2026 SEC Championships
- Dates: Monday, February 16–Saturday, February 21
- Location: Allan Jones Intercollegiate Aquatic Center, Knoxville, TN
- Defending Champions: Texas (1x)
- Live Results
- Live Video: SEC Network+
- Psych Sheet (UPDATED)
- Schedule of Events
- Championship Central
- Teams: Alabama, Auburn, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, LSU, Missouri, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Texas A&M, Vanderbilt (women only), Arkansas (women only)
- Live Recaps
- Prelims: Day 2
- Finals: Day 1 Distance | Day 1 | Day 2
On the first evening of competition at the 2026 SEC Champions, LSU junior Jere Hribar dropped the hammer on his anchor leg of the 200 medley relay. The historic 17.59 split ranks first in his school by a long shot and makes him the 4th fastest performer in history.
More impressive than those accolades, perhaps was what the Croatian national accomplished in the first half of his split. Hribar registered an 8.08 to the feet, which just might be the fastest 25 split of all time.
Among the fastest 50 free splits in history, Hribar’s performance last night and World Champion Jordan Crooks’ first 25 from the same event in the same meet last year tie as the best recorded. The caveat here is that the two fastest 50 free splits in history – both swum by Caeleb Dressel at the 2018 NCAA Championships – don’t have 25 splits available. Dressel’s 17.30 and 17.37 marks are over two tenths faster than Hribar’s swim, and that difference had to be made somewhere.
That being said, though, Dressel was notoriously proportionally weak on relay starts, a crucial component of a first 25 split. The nine-time Olympic gold medalist always led off the U.S. 4×100 freestyle relay because his flying start barely eclipses his lethal flat start.
Whether 8.08 is truly the fastest 25 split or not, a race to a seven-point 25 split is brewing. Hribar will get another shot on LSU’s 200 free relay on Friday, and a deep, hungry pack of sprinters across the NCAA could have their eye on it too.
Fastest SCY 50 free splits & their opening 25s
| Athlete | Team | Meet | 50 split | First 25 split |
| Caeleb Dressel | Florida | 2018 NCAAs | 17.30 | unknown |
| Caeleb Dressel | Florida | 2018 NCAAs | 17.37 | unknown |
| Jordan Crooks | Tennessee | 2025 SECs | 17.42 | 8.08 |
| Jordan Crooks | Tennessee | 2024 Tennessee Invite | 17.57 | 8.23 |
| Josh Liendo | Florida | 2026 SECs | 17.58 | 8.34 |
| Jere Hribar | Louisiana State | 2026 SECs | 17.59 | 8.08 |
| Jordan Crooks | Tennessee | 2025 Tennessee vs Georgia | 17.66 | 8.27 |
| Caeleb Dressel | Florida | 2017 NCAAs | 17.71 | 8.40 |
| Jonny Kulow | Arizona State | 2025 NCAAs | 17.78 | 8.30 |
| Chris Guiliano | Texas | 2025 NCAAs | 17.80 | 8.20 |
| Gui Caribe | Tennessee | 2025 NCAAs | 17.81 | 8.33 |
| Vlad Morozov | Southern California | 2013 NCAAs | 17.86 | unknown |
| Caeleb Dressel | Florida | 2017 SECs | 17.86 | unknown |
Caeleb was 8.48 to the 25y in his 17.63, so if we say all the benefit in his 17.30 split came from the start, that would have him at 8.15 to the feet, which would seem about right to me.
it would 100% have him at sub 8. (flat is .60~), (relay is .10~), so you take .5 off his flat 25 and that’s 7.98. Would be close anyways.
I gotta imagine dressels 17.30 was a 7.9. His start is ridiculous.
dang i forgot Morozov broke 18 all the way back in 2013
Hey I asked this last night in the comments! Cool to see it answered with an article. The 17.7 dressel split being 8.4 makes me think he probably was never under. Only a matter of time we see someone go 7.9 to the boots.
I was just looking and I was questioning if it was a soft touch on the 20.20 fly leg. 9.00 / 11.20 seems right in line. When I was 8 I went a 17.8 next to David Durden in the 25 free. 8.08 to the feet is pretty fast. Nice job Jere.
Doesn’t fit the whole “25 split” but Held’s supposedly been 7.9 to a hand touch in a 25. Just something cool
https://swimswam.com/ryan-held-swims-9-57-scm-25-free-wins-four-round-tournament-at-arizona-state/
I remember that.
Was it hand timed?
I don’t know about that specifically but from videos I’ve seen, I think they mix it up. Not sure at all