2024 Georgia Invitational: Day 1 Finals Live Recap

2024 Georgia Invitational

• November 20 – 22, 2024
• Gabrielsen Rec Center — Athens, GA
• 25 Yards (SCY)
• Prelims: 9:30 am ET/Finals: 5:30 pm ET
• Watch: SECN+ Network
  • Day 1 Finals Live Steam
• Diving Livestream: Prelims/Finals
• Live Results: “UGA Fall Invitational 2024” on MeetMobile

Welcome to the first finals session for the 2024 Georgia Invitational! In addition to finals of the 500 freestyle, 200 IM, and 50 freestyle we’ve got two relays bookending the session: the 200 freestyle and 400 medley relays.

Top Seeds: 

• Women’s 500 freestyle: Bella Sims, Florida — 4:37.12
• Men’s 500 freestyle: Jake Magahey, Georgia — 4:10.93
• Women’s 200 IM: Zoe Dixon, Florida — 1:55.34
• Men’s 200 IM: Tommy Hagar, Alabama — 1:43.83
• Women’s 50 freestyle: Cadence Vincent, Alabama — 22.03
• Men’s 50 freestyle: Josh Liendo, Florida — 18.86

Florida had a strong first prelims session, putting multiple swimmers into all ‘A’ finals except the women’s 50 freestyle. In her first yards meet of the 2024-25 season, Bella Sims leads an ‘A’ final that is split between four Gators and four Bulldogs. Sims posted a 4:37.12 and is trailed by Georgia’s Abby McCulloh, Rachel Stege, Sloane Reinstein, and Dune Coetzee.

Jake Magahey swam a big season-best of 4:10.93, briefly taking over as the top time in the NCAA until Rex Maurer swam a 4:09-point at the Texas Fall Invite. He’s the heavy favorite tonight, as Charlie Hawke is sitting second and Tomas Koski third as the only other swimmers sub-4:16 this morning.

Zoe Dixon swam away from the field in the women’s 200 IM prelims as she sits almost two seconds ahead of Georgia’s Ieva Maluka. On the men’s side, Alabama sophomore Tommy Hagar swam a big lifetime best of 1:43.83 to lead prelims, with Julian Smith sitting just three-hundredths behind.

The Alabama women followed up Hagar’s 200 IM success with a strong performance in the women’s 50 free. Cadence Vincent swam a lifetime best 22.03 to lead prelims, and Jada Scott, who returned from injury this season, also knocked two-hundredths from her lifetime best (22.34) to move through to the final. Josh Liendo dominated the men’s 50 free prelims as the sole athlete under 19 seconds this morning (18.86). LSU’s Jere Hribar is second after swimming 19.03 and could join Liendo sub-19 seconds tonight as he holds a lifetime best of 18.81 and has been swimming well this season.

Women’s 200-yard Freestyle Relay — Final

• NCAA Record: 1:23.63 — Virginia (Nocentini, G. Walsh, A. Walsh, Parker) (2024)
• SEC Record: 1:25.41 — Auburn (Meynen, Fisch, Kutsch, Clevenger) (2020)
• NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 1:28.42
• NCAA ‘B’ Cut: 1:29.00

Top 8:

1. Alabama ‘A’ (Vincent, Scott, Winter, Rosendale) — 1:27.22 NCAA ‘A’ Cut
2. Georgia ‘A’ (Jones, Stephens, Belle Sikes, McCarty) — 1:28.01 NCAA ‘A’ Cut
3. Florida ‘A’ (Sims, Heimstead, Peoples, Cronk) — 1:28.94
4. LSU ‘A’ — 1:28.97
5. Missouri ‘A’ — 1:29.13
6. LSU ‘B’ — 1:30.10
7. Florida ‘B’ — 1:30.39
8. Missouri ‘B’ – 1:31.17

Unsurprisingly given that each program put three into the women’s 50 freestyle ‘A’ final, Alabama and Georgia were the top two teams in the women’s 200 medley relay. The Alabama ‘A’ relay of Vincent, Scott, Kailyn Winter, and Charlotte Rosendale soared under the NCAA ‘A’ cut time with a 1:27.22, highlighted by Vincent breaking 22 seconds for the first time in her career with a 21.84 lead-off. All three women behind her split sub-22 with Scott splitting 21.82, Winter 21.81, and Rosendale 21.75.

