2022 SEC SWIMMING & DIVING CHAMPIONSHIPS
- Tuesday, February 15 – Saturday, February 19, 2022
- Jones Aquatics Center, Knoxville, Tenn. (Eastern Time Zone)
- Defending Champion: Men- Florida (9x) Women- Kentucky (1x)
- Live Results
- Live Video (Watch ESPN)
- Championship Central
- Psych Sheets
- 2021 SEC Scoring Breakdown
- Day 4 Prelims
- Day 4 Finals Heat Sheets
Riley Gaines secured the SEC record in the 200 fly, swimming a 1:51.51 to topple Dakota Luther’s time of 1:52.04, set at the SEC Championships in 2021. Gaines’ time is also a Kentucky school record and an SEC meet record.
Gaines dropped over three seconds from her prelims time, and she finished 1st, a redemption from finishing 4th in the event at last year’s SECs. Luther, swimming for Georgia, finished 2nd, and would’ve lowered her own record if not for Gaines’ performance. Gaines beat Luther by just .14.
| Riley Gaines (2022 SECs) 200 Fly Splits | Dakota Luther (2021 SECs) 200 Fly Splits |
| 25.46 | 25.16 |
| 27.81 | 28.41 |
| 28.72 | 28.86 |
| 29.52 | 29.61 |
| Total: 1:51.51 | Total: 1:52.04 |
Gaines is now the 12th-fastest performer ever in the event, and the top swimmer in the NCAA in the event this season, ahead of NCAA reigning champion in the event, Olivia Carter. Gaines’ time would have earned her 2nd at NCAAs last year, behind Carter’s 1:51.33. Gaines didn’t make finals in the event last season.
Ella Eastin currently holds the top time ever in the event with her 1:49.51.
Earlier Friday afternoon, Gaines was named the SEC Scholar-Athlete of the Year in women’s swimming and diving. She has a 3.876 cumulative GPA and plans to attend grad school after graduating in the spring–she is the 4th SEC Scholar-Athlete for the program.
Her SEC meet thus far has also been successful, as Gaines broke her own school record in the 200 free to defend her title as SEC Champion. She was also part of the 2nd-place 800 free relay and 3rd-place 200 medley relay.
Can someone remind me if she has any relation to Rowdy?
There’s no relation to, uhh, the source of my username right?
None
She’s a boss
oh fr? on god? just like that?
So…a new contender enters the thunder dome. A Walsh, O Carter, R Smith, K Pash, O Bray, E Sticklen, D Luther and now R Gaines ( not the old guy). That’s a full final that I can possibly see being sub 1:52.
I’m curious to know why ESPN shows up to broadcast on Day 4 of a five-day event. It did the same thing last year. It’s nice to have the pros on hand, for sure–but by now they’ve missed 3/5 of the event.
They’ll go back and post-record key races from earlier days and do a bite sized package for “the rest” of the audience.
The other announcers were bad but I’d take them over hearing rowdy talk any day.
she slays so hard