Pace Clark
Pace Clark is a backstroke and butterfly specialist from Memphis, Tenn. Clark is a high school All-American in the 100 butterfly and 100 backstroke at Memphis University School. He’s currently in his senior season at the University of Georgia where he’s majoring in History and Management. Born June 24, 1994 to parents, Tal and Janie, Clark was also a Tennessee state champion. Back in his hometown of Memphis, Clark swam for the Memphis Tiger Swim Club coached by Louis Demetriades. He was the second-ranked recruit out of the state of Tennessee in the 2013 recruiting class, and he had the seventh-fastest 100m butterfly time in the class. As a Bulldog Clark has excelled particularly in the 200 butterfly – he owns the sixth fastest time in Georgia history in the event. Although he’s a football fan, Clark is a loyal fan of his hometown basketball team, the Memphis Grizzlies.
University of Georgia
2013-2014
At the SEC Championship meet Clark made the SEC team as a freshman. He won the ‘B’ final of the 200 butterfly and finished 20th in the 100 butterfly – his performance placed him on the All-SEC Freshman Team.
2014-2015
As a sophomore Clark won the ‘C’ final of the 100 butterfly, finished fifth in the 200 butterfly in an NCAA ‘A’ cut time and 13th in the 200 backstroke.
2015-2016
At the NCAA Championships in his junior year, Clark just missed out on a podium place. He finished fourth in the 200 yard butterfly in 1:40.17, 0.22 away from the bronze medal. He also swam the 100 yard butterfly at the meet, finishing eighth in the final in 46.26. Clark helped Georgia to a fifth place finish in the 800 yard freestyle relay, seventh in the 200 yard medley relay and 12th in the 400 yard medley relay.
2016-2017
Clark got off to a storming start to his final year as a Bulldog. He posted the nations fastest time so far in the 200 yard butterfly in a meet against Florida. After taking the butterfly double at the meet, he was named the SEC Swimmer of the Week. At the 2017 NCAA Championships, Pace helped 3 Georgia relays finish in the top 16. On Day 1, he swam on the 6th place 800 free relay (1:33.22). The next day, he took butterfly duty on the 400 medley relay (45.36) which won the B-final to take 9th. On Day 3, he placed 13th in the B-final of the 100 fly (45.97) and also swam on the 16th place 200 medley relay (20.56). On the last day of the meet, he repeated his placing in the 200 fly from the previous year, swimming a 1:40.41 to touch the wall at 4th.
National Competition
Clark qualified for the 2012 U.S. Olympic Trials in his speciality – the 100m and 200m butterfly. He finished 88th in the 100 and 59th in the 200. At the 2013 Junior National Championships Clark came in second in the 200 butterfly and fifth in the 100 butterfly.
U.S Olympic Trials
In Omaha, Clark swam both butterfly events. First up was the 200 where he made it to the final and finished sixth in 1:56.66. In the shorter event he finished 34th in 53.84.
2016 FINA World Short Course Championships
At the championships in Windsor, Canada, Clark posted the second fastest 200 SC meters butterfly time in U.S. history. His time of 1:51.68 in the heats sits him behind Tom Shields but moved him past Michael Phelps. However, he wasn’t able to back up his time in the finals and finished seventh in 1:53.15. In the 800 free relay, he helped team USA garner a silver medal with a split of 1:44.16.
2017 National Championships/World Championship Trials
Clark qualified for his first Long Course World Championships after winning the silver medal in the 200 meter butterfly. He finished in a new best time of 1:54.58, just behind Jack Conger.
2017 World Championships
In his major international meet debut, Pace made the semis of the 200 fly, but after going 1:55.82 in the 2nd heat, just missed the final heat by placing 9th.
