Groters Sets New School Record on Day Two of SECs
Knoxville, Tenn. – South Carolina junior Patrick Groters set a new school record in the 200 IM on the second day of the SEC Swimming & Diving Championships. The Aruba native won the C-final with a time of 1:43.77 to secure his spot at the top of the program record book.
The previous school record was 1:44.00 by Tomas Peribonio on February 14, 2018. Groters new time shaved 0.23 seconds off the previous record.
Groters finished first in the C-final and was bumped up from 17th to 15th place after two swimmers were disqualified from the A-final.
Across the second day of competition, the Gamecock swimmers set 21 new personal best times – 16 in the prelims and five in the finals.
Junior Emma Alexander swam a new personal best of 4:47.94 in the 500 free prelims to secure her spot in the finals. In the finals, she shaved another five seconds off that mark to take third in the C-final heat with a time of 4:44.53.
Junior Mark Shperkin also posted two new personal best times on the day in the 50 free. He swam a 19.66 to place 16th in the prelims and secure his spot in the B-final. Shperkin was the lowest seeded swimmer in the B-final but placed second in that race from Lane 8 with a time of 19.47, securing 10th place.
Through the second day of competition, both the Gamecock women and men are in 10th place.
The SEC Championships will continue Thursday with the 400 IM, 100 fly, 200 free, and women’s 3-meter diving. Prelims begin at 9:30 a.m. and finals start at 5:30 p.m.
For all the latest South Carolina swimming and diving information, continue to follow GamecocksOnline.com or the team on social media (@GamecockSwim).
Results
Women’s 200 Free Relay
9. South Carolina (Doennebrink, Kraus, Smith, Shanks) – 1:29.62
Men’s 200 Free Relay
9. South Carolina (Shperkin, Ross, Gropper, Costin) – 1:27.81
Women’s 500 Free
Prelims
24. Alexander – 4:47.94 (PB)
34. Arner – 4:48.89
37. Mason – 4:49.53 (PB)
49. M. Novoszath – 4:55.26 (PB)
Finals
19. Alexander – 4:44.53 (PB)
Men’s 500 Free
Prelims
22. Daniels – 4:20.58 (PB)
24. Davila – 4:20.76
32. T. Novoszath – 4:23.91
35. Ratzlaff – 4:23.91 (PB)
40. Faber – 4:25.60
Finals
19. Daniels – 4:20.20 (PB)
23. Davila – 4:22.70
Women’s 200 IM
Prelims
24. Goettler – 1:59.48 (PB)
38. Pelzek – 2:01.89 (PB)
41. Steele – 2:02.00
43. Masterson – 2:02.40
48. Toh – 2:03.39 (PB)
51. Horomanski – 2:03.39
60. Collins – 2:05.29
Finals
22. Goettler – 1:59.53 (PB)
Men’s 200 IM
Prelims
18. Groters – 1:45.15
44. DeVore – 1:49.75 (PB)
45. Allison – 1:49.86
Finals
15. Groters – 1:43.77 (PB, school record)
Women’s 50 Free
Prelims
36. Smith – 22.64
28. Doennebrink – 22.66
37. Shanks – 23.01 (PB)
Men’s 50 Free
Prelims
16. Shperkin – 19.66 (PB)
17. Ross – 19.70
23. Gropper – 19.87
34. Costin – 20.08
42. Laitarovsky – 20.31 (PB)
43. Martin – 30.31 (PB)
56. Wade – 20.93 (PB)
57. Massey – 21.04 (PB)
60. West – 21.29 (PB)
61. Hanke – 21.37
63. Kerns – 21.66
Finals
10. Shperkin- 19.47 (PB)
20. Ross – 19.72
24. Gropper – 20.10
Men’s 1-meter diving
Prelims
13. Vazquez Bas – 301.95
21. Claus – 269.15
