Kennedi Dobson Rips Nation’s Best Mile to Start Georgia Invitational
Kennedi Dobson started the Georgia Invitational with a time of 15:47.61 in the 1,650 free on Tuesday, setting the top time in the nation this season.
Dobson was one of seven automatic qualifiers for NCAAs in the event. The fab freshman’s first 1,650 in college slots her fifth in program history in the 1,650. The top time in the nation entering this week’s invites belonged to Nebraska’s Gena Jorgenson at 16:10.04.
Dobson also anchored the Bulldogs’ 800 free relay to win on the first night of the four-day invitational at Bauerle Pool at Gabrielsen Natatorium. The quartet of Ieva Maluka, Shea Furse, Marie Landreneau and Dobson went 6:53.55, well under the NCAA auto standard. Dobson brought it home in a furious 1:41.91.
Georgia’s men won the 200 medley relay with a time of 1:22.18 that is an NCAA qualifier. Luca Urlando split 20.97 in backstroke, joining Elliot Woodburn, Ruard van Renen and Tane Bidois.
The other individual event of the session went to Olympian Ahmed Jaouadi of Tunisia. Jaouadi went 14:39.10, a time that is well under the A standard for NCAAs. It places him sixth in Gators program history. He was more than 11 seconds clear of the field.
Three Florida female milers and three male milers made NCAAs. Michaela Mattes was second in 15:56.85 on the women’s side with Julie Brousseau fourth. Eric Brown finished third and Gio Linscheer fourth for the men.
After one session, Florida leads the team standings in both competitions, in a tie with Georgia on the women’s side:
Georgia Invitational Women’s Standings
- Florida 167
- Georgia 167
- LSU 119
- Florida State 107
- Alabama 75
- Georgia Tech 75
Georgia Invitational Men’s Standings
- Florida 168
- LSU 144
- Georgia 131
- Florida State 127
- Alabama 65
- Georgia Tech 64
Florida State set a program record in the men’s 800 free relay to win. Michel Arkhangelskiy led off that quartet in a school record time of 1:32.71. He was joined by Andrew Rich, Gustav Olsson and Logan Robinson (1:31.12) to go 6:10.25, an NCAA qualification time. Florida State was also second in the 200 medley relay with a time of 1:22.23 via Max Wilson, Tommaso Baravelli, Arkhangelskiy and Sam Bork.
The women’s 200 medley relay was won by Alabama, with the team of Emily Jones, Jada Scott, Gaby Van Brunt and Cadence Vincent going 1:34.37. LSU was second in a school-record 1:35.06 with the squad of Zoe Carlos-Broc, Martina Bukvic, Avery Littlefield and Michaela De Villiers. Florida hit an NCAA qualification time, while Florida State hit the provisional standard.
LSU also set a school record in the men’s 200 medley relay, with Stepan Goncharov, Volodymyr Lisovets, Caleb Ellis and Jere Hribar (18.11) going 1:22.42. That’s an A cut for NCAAs.
Florida’s 200 medley, which did not include Josh Liendo, obtained a provisional cut in fourth place in 1:23.64. Jonny Marshall, Aleksas Savickas, Scotty Buffy and Devin Dilger were that quartet. With Liendo leading off in 1:33.40, the Gators finished second in the 800 free relay in 6:12.51. That is an A cut, as is Georgia’s third-place 6:12.73, led off by Tomas Koski making a run at his school record with a leadoff leg of 1:31.42 that fell seven tenths shy.
The women’s 800 free relay featured A cuts for Georgia, Florida (7:02.02 with Brousseau and Mattes) and LSU.
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