Dominating Night: Kentucky Earns Eight Medals, Including Two Titles
ATHENS, Ga. and COLUMBIA, Mo. – The No. 3 University of Kentucky women’s swimming and diving team had a dominating night, earning seven podium finishes, including two titles, on the third night of the 2021 Southeastern Conference Championships. Meanwhile, Danny Zhang earned a bronze medal on the 3-meter springboard for the men’s program.
The Wildcats collected two gold medals, one silver medal and five bronze medals on Friday, Feb. 19. The women’s swimming and diving team had 19 finals events and set 17 personal records throughout the day, advancing four spots in team scoring. Kentucky is sitting in second place with 771 points, while Florida is in first place with 779 points.
Sophomore Lauren Poole earned the first conference title in her career, doing so in the 400 IM on a time of 4:03.90. It is the second-fastest time in the nation, a school record and meets a 2021 NCAA Championships “A” cut standard. Sophomore Gillian Davey followed behind her, earning a silver medal in the same event on a time of 4:05.96. It’s the sixth-fastest time in the nation this season, and it, too, marked her first podium finish at the SEC Championships.
Junior Riley Gaines also earned a gold medal on Friday night, topping the field of the 200 freestyle in 1:42.70. It is the second-fastest time in the nation, while it also broke her own school record and meets 2021 NCAA Championships “A” cut standard.
Junior Izzy Gati rallied a bronze medal in the 100 butterfly, touching the wall in 51.74. Sophomore Caitlin Brooks also earned a bronze medal, doing so in the 100 backstroke on a time of 51.63. It marked the first individual podium finish of her career.
On the diving side, Kyndal Knight, a junior, earned a bronze medal in her final event of the meet. She reached third place overall on platform with a score of 275.65. The former SEC Champion led the preliminaries field on a score of 306.30, a career best, which ranks fourth in program history. Danny Zhang, a junior, also earned a bronze medal, doing so on the 3-meter springboard with a score of 415.05. It marks the former SEC Champion’s first medal of the meet, while he is primed to compete on platform tomorrow.
The fourth and final day of the 2021 SEC Women’s Swimming and Diving Championships and the men’s diving competition will resume on Saturday, Feb. 20 at 10 a.m. ET. A full schedule and links to stream the meet can be found here.
Medal Count: 10
Gold: 3
Lauren Poole (400 IM, 4:03.90)
Riley Gaines (200 free, 1:42.70)
800 freestyle relay, 6:58.58
Silver: 1
Gillian Davey (400 IM, 4:05.96)
Bronze: 6
Izzy Gati (100 fly, 51.74)
Caitlin Brooks (100 back, 51.63)
Kyndal Knight (platform, 275.65)
Danny Zhang (3-meter, 415.05)
200 med-r, 1:35.87
400 med-r, 3:30.44
School Record Count: 3
Lauren Poole (400 IM, 4:03.90)
Riley Gaines (200 free, 1:42.70)
200 med-r, 1:35.87
2021 NCAA Championships Automatic Qualifications Count: 4
Riley Gaines (200 free, 1:42.70)
200 med-r, 1:35.87
400 med-r, 3:30.44
800 freestyle relay, 6:58.58
For the latest on the Kentucky swimming and diving program, follow @UKSwimDive on Twitter and on Instagram, on Facebook and on the web at UKathletics.com.
