B Final. Margotti earned a spot in the C Final with his 16th-place swim of 43.41. With a personal-best mark of 43.47, Davis collected a spot in the C Final with a 17th-place finish. Grady Heath notched a 44.25 and placed 36th.

Sanders and Guarente made the A Final in the 200 Breast after they placed third and fifth, respectively. Sanders swam a 1:53.62, while Guarente added a career-best 1:54.56. Palazzo notched a B Final spot with his 13th-place time of 1:56.66. With a personal-best swim of 1:57.46, Lebed made the C Final when he placed 19th in prelims. Wu ensured that all swimmers in the 200 Breast made a final, when he placed 22nd with a time of 1:57.95.

Team Standings
1. Florida – 1,233
2. Missouri – 1,137
3. Tennessee – 917
4. Texas A&M – 907
5. Georgia – 862.5
6. Alabama – 789.5
7. Kentucky – 672
8. Auburn – 4661.5
9. South Carolina – 565
10. LSU – 486.5

Results
200 Back
A Final
3. Clark Beach – 1:39.95 PR
6. Kacper Stokowski –1:41.31 PR
B Final
3. Brennan Balogh – 1:41.96
5. Kieran Smith – 1:42.37
C Final
2. Dakota Mahaffey – 1:43.13 PR
Prelims
1. Clark Beach – 1:40.10
8. Kacper Stokowski – 1:41.37
11. Brennan Balogh – 1:41.83
12. Kieran Smith – 1:42.17 PR
19. Dakota Mahaffey – 1:43.85
100 Free
A Final
3. Maxime Rooney – 41.74 PR
6. Khader Baqlah – 42.48
B Final
2. Bayley Main – 43.05
7. Christoph Margotti – 43.63
C Final
2. Will Davis – 43.32 PR
Prelims
4. Maxime Rooney – 42.41
6. Khader Baqlah – 42.52
11. Bayley Main – 43.04 PR
16. Christoph Margotti – 43.41
17. Will Davis – 43.47
36. Grady Heath – 44.25
200 Breast
A Final
3. Grant Sanders – 1:53.36 PR
8. Marco Guarente – 1:55.12
B Final
8. Ross Palazzo – 1:59.01
C Final
2. Alex Lebed – 1:56.93 PR
8. Stanley Wu – 1:58.97
Prelims
3. Grant Sanders – 1:53.62
5. Marco Guarente – 1:54.56 PR
13. Ross Palazzo – 1:56.66
19. Alex Lebed – 1:57.46
22. Stanley Wu – 1:57.95

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