The Bulldogs took second in 1:28.01, also under the ‘A’ cut of 1:28.42. Helena Jones led off for Georgia in 22.53, and was followed by Julianna Stephens (22.01), Katie Belle Sikes (21.73), and Eboni McCarty (21.74).

Bella Sims led off in 22.26 to have the Gators in second among the ‘A’ relays after the first exchange. Georgia quickly pulled ahead and the Gators battled against LSU for third place. They were behind the Tigers’ ‘A’ relay at the final exchange, but Cronk’s 22.07 split allowed her to get her hand on the wall three-hundredths ahead of Megan Barnes for the Tigers.

Men’s 200-yard Freestyle Relay — Final

• NCAA Record: 1:13.35 — Florida (Liendo, Chaney, Friese, McDuff) (2023)
• SEC Record: 1:13.35 — Florida (Liendo, Chaney, Friese, McDuff) (2023)
• NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 1:16.51
• NCAA ‘B’ Cut: 1:17.13

Top 8: 

1. Florida ‘A’ (Smith, Liendo, Painter, Fullum-Huot) — 1:15.10 NCAA ‘A’ Cut
2. LSU ‘A’ (Garon, Hribar, Goncharov, Curtis) — 1:16.47 NCAA ‘A’ Cut
3. Alabama ‘A’ (Korstanje, Hawke, Bell, Wilson) — 1:16.82
4. Missouri ‘A’ — 1:16.98
5. Florida ‘B’ — 1:18.34
6. Georgia ‘A’ — 1:18.44
7. Alabama ‘B’ — 1:19.13
8. Alabama ‘C’ — 1:19.23

The Florida quartet of Smith (19.00), Liendo (18.41), Alex Painter (18.64), and Ed Fullum-Huot (19.05) had no trouble collecting the win in the men’s 200 freestyle relay. They swam a 1:15.10, getting well under the NCAA ‘A’ cut for the first time this season. The time moves them into the top 10 this season, though the exact placement remains to be seen based on the outcome of other invites. Arizona State held the fastest time in the league at the start of invite season with a 1:14.35.

LSU’s sprint relays continue to look strong this season, as Andrew Garon (20.06), Hribar (18.53), Stepan Goncharov (18.67), and Griffin Curtis (19.21) combined for a 1:16.47, good for second place. The also grabbed an NCAA ‘A’ relay cut, swimming under the standard by four-hundredths.

Alabama’s relay of Tim Korstanje (19.50), Hawke (19.05), Drayden Bell (19.16), and Zarek Wilson (19.11) rounded out the podium in 1:16.82, out-touching Missouri by .16 seconds.

Women’s 500-yard Freestyle — Final

• NCAA Record: 4:24.06 — Katie Ledecky, Stanford (2017)
• SEC Record: 4:32.47 — Bella Sims, Florida (2024)
• NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 4:36.89
• NCAA ‘B’ Cut: 4:47.20

Top 8:

1. Bella Sims (FLOR) — 4:31.06 NCAA ‘A’ Cut
2. Rachel Stege (UGA) — 4:34.27 NCAA ‘A’ Cut
3. Abby McCulloh (UGA) — 4:36.18 NCAA ‘A’ Cut
4. Julia Brousseau (FLOR) — 4:37.19
5. Emma Weyant (FLOR) — 4:37.62
6. Mabel Zavaros (FLOR) — 4:41.17
7. Dune Coetzee (UGA) — 4:41.24
8. Sloane Reinstein (UGA) — 4:42.65

In the first individual ‘A’ final of the evening, Tokyo Olympian Bella Sims ran away with the women’s 500 freestyle, crushing 4:31.06 for the win. The swim faster than she went to win the NCAA title last season, it’s her best in a Florida cap, and it’s the second-fastest of her career, behind only the 4:28.64 she swam at 2022 Winter Juniors – West. She split her race 50.67/55.14/55.25/55.32/54.68.

Behind her, Georgia earned a 2-3 finish as Rachel Stege swam 4:34.27 and Abby McCulloh clocked 4:36.18. Stege has been as fast as 4:32.87 (at this meet last year) but McCulloh’s swim is a new lifetime best for the defending NCAA 1650 freestyle champion. She undercut the 4:36.40 that she swam at the 2024 NCAA Championships.

The trio of Julia Brousseau, Emma Weyant, and Mabel Zavaros finished 4th-6th for the Gators. Brousseau, a Canadian Olympian spending her first season in yards, continues to shed time in this event. She came into the with a lifetime best of 4:53.83, then swam 4:41.11 in prelims before improving to 4:37.19 in finals. She improved by more than 16 seconds over the course of the day.

