University of Florida Intrasquad
- O’Connell Center Pool, Gainsville, FL
- SCY (25 yards)
The University of Florida held an intrasquad on Saturday, January 8th. Florida was supposed to host Texas A&M that Saturday but the University of Florida announced the meet was canceled “due to the recent spike of COVID-19 around the country.”
The meet featured both the University of Florida athletes as well as the pro group training in Gainesville. Some swimmers swam their main events whereas others swam some of their “off” events.
Some of the pro-swimmer highlights include Caeleb Dressel swimming to times of 19.18 in the 50 freestyle as well as 47.32 in the 100 butterfly. Katie Ledecky also competed and swam to times of 49.51 in the 100 freestyle, 9:15.18 in the 1000 freestyle, and 4:08.27 in the 400 IM. Ledecky was just beat out in the 100 freestyle by new arrival to the Florida pro-group, Natalie Hinds. Hinds swam to times of 49.20 in the 100 freestyle, 1:48.88 in the 200 freestyle, and 53.68 in the 100 butterfly.
At the collegiate level, Kieran Smith, known for his distance freestyle, swam to victories in the 400 IM (3:49.62), 100 backstroke (47.57), and 200 backstroke (1:43.13). Fellow distance freestyler, Bobby Finke, also opted for the backstroke events and the 400 IM with times of 48.58 in the 100 and 1:46.91 in the 200. Finke also swam a 3:52.79 in the 400 IM.
On the women’s collegiate side, Talia Bates swam a victory in the 50 freestyle (22.47). Bates was also just out-touched by Hinds in the 100 butterfly as she swam to a time of 53.69, only .01 seconds behind Hinds. Rosie Zavaros swam the fastest time in the 200 backstroke (1:58.06). She also finished second behind Ledecky in both the 400 IM (4:16.21) and the 1000 freestyle (9:52.65).
Florida also had a few members of the team make their debut. On the women’s side, Russia’s Ekaterina Nikonova swam to times of 22.73 in the 50 freestyle, 49.54 in the 100 freestyle, and 1:47.56 in the 200 freestyle. SwimSwam had previously reported that Nikonova had finally arrived on campus for the Gators. On the men’s side, graduate student Alberto Mestre made his debut as well. Mestre completed his undergraduate degree from Stanford in the fall and has now transferred to Florida. He swam to times of 20.08 in the 50 freestyle, 44.03 in the 100 freestyle, and 1:40.85 in the 200 freestyle.
Other men’s event first place finishes include:
- 200 freestyle: Trey Freeman (1:37.70)
- 500 freestyle: Alfonso Mestre (4:21.15)
- 1000 freestyle: Jack Vandeusen (9:09.13)
- 100 breaststroke: Amro Al-Wir (56.50)
- 200 breaststroke: Peter Bretzmann (2:02.14)
- 200 butterfly: Dillion Hillis (1:48.55)
- 200 IM: Julian Smith (1:51.06)
Other women’s event first place finishes include:
- 500 freestyle: Taylor Mathieu (4:45.62)
- 100 backstroke: Katie Mack (55.29)
- 100 breaststroke: Olivia Peoples (1:02.44)
- 200 breaststroke: Olivia Peoples (2:15.06)
- 200 butterfly: Amanda Ray (1:59.14)
- 200 IM: Aris Runnels (2:05.26)
The Gators next meet is scheduled for Saturday, January 22nd at home against Auburn.
Did they suit up for this?
No
Ledecky was sub 4:00 in the 400 IM at Stanford. Races were at the Conference championships I believe.
Is there video anywhere of Ledecky doing IMs? I’ve never actually seen her swim anything other than freestyle and I’m curious what her other strokes look like!
She did them occasionally at Stanford. I think she even held a collegiate record very briefly. Those tapes might be on YouTube.
Didn’t she also swim 400 IM at a World Champ Trials or a Pro Swim Series meet in 2017 or something? I remember she dropped like a 4:35 or something in long course and there was talk about whether she’d try and pursue IM
I thought she swam IM at the first ISL.
Ledecky broke Eastin’s American record in the 400 IM at 2017 Pac12s, Eastin re-broke it at NCAAs the next month, then Ledecky broke it again at 2018 Pac12s, along with also breaking Hosszu’s US Open and NCAA record by 0.01 seconds with a time of 3:56.53
She has the #2 and #7 swims of all time in that event (Eastin shattered the records at 2018 NCAAs and holds the #1, #4, #5, and #6 times while Hosszu’s old record is still at #3 all time).
There have been 4 swimmers and 9 swims sub 3:58 and Ledecky and Eastin are the only two out of that four to have done it multiple times.
she was second at NCAAs in 2018
Assorted videos of KL’s past IM races on You-Tube. I was curious too. My take on her fly, she seems to like it but not a natural flyer which is surprising. Backstroke has improved quite a bit, but…I kind of wince when she gets to breast stroke. She is always behind when they get to the freestyle leg. However, she is so strong and determined that often she is able to pass the others and win. Nothing recent though. Maybe this has changed.
3:52+ from freshman Peter Bretzmann in a Speedo is a heck of a good swim. For any Freshman for that matter in a dual meet.
1:43.1 is pretty impressive for a non-backtroke specialist at a random meet
Remel is an animal.
Let’s go !!!
The next meet on Jan 22nd against Auburn is senior meet for UF
Full results?
No full results available unfortunately, though we’ve asked.
The results are all uploaded into SWIMS though.