T&T’s Zuri Ferguson won gold for the University of Florida ‘Gators’ in the women’s 200-yard backstroke in their dual meet battle with Florida State University, which they won 186-110 at the Florida Aquatic Swimming & Training Facility in Ocala, Gainesville, Florida, USA on Friday (January 30).
Olympian Ferguson touched the wall in one minute, 56.18 seconds, with schoolmate Catie Choate second in one minute, 58.62, and Sarah Evans of Florida State University third in 1:59.53.
Ferguson touched the wall in 53.74 seconds for the third spot in the women’s 100-yard backstroke to trail Florida State University’s 53.34 and her University of Florida schoolmate Aspen Gersper, who was timed at 54.47.
Ferguson swam the lead-off leg for the University of Florida ‘C’ quartet, which also included Grace Rainey, Sofia Plaza and Grace Rabb, for a time of one minute, 42.88 seconds and the fifth spot in the women’s 200-yard medley relay.
The T&T swimmer also contested the 100-yard butterfly and clocked 57.09 seconds.
Ferguson and her Florida Gators teammates will now turn their attention to the postseason, beginning preparations for the 2026 SEC Swimming and Diving Championships.
The six-day championship opens Monday, Feb. 16, with men’s one-metre diving, followed by swimming events from Tuesday, February 17, through Saturday, February 21, at the Allan Jones Intercollegiate Aquatic Center in Knoxville, Tennessee.
Blackman gets two
relay swim wins
Nikoli Blackman won two relay gold medals and one individual silver to help the University of Tennessee to a 198-88 win over Duke University in Knoxville, Tennessee, at the Allan Jones Inter-Collegiate Aquatic Center on Friday in its final dual meet of the regular season.
Blackman swam the final leg of the men’s 200-yard medley relay behind Ulises Saravia, Gabe Nunziata and Gui Garibe for a winning time of one minute, 24.17 seconds, followed by their ‘B’ teammates, who clocked 1:26.27 minutes, with Duke University third in 1:28.28 minutes.
A former world junior 50-metre freestyle champion, Blackman also swam the third leg for the men’s 200-yard freestyle relay team, which also featured Garibe, Pedro Sansone and Kamal Muhammad, for the top spot in one minute, 17.07 seconds, with their ‘B’ team taking second in 1:18.75 and Duke University third in 1:20.69.
And in the 50-yard freestyle, Blackman had to settle for the silver medal in 19.42 seconds, trailing Garibe, who swam to gold in 19.02, with Pedro Sansone completing the 1-2-3 University of Tennessee sweep in 19.76 for the third spot.
Blackman was also fifth in the 100-yard butterfly in 48.05.
Wilson gets silver, bronze in Alabama dual swim win
National swimmer Zarek Wilson swam the lead-off leg in helping the University of Alabama to a second-place finish in the men’s 400-yard freestyle relay in their dual meet win over Auburn University, 180-119.5, in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, on Friday.
Wilson was followed by Sean Niewold, Drayden Bell and Jonathan Hoole in clocking a time of two minutes, 50.56 seconds, to finish adrift of the winners, Auburn University, who won in two minutes, 49.65 seconds, with the University of Alabama third in two minutes, 54.05 seconds.
Wilson secured a bronze medal in the 100-yard freestyle in 43.53 seconds to finish behind winner Daniel Krichevsky of Auburn University, who touched the wall in 42.57, and the University of Alabama’s Jonathan Hoole, second in 43.30.
Wilson was also part of the University of Alabama ‘B’ quartet alongside Cole Witmer, Ethan Otten and Hoole, which placed fourth in the men’s 200-yard medley relay in one minute, 25.78 seconds, and in the 100-yard butterfly, he ended in the seventh spot in 47.43 seconds.