Weyant rounded out the swimmers who broke 4:40 with a 4:37.62. Zavaros’ swim is another encouraging sign for her, as she dropped from her season-best prelims swim in her return to the Gators this season.

Men’s 500-yard Freestyle — Final

• NCAA Record: 4:02.31 — Leon Marchand, Arizona State (2024)
• SEC Record: 4:06.32 — Kieran Smith, Florida (2020)
• NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 4:10.64
• NCAA ‘B’ Cut: 4:21.28

Top 8:

1. Jake Magahey (UGA) — 4:11.18
2. Charlie Hawke (BAMA) — 4:11.95
3. Tomas Koski (UGA) — 4:11.96
4. Jovan Lekic (LSU) — 4:14.13
5. Giovanni Linscheer (FLOR) — 4:15.04
6. Leonardo Alcantara (BAMA) — 4:15.19
7. Sam Powe (UGA) — 4:18.03
8. Jacob Pishko (LSU) — 4:18.43

It was perhaps a closer race than expected after prelims, but Jake Magahey claimed the win  in the men’s 500 freestyle with a 4:11.18, .25 seconds off the season-best 4:10.93 he clocked in prelims earlier today. Magahey employed his typical back-half strategy in the race; he opened with a 48.01, then split 51.11, 51.25, 50.85, and 49.96 to win. Last year at this meet, he swam 4:10.60.

Magahey won by .77 seconds, but the gap between second and third was even closer as Hawke and Tomas Koski came under the flags together. Hawke had a decent lead on Koski heading into the final 100 yards, but Koski blasted a 49.60 closing split to pull even with Hawke. At the wall, the Crimson Tide swimmer had just enough left to get his hand on the wall a hundredth ahead of the Bulldog, 4:11.95 to 4:11.86. Hawke’s time is within a second of his lifetime best while Koski’s time marks a best.

This is Koski’s first sub-4:12 swim as he improves from the 4:12.29 he swam at the 2024 SEC Championships.

After dropping 1.39 seconds from his lifetime best in prelims, Leonardo Alcantara hacked another 1.13 seconds off his standard with a 4:15.19 for sixth-place.

Women’s 200-yard IM — Final

• NCAA Record: 1:48.37 — Kate Douglass, Virginia (2023)
• SEC Record: 1:51.62 — Megan Small, Tennessee (2019)
• NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 1:53.66
• NCAA ‘B’ Cut: 1:59.35

Top 8:

1. Zoe Dixon (FLOR) — 1:54.57
2. Lainy Kruger (FLOR) — 1:56.29
3. Ieva Maluka (UGA) — 1:56.43
4. Olivia Dellatorre (UGA) — 1:57.46
5. Catie Choate (FLOR) — 1:58.88
6. Chloe Cheng (LSU) — 1:59.02
7. Addison Reese (FLOR) — 1:59.39
8. Diana Petkova (BAMA) — 2:00.83

NCAA ‘A’ finalist Zoe Dixon backed up her top seed from prelims in the women’s 200 IM. She improved from her prelims time by .77 seconds, swimming a 1:54.57 to touch the wall first. The Florida women are now two-for-two in the session’s individual events.

Dixon won the race by 1.72 seconds as Lainy Kruger made it a 1-2 finish for the Gators. Kruger clocked a lifetime best of 1:56.29, improving from the 1:56.59 she swam at the 2024 SEC Championships. Kruger split 26.92 on the closing 50 yards, moving ahead of Georgia’s Ieva Maluka in order to secure her second-place finish.

For her part, Maluka logged a season-best of 1:56.29. She owns a lifetime best of 1:54.43 and is inching closer to breaking into Georgia’s all-time top 10 list in the event. It takes a 1:56.08 to make the Bulldogs’ list.

Men’s 200-yard IM — Final

• NCAA Record: 1:36.34 — Leon Marchand, Arizona State (2023)
• SEC Record: 1:38.13 — Caeleb Dressel, Florida (2018)
• NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 1:40.75
• NCAA ‘B’ Cut: 1:45.68

Top 8:

1. Julian Smith (FLOR) — 1:41.01
2. Tommy Hagar (BAMA) — 1:43.46
3. Joaquin Gonzalez Pinero (FLOR) — 1:44.76
4. Mason Laur (FLOR) — 1:44.87
5. John Watson (UMIZ) — 1:46.09
6. Griffin Curtis (LSU) — 1:46.23
7. Aaron Seymour (UGA) — 1:46.25
8. Sean Sullivan (FLOR) — 1:46.79

After a 1:43-point in prelims, Smith demolished that time in the men’s 200 IM finals, posting a lifetime best of 1:41.01 to take first. Smith’s previous lifetime best was a 1:41.87 from the 2024 NCAA Championships; he lowered his standard by .86 seconds and nearly broke into 1:40 territory.

