2016 Georgia Invite: Baker’s 1:49 Victory in 200 Back Highlights Day 3 Finals

2016 GEORGIA FALL INVITATIONAL

• Friday, December 2nd-Sunday, December 4th
• Hosted by University of Georgia
• 25 yards
• Invite format
• Live results

The final night of action at the 2016 Georgia Fall Invitational saw swimmers compete in the 1650 free, 200 back, 100 free, 200 breast, 200 fly, and 400 free relay. There were quite a few big swim’s in tonight’s session, including some of the top performances in the NCAA this season by Ryan Murphy, Kathleen Baker, and Olivia Smoliga.

WOMEN’S 1650 FREE

1. Rose Bi, Michigan, 15:51.94
2. G Ryan, Michigan, 15:57.10
3. Rachel Zilinskas, Georgia, 16:13.48

The Michigan distance duo of Rose Bi and G Ryan picked up another 1-2 finish for the Wolverines, but this time it was Bi getting to the wall first in 15:512.94. Ryan followed for 2nd, also breaking 16:00 with their 15:57.10. Georgia’s Rachel Zilinskas (16:13.48) picked up the 3rd spot.

MEN’S 1650 FREE

1. Nick Norman, Cal, 14:51.89
2. Blake Maczka, Michigan, 15:07.22
3. Sam Magnan, Virginia, 15:11.47

Cal’s Nick Norman was just a second shy of his best in the men’s mile, dominating the race with a 14:51.89 victory. Norman led from start to finish, clocking the only sub-15:00 time of the field. Rounding out the top 3 behind him were Michigan’s Blake Maczka (15:07.22) and Virginia’s Sam Magnan (15:11.47).

WOMEN’S 200 BACK

1. Kathleen Baker, Cal, 1:49.83
2. Amy Bilquist, Cal, 1:50.06
3. Meryn McCann, Georgia, 1:53.47

The showdown between Cal teammates Kathleen Baker and Amy Bilquist in the 200 back did not disappoint. They traded blows through the first portion of the race, with Baker taking the early lead at the 100, but Bilquist fighting back for the edge at the 150. In the end, Baker had a breakthrough, roaring to a 1:49.83 victory ahead of Bilquist’s 1:50.06.

MEN’S 200 BACK

1. Ryan Murphy, Cal, 1:38.65
2. Jay Litherland, Georgia, 1:41.65
3. Connor Kalisz, Florida State, 1:41.73

American Record holder Ryan Murphy rolled to a 1:38.65 in tonight’s 200 back, topping the field by a full 3 seconds. That makes him the fastest swimmer in the NCAA so far in both backstrokes, as he surpassed Henessey Stuart’s 1:40.04 from the NC State Invite. Behind him, Georgia’s Jay Litherland came from behind with a 25.25 on the final 50, clocking a 1:41.65 to out-touch Florida State’s Connor Kalisz (1:41.73).

WOMEN’S 100 FREE

1. Olivia Smoliga, Georgia, 46.95
2. Abbey Weitzeil, Cal, 47.22
3. Farida Osman, Cal, 47.84

Cal’s Abbey Weitzeil matched her 47.22 from prelims, which stood as the fastest time in the NCAA so far. Tonight, however, she fell to 2nd, with Georgia’s Olivia Smoliga turning in the new nation’s best time at 46.95. The two swimmers both flipped in 22.6 at the 50-mark, but Smoliga brought it home harder with a 24.35 on the back half.

MEN’S 100 FREE

1. Peter Holoda, Auburn, 42.69
2. Michael Jensen, Cal, 42.75
3. Justin Lynch, Cal, 42.91

Auburn’s Peter Holoda topped a 100 free field that included 4 Cal sprinters tonight, getting the job done with his 42.69 to outswim the Bears’ Michael Jensen (42.75). Jensen’s teammates filed in behind him, with Justin Lynch rounding out the top 3 at 42.91. Pawel Sendyk (43.04) and ‘Aukai Lileikis (43.33) followed for 4th and 5th respectively.

