Tennessee Representatives Conclude Time at World Championships

FUKUOKA, Japan – Tennessee swimming and diving wrapped up at the 2023 World Aquatics Championships over the weekend. Throughout the last two weeks, 16 Vols and Lady Vols competed on the national stage.

Several Vols and Lady Vols tallied strong performances in their respective events, including 11 top-ten finishes. Two Lady Vols and one Vol punched their tickets to the 2024 Paris Olympics, while four national records were broken.

Below are updates from the Tennessee representatives along with the results from the meet:

Gui Caribe - Brazil
Caribe started out at the World Championships by representing Brazil in the 400 free relay on Sunday night, where they finished sixth overall with a time of 3:12.71. In the finals, Caribe was the only swimmer in the event to have a sub 22-seconds 50-meter split, swimming an impressive 21.98. Caribe's 100-meter split ended up being the second fastest out of every athlete that competed in the 400 free relay, accomplishing a time of 46.76. On Wednesday, Caribe swam a 48.18 in the 100 free semifinals, finishing 12th in the world in the event.

The Salvador, Brazil, native continued his strong showcase at the World Championships on Saturday in the mixed 400 free relay. Caribe helped Brazil to a 3:25.21 finish, posting a leadoff split time of 48.32. This finish marks the second top-six relay finish that Caribe has helped the Brazilians to during his time here in Japan.

Results
6th – 400 Free Relay – 3:12.71 (2nd Leg - 46.76)
6th - Mixed 400 Free Relay - 3:25.21 (Leadoff Split - 48.32)
12th – 100 Free – 48.18

Jordan Crooks - Cayman Islands
Crooks opened up his time in Japan in the 100 free. In the prelims, he posted the qualifying standard for the 2024 Paris Olympics by touching the wall in 47.77, beating his former previous-best long course time by over a second. This time set a new Cayman Islands record and set Crooks up well for the semifinals.

In the semifinals, Crooks went on to record another personal-best effort with an impressive 47.71, improving his Cayman Islands record for the second time in less than 12 hours, and qualifying for the finals. Crooks went on to finish seventh in a loaded field of athletes with a time of 47.94.

The NCAA and Short Course World Champion in the 50 free had no problem starting out hot, breaking his former national record with a 21.90 effort in prelims. Crooks once again went on to improve his time in the semifinals, posting a new national record of 21.73 and qualifying for the finals and the 2024 Paris Olympics.

In the finals, Crooks went on to finish sixth in the world, touching the wall and tying his national record of 21.73. This event marks the second top-eight individual finish that Crooks has had during his time in Japan.

Results
6th - 50 Free - 21.73
7th – 100 Free – 47.94

Brooklyn Douthwright - Canada
Douthwright represented Canada in Thursday's 800 free relay final. Douthwright and her team went on to finish fifth overall in the event by posting a time of 7:49.98. The Lady Vol was the anchor for the Canadian squad, having a split of 1:58.27.

Results
5th – 800 Free Relay – 7:49.98 (Anchor Split - 1:58.27)

Lyubomir Epitropov - Bulgaria
Epitropov has already competed in one event so far. On Sunday, he placed 27th in the world in the 100 breast with a time of 1:01.16. He finished his time in Japan on Thursday morning in the semifinals in the 200 breast, when he went on to finish 15th overall, touching the wall in 2:11.28.

Results
15th – 200 Breast – 2:11.28
27th – 100 Breast – 1:01.16

Martin Espernberger - Austria
On Tuesday, Espernberger competed in the 200 fly prelims. He placed 20th out of 38 athletes competing, notching a time of 1:57.36.

Results
20th – 200 Fly – 1:57.36

Bryden Hattie - Canada
Hattie competed in the 1-meter and 3-meter springboard events at the World Championships on July 14th and 18th, respectively. In these two events, Hattie posted a 311.30 score in the 1-meter to place 28th out of 63 athletes. In the 3-meter, Hattie finished 43rd out of 67 competitors with a score of 326.30.