Alabama’s Tommy Hagar led the way into finals after swimming a lifetime best of 1:43.83. The 20 year old clocked another personal best to take second behind Smith, shaving another .37 seconds off his best with a 1:43.46. While Smith won the race by over two seconds, Hagar was also well ahead of Florida’s Joaquin Gonzalez Pinero, who took third in 1:44.76. Mason Laur finished close behind in 1:44.87.

Further back, Missouri’s John Watson, like Hagar, swam his second lifetime best of the day in the 200 IM. He sliced .09 seconds off the best he set in prelims, swimming a 1:46.09 for fifth place.

Women’s 50-yard Freestyle — Final

• NCAA Record: 20.37 — Gretchen Walsh, Virginia (2024)
• SEC Record: 20.98 — Maggie MacNeil, LSU (2023)
• NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 21.58
• NCAA ‘B’ Cut: 22.58

Top 8:

1. Cadence Vincent (BAMA) — 21.73
2. Michaela De Villiers (LSU) — 22.29
3. Eboni McCarty (UGA) — 22.33
4. Katie Belle Sikes (UGA) / Jada Scott (BAMA) — 22.35
5. (tie)
6. Helena Jones (UGA) — 22.40
7. Kailyn Winter (BAMA) — 22.45
8. Micayla Cronk (FLOR) — 22.63

After breaking 22 seconds for the first time leading off the 200 freestyle relay to start the session, Alabama’s Vincent swam her third 50 freestyle lifetime best of the day. She won the individual 50 freestyle in 21.73 after starting the day with a lifetime best of 22.06.

She headlined a strong effort from the Alabama sprint crew, who took 1st, 4th (tie), and 7th in the event. Scott was a hundredth off the lifetime best she swam in prelims and still under her former standard as she tied with Katie Belle Sikes for fourth place.

LSU’s Michaela De Villiers grabbed second with a lifetime best of her own. She swam 22.29, bettering the 22.36 she swam at the 2024 SEC Championships.

Eboni McCarty rounded out the podium with a third-place finish (22.33). She led the way for the Georgia women, who like the Alabama crew had three swimmers up in this event. Along with Sikes tying Scott for fourth-place, Helena Jones swam a 22.40 for sixth place, stopping the clock .05 seconds ahead of Kailyn Winter (22.45).

Men’s 50-yard Freestyle — Final

• NCAA Record: 17.63 — Caeleb Dressel, Florida (2018)
• SEC Record: 17.63 — Caeleb Dressel, Florida (2018)
• NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 18.72
• NCAA ‘B’ Cut: 19.69

Top 8:

1. Josh Liendo (FLOR) — 18.80
2. Jere Hribar (LSU) — 18.92
3. Alex Painter (FLOR) — 19.24
4. Scotty Buff (FLOR) — 19.30
5. Stepan Goncharov (LSU) — 19.31
6. Ed Fullum-Huot (FLOR) / Tim Korstanje (BAMA) — 19.50
7. (tie)
8. Luke Nebrich (UMIZ) — 19.52

Liendo improved from his prelims swim by six-hundredths to win the men’s 50 freestyle. He was 18.61 at this meet last season. Liendo won the race by .12 seconds as LSU’s Jere Hribar joined him under the 19 second barrier. Hribar swam 18.92, giving LSU second place in both the women’s and men’s 50 freestyles at the invite. It’s Hribar’s first sub-19 second swim of the season and he’s only .11 seconds from his lifetime best–a mark of how much more comfortable he is in yards during his sophomore year.

Another international swimmer, Alex Painter, took third with his second personal best of the day (19.24). Behind him, his teammate Scotty Buff swam a lifetime best of his own, shaving five-hundredths off his time from 2024 NCAAs with a 19.30. For his part, Stepan Goncharov was just a hundredth away from his personal best, touching right behind Buff in 19.31.

