Minuth Grabs Third-Straight SEC Crown
Fynn Minuth broke his own SEC record in the 500 free while Emma Barksdale set a new Carolina record in the 200 IM on night two.
ATHENS, Ga.— South Carolina senior Fynn Minuth broke his own Southeastern Conference record as he swam a 4:11.98 to win the 500 freestyle for a third-consecutive season. Minuth was one of three Gamecocks’ A-finalists on the second night at the SEC Championships in the Gabrielsen Natatorium.
Minuth becomes just the first swimmer since 2005-08 to win three-consecutive conference titles in the 500 free, accomplishing the feat just a year after former teammate Akram Mahmoud took home his third-straight SEC title in the 1650 free.
Emma Barksdale followed up her school-record in the morning session, with an even better 1:53.27 in the women’s 200 IM A-final to finish third.
South Carolina had a busy morning session as the Gamecocks put up 23 total personal best times.
Minuth, the two-time defending SEC Champion, came out with a 4:15.27 to qualify second for the 500 free A-final with teammate Rafael Davila recording a personal-best 4:16.04 to qualify third. Cody Bekemeyer put up a season-best 4:20.09 to qualify for the C-final of the men’s 500.
Emma Barksdale broke her own school record (1:53.73) to qualify for the women’s 200 IM A-final while teammate Albury Higgs broke the 2-minute mark (1:58.30) for the first time in her career to qualify for the C-final.
Christina Lappin led the Gamecocks’ sprinters, finishing just behind her school record pace with a 22.40 to qualify for the women’s 50 free B-final. Lappin later swam another 22.40 to place fifth in the evening’s B-final.
Carolina closed the second evening session with another pair of relay records. Lappin and Barksdale teamed with Hallie Kinsey and Edith Lingmann in the women’s 200 free to set a new school record at 1:30.33.
The men’s 200 free relay team of Caleb Tosh, Dylan Delaney, Justin Rose and AJ Ross combined to swim a program record 1:18.12 in the final event of day two.
Top Gamecock Finishes:
| NAME | EVENT | TIME |
| Fynn Minuth | 500 Free (M) | #4:11.98, 1st |
| Rafael Davila | 500 Free (M) | 4:17.37, 6th |
| Emma Barksdale | 200 IM (W) | *1:53.27, 3rd |
| Christina Lappin | 50 Free (W) | 22.40, 5th |
| Lappin, Barksdale, Kinsey, Lingmann | 200 FR (W) | *1:30.33, 10th |
| Tosh, Delaney, Rose, Ross | 200 FR (M) | *1:18.12, 8th |
*= Carolina school record
#= SEC record
UP NEXT
The SEC Championships will continue with day three on Thursday with prelims beginning at 10 a.m., followed by the third night of finals at 6 p.m.
Day Three Schedule of Events:
400 IM
100 Fly
200 Free
Men’s 3-meter Diving
For more swimming updates, follow South Carolina Swimming and Diving on Twitter at @GamecockSwim.