WOMEN’S 200 BREAST

1. Laura Simon, Virginia, 2:06.94
2. Marina Garcia, Cal, 2:08.64
3. Emily Kopas, Michigan, 2:09.98

Virginia’s Laura Simon completed her sweep of the breaststrokes at this meet, swimming to a 2:06.94 in tonight’s 200 breast final. Cal’s Marina Garcia turned in a new personal best time, finishing in 2:08.64 for 2nd place. Michigan’s Emily Kopas was also sub-2:10, following for 3rd in 2:09.98.

MEN’S 200 BREAST

1. Hunter Cobleigh, Cal, 1:55.24
2. Jason Coombs, Florida State, 1:55.27
3. Michael Duderstadt, Auburn, 1:55.53

Less than 3 tenths separated the top 3 finishers in the men’s 200 breast final. Cal’s Hunter Cobleigh was a few tenths slower than his prelims swim, but was still able to get his hand on the wall for 1st in 1:55.24, out-touching Florida State’s Jason Coombs (1:55.27) at the finish. Reigning SEC champ Michael Duderstadt, an Auburn senior, followed closely for 3rd in 1:55.53.

WOMEN’S 200 FLY

1. Kaitlyn Jones, Virginia, 1:53.29
2. Jenn Marrkand, Virginia, 1:53.75
3. Noemie Thomas, Cal, 1:53.77

Virginia’s Kaitlyn Jones wasn’t quite able to match her 1:52 from prelims, but she was still fast enough to win the 200 fly tonight with her 1:53.29. Her teammate Jenn Marrkand collected a 2nd place finish behind her, holding off a final 50 charge from Cal’s Noemie Thomas. They were all in the 1:53-range, as Thomas took 3rd in 1:53.77.

MEN’S 200 FLY

1. Chase Kalisz, Georgia, 1:40.38
2. Andrew Seliskar, Cal, 1:40.74
3. Michael Thomas, Cal, 1:43.19

Georgia’s Chase Kalisz and Cal’s Andrew Seliskar blew away the field in the men’s 200 fly. Kalisz stayed perfect at this meet, making up a full second deficit on the last 50 with a 26.03 final split. He wont it in 1:40.38, tenths ahead of Seliskar, who took 2nd in 1:40.74. With that, he’s the 2nd fastest swimmer in the NCAA so far behind Jack Conger, who clocked a 1:40.24 at the Texas Invite last night. It also took nearly 1.5 seconds off his previous best 1:41.70 from the 2015 SEC meet.

WOMEN’S 400 FREE RELAY

1. Georgia (Smoliga, Burchill, Raab, Van Landeghem), 3:11.19
2. Cal (Baker, Weitzeil, Hull, Osman), 3:11.82
3. Michigan (Haughey, G. DeLoof, C. DeLoof, Postoll), 3:13.65

Georgia’s Olivia Smoliga wasn’t quite as fast on the 400 free relay leadoff as she was individually tonight, but she still had the fastest opening split of the field, clocking a 47.54 to help her team to a 3:11.19 victory. Cal (3:11.82) wasn’t far behind for 2nd after Abbey Weitzeil put up the fastest rolling start split with a 46.91 on the 2nd leg.

MEN’S 400 FREE RELAY

1. Cal (Murphy, Jensen, Lynch, Seliskar), 2:49.84
2. Georgia (Dale, Kalisz, Litherland, Bentz), 2:53.10
3. Cal “B” (Lileikis, Sendyk, Williams, Thomas), 2:53.13

Cal’s relay had 4 men split in the 42-range, with Michael Jensen putting up the fastest rolling start split in 42.29 on the 2nd leg. Ryan Murphy opened with a 42.53 to tie Auburn’s Peter Holoda (42.53) for the fastest flat start time. The Georgia men out-touched the Cal B-relay for 2nd. Chase Kalisz put up the fastest split for the Bulldogs with his 43.19 on the 2nd leg, but it’s notable that their relay was without freshman Javier Acevedo, who anchored their medley relay in 41.9 earlier on Friday night.