The seventh-ranked University of Florida Men’s Swimming Team began the defense of its U.S. Open title on Thursday at the James E. Martin Aquatic Center in Auburn, Ala.  Senior Ryan Lochte (Daytona Beach, Fla.) headlined the Gators’ performance on the first day by winning a pair of events.

Lochte came from behind in the final 50 meters to win the 200-meter backstroke with a time of 2:00.88. Lochte earned his first win in this event at the U.S. Open and his fifth individual event title during his four-year career at Florida. Senior Brian Hartley (Indianapolis, Ind.) qualified in for the B final and placed sixth with a time of 2:07.34. Competing in his first U.S. Open as a Gator, sophomore Kevin Nead (Ithaca, N.Y.) rounded out the event by placing second in the C final with a time of 2:07.89.

Lochte earned his second individual title by winning the 200-meter IM for the second consecutive year. He recorded a time of 2:01.98, which was 1.15 seconds better than the closest competitor. Hartley raced to a fifth-place finish in the B final with a personal best time of 2:09.40.

In his first U.S. Open, sophomore Darian Townsend (Pietermaritzburg, South Africa) earned a third-place finish in the 50-meter free with a time of 23.00. Sophomore Luca DeMatteis (Naples, Italy) also competed in his first U.S. Open event and placed fourth in the 100-meter breaststroke with a time of 1:04.73.

“Lochte and Townsend both had really good swims,” Florida coach Gregg Troy said. “For this time of year, and with it being our first swim racing this course, Ryan had some good swims in the back and IM.”  

Sophomores Max Jaben (Overland Park, Kan.) and Dustin McLarty (DeLand, Fla.) both qualified for the B final in the 400-meter freestyle. Jaben finished third with a time of 4:01.61, while McLarty placed sixth with a time of 4:04.42.

The Gators closed out the evening by winning the 4 X 200-meter free relay. The team of Townsend, Hartley, Lochte and Jaben clocked a time of 7:35.01, which was the ninth-best time in school history to win the event. The team of Nead, Daniel Penniman (Pensacola, Fla.), DeMatteis and McLarty placed ninth with a time of 7:53.85.

The U.S. Open continues on Friday with the 100 backstroke, 200 freestyle, 100 butterfly, 400 IM and 4 X 100 medley relay. The preliminary races will begin at 9:30 a.m. (CT) and continue with the championship races at 7 p.m. (CT).

-UF-