SEC Championships, Night time 2: Jordan Crooks Goes Sub-18 Once more in 50 Free Domination
Solely two males in historical past have ever damaged 18 seconds from a flat-start within the 50 freestyle: one, after all, is former Florida star Caeleb Dressel, who went 17.81 and 17.63 on the 2018 NCAA Championships. The opposite is Jordan Crooks, a junior on the College of Tennessee who represents the Cayman Islands in worldwide competitors. Crooks joined the unique membership with a mark of 17.93 eventually 12 months’s SEC Championships, and he achieved the time as soon as once more Wednesday night time in Auburn, Ala.
Crooks was out in 8.63 and again in 9.36 as he swam a time of 17.99 for the fourth-fastest efficiency ever. Crooks beforehand held the highest time within the nation within the splash-and-dash by greater than a quarter-second at 18.30, which he recorded within the morning prelims, earlier than he annihilated that point twice at night time, first by main off Tennessee’s 200 free relay in 18.06, a mark which is now the fifth-fastest efficiency in historical past, after which along with his 17-second blast within the particular person race.
Crooks defeated the sphere by greater than seven tenths, with Tennessee teammate Gui Caribe taking second in 18.70, leaving Florida’s Josh Liendo in third at 18.83.
The sector was a swift one for a convention championship meet, with Florida’s Adam Chaney (18.91), Auburn’s Logan Tirheimer (18.95) and Florida’s Macguire McDuff (18.98) all breaking 19, however nobody was on the identical degree as Crooks, who will go to the NCAA Championships subsequent month closely favored for a title protection in his signature occasion, though we might not be shocked if Liendo or others within the discipline may shut the hole on Crooks by that time.