Results
28th – 1-Meter – 311.30
43rd – 3-Meter – 326.30

Michael Houlie - South Africa
Houlie opened up his competition at the World Championships on Saturday night in the 100 breast. He placed 30th out of 68 athletes in prelims, finishing with a time of 1:01.58. On Monday night, he began competition in the 50 breast, touching the wall in 27.31 to advance to the semifinals, where he placed 16th.

Results
16th – 50 Breast – 27.57
30th – 100 Breast – 1:01.58

Mona McSharry - Ireland
McSharry kicked off her stint at the World Championships in the 100 breast on Sunday night. During prelims, she broke her own Irish national record with a time of 1:05.55 while also posting the qualifying standard for the 2024 Paris Olympics. She followed that up with a fourth-place finish in semifinals to advance to the finals, where she tallied a fifth-place finish. She also competed in the 400 free relay, swimming the first leg with a split of 55.98, as the team finished with a time of 3:41.75 to come in 15th.

On Wednesday, McSharry began competition in the 200 breast. During the prelims, she earned a spot in the semifinals after touching the wall in 2:26.59. In the semis, she notched a 15th-place finish with a time of 2:26.27. On Friday, she began competition in the 50 breast where she placed 12th in prelims to advance to the semis. During the semifinals, she tallied an 11th-place finish, coming up just shy of a qualifying spot for finals.

She wrapped up her time in Japan on Saturday night, competing in the 400 medley relay. During this, she swam the second leg in 1:05.55, which was the fastest second leg time during prelims. The Irish team placed 13th out of 23 teams, short of qualifying for finals.

Results
5th – 100 Breast - 1:06.07
11th - 50 Breast - 30.54
13th - 400 Medley Relay - 4:01.25 (2nd Leg - 1:05.55)
15th - 200 Breast - 2:26.27
15th – 400 Free Relay – 3:41.75 (Leadoff Split - 55.98)

Kayky Mota - Brazil
Mota started off the competition by finishing 39th out of 89 swimmers in the 50 fly on Saturday with a time of 23.85.

On Tuesday, Mota and the Brazilian squad finished 16th out of 42 relays in the mixed 400 medley relay, recording a time of 3:48.00. Mota held down the third leg of the relay, posting a split of 51.51.

The VFL rounded off his time in Japan in the 100 fly, finishing tied for 10th out of 74 athletes, posting a time of 51.43

Results
T-10th - 100 Fly - 51.43
16th – Mixed 400 Medley Relay – 3:48.00 (Fly Leg - 51.51)
39th – 50 Fly – 23.85

PJ Stevens - Slovenia
Stevens began competition at the World Championships on Saturday in the 100 breast. He finished with a time of 1:01.59, placing 31st. He finished just .01 seconds behind fellow VFL Michael Houlie, who is competing for South Africa.

He continued his time in Japan on Monday night, where he placed 11th in prelims to qualify for semifinals of the 50 breast. Tuesday morning, he touched the wall in 27.04 to check in at seventh and advance to the finals on Wednesday morning. During the finals, he tallied an eighth-place finish in his first career long-course world championship final.

Results
8th - 50 Breast - 27.08
31st – 100 Breast – 1:01.59

Liam Stone - New Zealand
Stone competed in two events at the World Championships for diving, taking on the 3-meter and 3-meter synchronized. The VFL placed 20th in the world in both events. In the 3-meter, Stone achieved a total score of 381.25, and in the 3-meter synchronized, he tallied a score of 325.32.

Results
20th – 3-Meter – 381.25
20th – 3-Meter Synchronized – 325.32

Joey Tepper - USA
Tepper competed in two open water events at the World Championships. On July 14, he placed 36th in the 10km with a time of 1:57:23.90. He followed that up with the mixed 6,000m relay last Wednesday. He swam the first leg of the relay in 17:29.80, and the team finished the relay with a time of 1:13:58.60, good for a ninth-place finish. His first leg time marked a new personal best.

