2018 AUBURN INVITATIONAL
- Live Results
- Hosted by Auburn
- Friday, February 2nd – Sunday, February 4th
- 25 Yards
- Invitational Format
The 2018 Auburn Invitational came to a close today in Alabama. Swimmers competed individually in the 200 back, 100 free, 200 breast, 200 fly, and 1650 free on the final day of competition, while some teams also opted to compete in the 400 free relay. There were also several time trials at the end of the sessions, which are posted on Meet Mobile. Read on for a few highlights from today’s sessions and a list of day 3 event winners.
Florida State’s Griffin Alaniz won the 200 back handily, narrowly missing his personal best. Alaniz set the pace right off the bat, leading from start to finish in 1:43.37. That was a few hundredths slower than his 1:43.29 from prelims, and just a nail shy of his lifetime best 1:43.17 from the 2017 Last Chance Meet. Florida’s Ethan Beach also dipped into the 1:43-range with his 1:43.84 in prelims. He was about a second off that in the final, touching 3rd in 1:44.84 behind teammate Dakota Mahaffey (1:44.79). Mahaffey’s time was his first swim sub-1:45, while Beach broke 1:44 for the first time today. In addition to his 200 back win, FSU’s Alaniz also swam in the 50 free time trials later on, clocking in at 20.30 ahead of freshman teammate Oscar Lavotha (20.39).
After winning last night’s 100 breast, Florida’s Stanley Wu returned to complete the stroke sweep. Wu, who entered the meet with a personal best 1:59.37, knocked over a second off that to top the field by over half a second in 1:58.07. Teammate Christoph Margotti also swam to a lifetime best as he led the 100 free prelims in a quick 43.36. Margotti wound up 2nd in the final, touching in 43.70 behind teammate Viktor Toth. Both Toth and Margotti shaved a few tenths off their former bests.
Auburn’s Brooke Malone knocked nearly 2 seconds off her best time to win the women’s 200 breast. Malone came into the meet with a personal best of 2:15.58 from 2012, making this her first personal best in the event in 6 years. In prelims, Malone lowered it to a 2:14.58, qualifying 2nd for finals behind teammate Breanna Roman. In finals, Roman jumped out to the early lead by a second, but Malone had the closing speed as she brought it home to win in 2:13.76 to Roman’s 2:14.60. Roman was slightly faster in prelims with a 2:14.37.
Additional Individual Event Winners:
- Women’s 1650 Free: Cameron Brown, Alabama, 17:04.14
- Men’s 200 Fly: Erge Gezmis, Florida, 1:46.77
- Women’s 100 Free: Allie Surrency, Alabama, 50.11
- Men’s 1650 Free: Drew Clark, Florida, 15:15.71
- Women’s 200 Back: Lexi Souther, Alabama, 1:57.54
- Women’s 200 Fly: Paige Matherson, Alabama, 2:00.11
Nate Samson from FSU had a 21.3 50 back in a relay time trial, if he can repeat that at conference their 200 medley might have a chance to head to the dance
Seen the same thing, would be huge if he could do it again considering backstroke is probably FSU’s biggest hole