Josh Liendo Crushes 42.12 Fly Split as Florida Men Obliterate Medley Relay Record
The Florida men were gunning for history in the 400 medley relay. Already during Friday evening’s session at the SEC Championships, Julian Smith had taken down the all-time record in the 100 breaststroke after Jonny Marshall posted a conference title in the 100 backstroke. One day earlier, Josh Liendo had improved upon his best time in the 100 butterfly, reinforcing his status as the second-fastest performer ever while inching closer to the NCAA and U.S. Open records held by Caeleb Dressel.
Add in freshman Alex Painter on the anchor leg, and the Gators had enough speed to destroy the NCAA and U.S. Open records set by Arizona State at last season’s NCAA Championships. The previous best was 2:57.32, and this year’s Florida team skipped over 2:56 entirely to post a time of 2:55.66.
Marshall led off in 43.91, less than two tenths off his winning mark from the 100 back earlier in the night, and Smith followed up his individual record of 49.51 with a 48.95 anchor leg, which only Leon Marchand has ever surpassed. Liendo then clocked 42.12 on the butterfly leg, a half-second faster than the 42.77 split he posted last season which was previously the fastest in history. Painter came home in 40.68 to secure the new record.
The Gators were 2.5 seconds under the previous SEC record that their team of Adam Chaney, Dillon Hillis, Liendo and Macguire McDuff swam at the 2023 NCAA Championships, which was at the time stood as the NCAA and U.S. Open records. These improvements from Smith and Liendo plus the development of the British bookends have helped Florida overcome the earlier-than-expected departures of Chaney and McDuff from the Florida roster this season.
Tennessee, meanwhile, became the only other team to break 3:00 this season as Harrison Lierz, Kevin Houseman, Jordan Crooks and Gui Caribe finished in 2:59.69. Crooks clocked 43.56 on fly, a mark that only six other men have surpassed, and Caribe was the only swimmer to out-split his Florida counterpart as he came home in 40.38.
Texas finished third in 3:00.97 with Will Modglin, Nate Germonprez, Hubert Kos and Luke Hobson, and the Longhorns are now the third-quickest team in the country this year.
Event 31 Men 400 Yard Medley Relay
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NCAA: N 2:57.32 3/29/2024 Arizona State
H. Kos, L. Marchand, I. Khraun, J. Kulow
SEC: S 2:58.32 3/26/2023 Florida
A. Chaney, D. Hillis, J. Liendo, M. McDuff
SEC Meet: M 2:59.48 2023 Florida
A. Chaney, D. Hillis, J. Liendo, M. McDuff
Pool: P 3:02.68 11/16/2023Florida
Chaney, Savickas, Liendo, McDuff
3:04.96 A
3:06.37 B
School Seed Finals Points
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1 FLOR-FL 3:02.95 2:55.66NA 64
1) Marshall, Jonny C SO 2) r:0.16 Smith, Julian SR
3) r:0.22 Liendo, Josh JR 4) r:0.20 Painter, Alex FR
r:+0.79 20.99 43.91 (43.91)
1:06.57 (22.66) 1:32.86 (48.95)
1:52.27 (19.41) 2:14.98 (42.12)
2:33.76 (18.78) 2:55.66 (40.68)
2 Tennessee-SE 3:01.62 2:59.69PA 56
1) Lierz, Harrison M 2) r:0.17 Houseman, Kevin
3) r:0.12 Crooks, Jordan 4) r:0.15 Caribe, Gui
r:+0.75 21.40 44.76 (44.76)
1:08.10 (23.34) 1:35.75 (50.99)
1:55.47 (19.72) 2:19.31 (43.56)
2:38.26 (18.95) 2:59.69 (40.38)
3 Texas 3:00.07 3:00.97PA 54
1) Modglin, Will C SO 2) r:0.23 Germonprez, Nate SO
3) r:0.31 Kos, Hubert JR 4) r:0.31 Hobson, Luke SR
r:+0.74 21.14 44.75 (44.75)
1:07.98 (23.23) 1:35.06 (50.31)
1:55.42 (20.36) 2:19.41 (44.35)
2:38.91 (19.50) 3:00.97 (41.56)
4 Texas A&M-GU 3:05.21 3:03.78 A 52
1) Nelson, Baylor JR 2) r:0.24 Gulledge, Travis FR
3) r:0.24 Foote, Connor JR 4) r:0.30 Scholl, Ben SO
r:+0.65 22.02 46.29 (46.29)
1:09.86 (23.57) 1:37.68 (51.39)
1:57.41 (19.73) 2:21.69 (44.01)
2:40.83 (19.14) 3:03.78 (42.09)
5 LSU-LA 3:04.92 3:04.03 A 50
1) Goncharov, Stepan JR 2) r:0.06 Mason, Mitch SR
3) r:0.23 Uryniuk, Pawel JR 4) r:0.14 Hribar, Jere SO
r:+0.59 21.99 45.67 (45.67)
1:09.39 (23.72) 1:37.00 (51.33)
1:58.34 (21.34) 2:23.71 (46.71)
2:42.83 (19.12) 3:04.03 (40.32)
6 Alabama-SE 3:05.29 3:04.50 A 48
1) Hagar, Tommy E SO 2) r:0.10 Alves, Kaique SR
3) r:0.28 Korstanje, Tim JR 4) r:0.36 Hawke, Charlie SR
r:+0.56 22.02 45.70 (45.70)
1:09.21 (23.51) 1:37.02 (51.32)
1:57.89 (20.87) 2:22.83 (45.81)
2:42.52 (19.69) 3:04.50 (41.67)
7 Auburn-SE 3:05.95 3:05.44 B 46
1) Stoffle, Nathaniel L SR 2) r:0.18 Bethel, Henry SR
3) r:0.13 Schmidt, Danny JR 4) r:0.18 Husband, Ryan GS
r:+0.74 21.89 45.29 (45.29)
1:08.93 (23.64) 1:37.33 (52.04)
1:58.53 (21.20) 2:23.36 (46.03)
2:43.11 (19.75) 3:05.44 (42.08)
8 Kentucky-KY 3:10.24 3:06.25 B 44
1) Naoroz, Devin A SO 2) r:0.15 Gatulis, Adomas FR
3) r:0.21 Merani, Ryan JR 4) r:0.18 Peresse, Justin SO
r:+0.71 22.21 46.13 (46.13)
1:09.78 (23.65) 1:37.48 (51.35)
1:58.75 (21.27) 2:23.52 (46.04)
2:43.52 (20.00) 3:06.25 (42.73)
