Kieran Smith Ties 500 Free American Record In 4:06.32; Magahey Now #2 All-Time | SwimSwam

By James Sutherland on SwimSwam

2021 SEC MEN’S SWIMMING & DIVING CHAMPIONSHIPS

• Tuesday, February 23 – Friday, February 26, 2021
• Columbia, MO – University of Missouri
• Prelims/Finals: 10 AM/5 PM Tues, 10 AM/6 PM Weds-Fri (Central Standard Time)
• Defending Champion: Florida (8x) (results)
• Live Video – SEC Network
• Championship Central
• Updated psych sheet
• Live Results
• Day 2 Finals Heat Sheet

Kieran Smith tied his 500 free American and NCAA Records on the nose tonight at the SEC Championships, clocking 4:06.32 for the second straight year to defend his title.

It didn’t come easy, however, as Georgia’s Jake Magahey took almost four seconds off his best time to become the second-fastest swimmer in history in 4:06.71.

Smith Record Split Comparison

Smith, 2020 SECs	Smith, 2021 SECs
22.45	22.04
47.28 (24.83)	46.31 (24.27)
1:12.07 (24.79)	1:10.81 (24.50)
1:37.08 (25.01)	1:35.70 (24.89)
2:02.25 (25.17)	2:00.86 (25.16)
2:27.35 (25.10)	2:26.23 (25.37)
2:52.40 (25.05)	2:51.53 (25.30)
3:17.25 (24.85)	3:16.90 (25.37)
3:42.19 (24.94)	3:42.06 (25.16)
4:06.32 (24.13)	4:06.32 (24.26)

Smith (’21) vs Magahey Split Comparison

Magahey out-split Smith on every 50 over the back-half of the race except for the last one, where Smith gutted it out for the win in 24.26.

Smith	Magahey
22.04	22.50
46.31 (24.27)	47.33 (24.83)
1:10.81 (24.50)	1:12.23 (24.90)
1:35.70 (24.89)	1:37.57 (25.34)
2:00.86 (25.16)	2:02.82 (25.25)
2:26.23 (25.37)	2:27.98 (25.16)
2:51.53 (25.30)	2:53.09 (25.11)
3:16.90 (25.37)	3:17.93 (24.84)
3:42.06 (25.16)	3:42.40 (24.47)
4:06.32 (24.26)	4:06.71 (24.31)

When Smith broke the record last season, he lowered Zane Grothe‘s American and U.S. Open Record of 4:07.25, set in 2017, and also downed Townley Haas‘ NCAA mark of 4:08.19 from 2019.

All-Time Performances, Men’s 500 Freestyle (SCY)

1. Kieran Smith (FLOR) – 2020 /  Kieran Smith (FLOR) – 2021, 4:06.32
2. –
3. Jake Magahey (UGA), 4:06.71 – 2021
4. Zane Grothe (UN), 4:07.25 – 2017
5. Townley Haas (TEX), 4:08.19 – 2019
6. Drew Kibler (TEX), 4:08.26 – 2020
7. Clark Smith (TEX), 4:08.42 – 2017
8. Peter Vanderkaay (MICH), 4:08.54 – 2008
9. Peter Vanderkaay (MICH) – 2006 / Townley Haas (TEX) – 2018, 4:08.60
10. –

Smith, now 20, entered last season’s SECs with a personal best time of 4:16.96, lowering it to 4:14.55 in the heats before dropping the 4:06 bomb. This season he came into meet having been 4:11.08 mid-season at the Auburn Fall Invitational, ranking him fourth in the country.

He now takes over the top spot in the nation from Texas’ Drew Kibler, who dropped a 4:08.26 in October which is now ranked as the sixth-fastest swim ever.

Magahey shatters both the Georgia school record of 4:09.48, set by Sebastien Rouault in 2008, and also the previous fastest time ever done by a freshman, which was a 4:08.95 from Michigan’s Felix Auboeck.

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