Finke Headlines Gators on First Day of Phillips 66 National Championships
Thursday, August 1, 2019 | Men's Swimming & Diving, Women's Swimming & Diving
STANFORD, Calif.— As day one of the Phillips 66 National Championships winded down, the Gators notched their first medal as Robert Finke walked away as the 1,500 free champion.
He touched the wall in a time of 14:51.15, almost five total seconds ahead of the runner-up finisher. Additionally, the mark gave him an Olympic Trial cut.
Finke now has the eighth and ninth-fastest 1,500 free time in the world. At the 2018 Pan Pacific Championships, he finished the event in 14:48.70, which stands as his personal-best.
In total, the Gators had 11 swimmers compete on the first day and accumulated five Olympic Trial cuts and six personal-best times.
Drew Clark joined Finke in the 1,500 and also posted a career-best and Olympic Trial cut with a swim of 15:40.99, good for a 23rd-place mark.
Former Gator All-American Natalie Hinds finished the 100 free A-final in fifth-place with a time of 54.34.
Three more Florida swimmers joined her in the 100 free. Bella Garofalo secured an Olympic Trial cut with her career-best time of 55.99, good for 33rd overall. Sherridon Dressel added a time of 56.87 and incoming freshman Talia Bates hit the wall in 57.36.
The Gators had two finishers in the 200 fly. Dillon Hillis nearly cut a full second off his prelim time (2:00.83) with a new personal-best swim of 1:59.89 in the finals. Former Gator Mark Szaranek joined him and posted a time of 1:59.95, good for fourth in his heat.
Kieran Smith and Trey Freeman competed in the 100 free. Freeman posted a swim of 50.69, just missing the Olympic Trial cut time.
Smith moved onto the B-finals after posting a time of 49.25 in the prelims. A personal-best swim of 49.11 earned him a third-place finish and an Olympic Trial cut.
Taylor Ault finished 21st overall with a time of 8:40.49 in the 800 free final.
Day two from the Stanford Avery Aquatic Center will begin with the women's 200 free at 12 p.m. Eastern Standard Time.
Watch here
Thursday schedule
Full day one results
Day One Results-
Men's 200 Fly
Finals
Hillis: 1:59.89 (personal-best)
Szaranek: 1:59.95
Prelims
Hillis: 2:00.82 (Olympic Trial cut)
Szaranek: 1:59.66
Women's 100 Free
Finals
Natalie Hinds: 54.34 (fifth-place A-final)
Prelims
Natalie Hinds: 54.78 (personal-best)
Garofalo: 55.99 (personal-best and Olympic Trial cut)
Dressel: 56.87
Bates: 57.36
Men's 100 Free-
Finals
Smith: 49.11 (third-place B-final and personal-best)
Prelims
Freeman: 50.69
Smith: 49.25 (Olympic Trial Cut)
Men's 1,500 Free
Finals
Finke: 14:51.15 (first-place finish, career-best and Olympic Trial cut)
Prelims
Clark: 15:40.99 (career-best and Olympic Trial cut)
Women's 800 Free-
Finals
Ault: 8:40.49
Follow the Gators:
FloridaGators.com | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
He touched the wall in a time of 14:51.15, almost five total seconds ahead of the runner-up finisher. Additionally, the mark gave him an Olympic Trial cut.
Finke now has the eighth and ninth-fastest 1,500 free time in the world. At the 2018 Pan Pacific Championships, he finished the event in 14:48.70, which stands as his personal-best.
In total, the Gators had 11 swimmers compete on the first day and accumulated five Olympic Trial cuts and six personal-best times.
Drew Clark joined Finke in the 1,500 and also posted a career-best and Olympic Trial cut with a swim of 15:40.99, good for a 23rd-place mark.
Former Gator All-American Natalie Hinds finished the 100 free A-final in fifth-place with a time of 54.34.
Three more Florida swimmers joined her in the 100 free. Bella Garofalo secured an Olympic Trial cut with her career-best time of 55.99, good for 33rd overall. Sherridon Dressel added a time of 56.87 and incoming freshman Talia Bates hit the wall in 57.36.
The Gators had two finishers in the 200 fly. Dillon Hillis nearly cut a full second off his prelim time (2:00.83) with a new personal-best swim of 1:59.89 in the finals. Former Gator Mark Szaranek joined him and posted a time of 1:59.95, good for fourth in his heat.
Kieran Smith and Trey Freeman competed in the 100 free. Freeman posted a swim of 50.69, just missing the Olympic Trial cut time.
Smith moved onto the B-finals after posting a time of 49.25 in the prelims. A personal-best swim of 49.11 earned him a third-place finish and an Olympic Trial cut.
Taylor Ault finished 21st overall with a time of 8:40.49 in the 800 free final.
Day two from the Stanford Avery Aquatic Center will begin with the women's 200 free at 12 p.m. Eastern Standard Time.
Watch here
Thursday schedule
Full day one results
Day One Results-
Men's 200 Fly
Finals
Hillis: 1:59.89 (personal-best)
Szaranek: 1:59.95
Prelims
Hillis: 2:00.82 (Olympic Trial cut)
Szaranek: 1:59.66
Women's 100 Free
Finals
Natalie Hinds: 54.34 (fifth-place A-final)
Prelims
Natalie Hinds: 54.78 (personal-best)
Garofalo: 55.99 (personal-best and Olympic Trial cut)
Dressel: 56.87
Bates: 57.36
Men's 100 Free-
Finals
Smith: 49.11 (third-place B-final and personal-best)
Prelims
Freeman: 50.69
Smith: 49.25 (Olympic Trial Cut)
Men's 1,500 Free
Finals
Finke: 14:51.15 (first-place finish, career-best and Olympic Trial cut)
Prelims
Clark: 15:40.99 (career-best and Olympic Trial cut)
Women's 800 Free-
Finals
Ault: 8:40.49
Follow the Gators:
FloridaGators.com | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
Players Mentioned
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Back/Fly/Free
/ Women's Swimming & Diving
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Free
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Free
/ Women's Swimming & Diving
Breast
/ Men's Swimming & Diving
IM
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