Women’s 400-yard Medley Relay — Final

• NCAA Record: 3:21.80 — Virginia (G. Walsh, A. Walsh, Douglass, Canny) (2023)
• SEC Record: 3:24.92 — Tennessee (Fuller, McSharry, Douthwright, Spink) (2024)
• NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 3:30.89
• NCAA ‘B’ Cut: 3:32.88

Top 8:

1. Florida ‘A’ (Sims, Bottazzo, Peoples, Cronk) — 3:26.27 NCAA ‘A’ Cut
2. Alabama ‘A’ (Jones, Petkova, Raymond, Vincent) — 3:29.56 NCAA ‘A’ Cut
3. Georgia ‘A’ (McCarty, Headland, Dellatorre, Jones) — 3:32.49
4. Alabama ‘B’ — 3:32.71
5. Florida ‘B’ — 3:33.09
6. Missouri ‘A’ — 3:35.19
7. Florida ‘D’ — 3:36.10
8. Georgia ‘B’ — 3:36.90

The Gator women cruised to victory in the women’s 400 medley relay, adding another win to close out a successful first day of the invite. Sims swam three events during finals; before leading off the Florida’s ‘A’ relay, she led-off the 200 freestyle relay and won the 500 freestyle in the second-fastest swim of her career.

She still had something left in the tank for the medley relay though, and she led off with a new personal best of 49.93 in the 100 backstroke. It’s her first time breaking 50 seconds; her old lifetime best was a 50.02 from 2024 NCAAs. After her lead-off, Anita Bottazzo swam a 57.75 breaststroke split. Then, Olivia Peoples and Cronk closed out the back-half of the Florida relay with 50.76 and 47.83 splits. The Gators swam 3:26.27, winning the race easily in an NCAA ‘A’ cut time.

Alabama’s Emily Jones (51.11), Petkova (59.28), Victoria Raymond (52.03), and Vincent (47.14) posted a 3:29.56 for their second relay ‘A’ cut of the session. While Florida finished well ahead of the Crimson Tide, Alabama had clear water between them and Georgia’s ‘A’ relay, which took third in 3:32.49.

Men’s 400-yard Medley Relay — Final

• NCAA Record: 2:57.32 — Arizona State (Kos, Marchand, Kharun, Kulow) (2024)
• SEC Record: 2:58.32 — Florida (Chaney, Hillis, Liendo, McDuff) (2023)
• NCAA ‘A’ Cut: 3:04.96
• NCAA ‘B’ Cut: 3:06.37

Top 8:

1. Florida ‘A’ (Marshall, Smith, Liendo, Painter) — 3:02.95 NCAA ‘A’ Cut
2. LSU (Goncharov, Mason, Uryniuk, Hribar) — 3:04.92 NCAA ‘A’ Cut
3. Alabama ‘A’ (Hagar, Alves, De Almeida, Dragoja) — 3:05.92
4. UGA ‘A’ — 3:05.94
5. Missouri ‘A’ — 3:07.52
6. Florida ‘B’ — 3:07.71
7. Georgia ‘B’ — 3:008.50
8. Alabama ‘B’ — 3:08.79

After DFS-ing his 50 freestyle prelim, Jonny Marshall led off the Gators’ ‘A’ relay. He clocked 45.48 before handing things over to Smith, fresh off a personal best in the 200 IM. Smith split 50.57, followed by Liendo (44.36) and Painter (42.54). The Gators won their second relay of the session handily, swimming 3:02.95 to snag another ‘A’ cut as well.

Again, the Tigers were just under the relay’s NCAA ‘A’ cut, swimming 3:04.92. Goncharov was just nine-hundredths off his lifetime best leading off the relay in 45.52. Mitch Mason split 51.53 on breaststroke, Pawel Uryniuk was 46.88 on fly, and Hribar anchored in 40.99.

Hagar hit another lifetime best leading off Alabama’s ‘A’ relay. He clocked a 46.10 100 backstroke, dropping from his previous standard of 46.28. Kaique Alves (51.24), Bernardo De Almeida (45.86), and Toni Dragoja (42.09) followed up, giving the Crimson Tide a final time of 3:05.92, holding off a charge from Georgia’s Reese Branzell to finish third by two-hundredth

Scores Thru Day 1

Women:

1. Florida, 299.5
2. Georgia, 254.5
3. Alabama, 194.5
4. LSU, 116.5
5. Missouri, 108

Men:

1. Florida, 326.5
2. Alabama, 189.5
3. Georgia, 179
4. LSU, 159
5. Missouri, 133