Sprint Relay Paces Carolina on Day Two at SECs
Ross, Gropper, Costin and Shperkin swim second-fastest time in program history
COLUMBIA, Mo. — South Carolina’s 200 free relay team took sixth on Wednesday night in finals at the SEC Men’s Swimming Championship. AJ Ross (19.84), Guy Gropper (19.36), Phil Costin (19.28) and Mark Shperkin (19.00) swam 1:17.48, good for the second-fastest time in program history.
Gropper also took 13th in the 50 free swimming a new PR in prelims (19.71p) then besting that in the B-final with a time of 19.70, the fifth-fastest mark in school history. Ross (20.06), Shperkin (20.10) and Costin (20.14) all just missed out on a finals spot alongside Gropper in the 50 free.
Rafael Davilia was the lone other finalist for the Gamecocks. He finished 22nd in the 500 free with a season-best time of 4:22.25 in the C-final. Tamas Novoszath just missed out on a spot in finals, finishing 25th after posting a time of 4:22.77 in prelims.
The Gamecocks are 10th in the team standings after two rounds of competition with 155 points through 10 events (seven swimming, three diving).
It will be a busy day in the pool on Thursday with prelims for the 400 IM, 100 fly, 200 free, 100 breast and 100 back starting at 11 a.m. ET. Finals for those events and the 400 medley relay will be at 7 p.m. SEC Network+ will stream both sessions with live results available via the MeetMobile App.
2021 Men’s SEC Swimming and Diving Championship Gamecock Results
500 Free
22. Rafael Davila – 4:22.75p, 4:22.25f
25. Tamas Novoszath – 4:22.77
200 IM
38. Chase Allison – 1:48.69
42. Jordan Yip Zhu Ern – 1:49.50
44. Ben Fenwick – 1:49.65
51. Drew Grespin – 1:57.09
50 Free
13. Guy Gropper – 19.71p, 19.70f ((fifth-fastest in Carolina History)
28. AJ Ross – 20.06
29. Mark Shperkin – 20.10
30. Phil Costin – 20.14
52. Robbie Epler – 20.86
53. Luke Massey – 21.05
200 Medley Relay
9. Guy Gropper (back, 21.82), Luke Massey (breast, 23.76), Jordan Yip Zhu Ern (fly, 21.38), AJ Ross (free, 19.14) – 1:26.10 (fourth-fastest in program history)
800 Free Relay
9. Tamas Novoszath (1:35.35), Rafael Davila (1:36.29), Chase Allison (1:37.52), Phil Costin (1:37.19) – 6:26.35 (ninth-fastest in program history)
200 Free Relay
6. AJ Ross (19.84), Guy Gropper (19.36), Phil Costin (19.28), Mark Shperkin (19.00) – 1:17.48 (second-fastest all-time at Carolina)
Men’s 1-meter diving (six dives)
21. Alex Claus (281.35)
Men’s 3-meter diving (six dives)
21. Alex Claus (287.80)
Men’s Platform (six dives)
23. Alex Claus (226.65)
2021 Men’s SEC Swimming and Diving Team Standings
1. Florida – 571
2. Kentucky – 454
3. Georgia – 424.50
4. Tennessee – 392
5. Texas A&M – 382
6. Missouri – 379
7. Auburn – 320
8. Alabama – 308
9. LSU – 249.50
10. South Carolina – 155
###