Results
9th – 6,000m Relay – 1:13:58.60 (First leg - 17:29.80)
36th – 10km – 1:57:23.90

Cherelle Thompson - Trinidad & Tobago
Thompson started her time in Japan on Thursday in the 50 fly, finishing 43rd out of 64 swimmers with a 28.84 effort.

The Trinidad and Tobago record holder in the 50 free swam a 25.85 in the event, good enough to finish 40th out of 102 swimmers and round off her time in Japan.

Results
40th - 50 Free - 25.85
43rd – 50 Fly – 28.84

Kira Toussaint - Netherlands
Toussaint opened up her time at the World Championships in the 100 back on Sunday. During prelims, she swam a time of 1:00.46, good for 15th place and the last spot in the semifinals. She then topped that time in semifinals, finishing in 59.89, but came just short of qualifying for finals with an 11th-place finish.

On Tuesday night, she began competition in the 50 back. She tallied a 21st place finish out of 61 athletes competing, touching the wall in 28.41. She finished her time in Japan over the weekend, competing in the 400 medley relay. She swam the first leg in the prelims, helping spark the Netherlands team to a finals qualifying 5th-place finish. During the finals, she helped the Netherlands team place 7th overall.

Results
7th - 400 Medley Relay - 3:58.09 (Leadoff Split - 1:00.34)
12th – 100 Back – 59.89
21st – 50 Back – 28.41

Joaquin Vargas - Peru
Vargas competed in two events at the World Championships, swimming in the 200 free and 400 free. On Saturday, the Vol finished 28th out of 55 swimmers in the 400 free, touching the wall in 3:53.54. Vargas swam in the 200 free on Sunday, placing 36th out of 72 competitors with a time of 1:49.85.

On Tuesday, Vargas represented Peru in the mixed 400 medley relay. The squad finished 25th in the world out of 42 relays, and Vargas helped Peru to a 4:05.00 finish with a 51.25 split of his own.

Results
25th – Mixed 400 Medley Relay – 4:05.00 (Free Leg - 51.25)
28th – 400 Free – 3:53.54
36th – 200 Free – 1:49.85

Ellen Walshe - Ireland
Walshe has already wrapped up two events at the World Championships. She began in the 200 IM on Saturday, where she broke her own Irish national record with a time of 2:10.92 in the semifinals, finishing in ninth overall and posting the qualifying standard for the 2024 Paris Olympics. During the 100 fly, an event in which she also holds the Irish national record, she placed 24th in the prelims with a time of 59.44.

Walshe finished her time in Japan on Saturday night, competing in the 400 IM and the 400 medley relay. During the 400 IM, she posted a time of 4:43.24, which was good for a 16th-place finish out of 35 athletes. In the 400 medley relay, she swam in the third leg, right after fellow Lady Vol Mona McSharry, and helped the Irish team to a 13th place finish.

Results
9th – 200 IM – 2:10.92
13th - 400 Medley Relay - 4:01.25 (3rd Leg - 59.19)
16th - 400 IM - 4:43.24
24th – 100 Fly – 59.44

Kristen Romano - Puerto Rico - UT Pro Group
Romano began her journey at the World Championships on Saturday in the 200 IM. She touched the wall in 2:13.94, finishing in 20th, just four spots shy of qualifying for semifinals. On Saturday night, she competed in the 400 IM, an event she holds the Puerto Rico national record in. She tallied a 23rd-place finish out of 35 athletes competing to close out her time in Japan.

Results
20th – 200 IM – 2:13.94
23rd - 400 IM - 4:48.24

University of Tennessee Athletics

Tennessee Representatives Conclude Time at World Championships

Players Mentioned

Gui Caribe

Jordan Crooks

Brooklyn Douthwright

Lyubomir Epitropov

Martin Espernberger

Bryden Hattie

Michael Houlie

Mona McSharry

Joey Tepper

Joaquin Vargas

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