Bermudian standout Elan Daley has made a triumphant return to championship swimming, clocking two NCAA National Championship Qualifying Times to help the University of Tennessee “Lady Volunteers” to a podium finish.
Competing on home soil in Knoxville, Tennessee amassed 647 points to claim an impressive second place at the SEC Swimming and Diving Championships, finishing only behind the powerhouse Texas Longhorns (718 points).
For Daley, the meet marked a long-awaited debut at the elite SEC level following a collegiate career hampered by injuries. Her resilience was on full display across the sprint freestyle events:
- 200-Yard Freestyle: Touched in 1:46.80 to finish 25th.
- 50-Yard Freestyle: Clocked 22.69 for 30th place, narrowly missing a personal best.
The highlight of the meet came in the 100-Yard Freestyle. After a sensational 48.57-second swim in the preliminaries to secure her first qualifying standard, Daley went even faster in the Consolation Final.
Stopping the clock at a personal best 48.48 seconds, she finished 11th overall and cemented her place on the national stage.
“Daley’s stellar individual achievement signals a formidable end to a challenging season as she now looks ahead to the ultimate collegiate stage.”
With the “Lady Vols” firing on all cylinders, Daley’s return to peak form provides a massive boost for the Big Orange heading into the NCAA Championships.
