Saturday, April 2, 2022
Curzan Breaks 50 Free National Age Group Record in San Antonio
Claire Curzan scored double victories in the women’s 50-meter free and 100m back, while Olympic teammates Hali Flickinger, Michael Andrew, Lilly King and Katie Ledecky each won their second event of the meet during the third night of finals at the TYR Pro Swim Series San Antonio at the Northside Swim Center.
After winning the women’s 100m fly last night, TAC Titans’ Curzan doubled up with two more sprint victories tonight. Curzan raced to a 24.43 in the women’s 50m free, good for a new 17-18 National Age Group record and only a tenth off the world junior record held by Japan’s Rikako Ikee set back in 2017.
“It definitely took me by surprise," Curzan said of the National Age Group record. "I was just having fun with the race and am happy to be outside, so it was definitely exciting.”
Tennessee Aquatics’ Erika Brown, who swam the 100m free in Tokyo, grabbed second in 24.81, with Cardinal Aquatics’ Mallory Comerford in third at 25.11.
Later in the evening, Curzan touched first in the women’s 100m back in 58.73, nearly even-splitting the race. Olympic backstrokers Rhyan White (1:00.05) and Olivia Smoliga (1:00.28) took second and third, respectively.
Sun Devil Swimming’s Hali Flickinger picked up her second win of the meet with a first-place finish in her signature event, the women’s 200m fly. She dropped almost three seconds off her prelim swim to touch in 2:08.47, comfortably ahead of Texas’ Kelly Pash (2:09.21) and Lindsay Looney (2:09.81).
“Obviously it’s not a fast time, but I’m doing some things in training that, quite honestly, I have never really done before just in terms of some of the sets we’re doing. So, for where I am in training, this was good,” Flickinger said.
In the men’s 200m fly, Athens Bulldog’s Chase Kalisz led from start to finish, extending his lead on the third 50 to win by more than two seconds in 1:56.79. Cardinal Aquatics’ Zach Harting, who represented the U.S. in Tokyo in the event, wound up second in 1:58.95 with Bolles School’s Martin Espernberger (1:59.28) in third.
Michael Andrew also added another win, this time in the men’s 50m free. Andrew won the men’s 100m breast last night and tonight took down Caeleb Dressel (21.86) and David Curtiss (21.93) with a 21.73 for the win.
Shaine Casas added the men’s 100m back win to his victory yesterday in the 100m fly with a 53.54, just under a second in front of Wolfpack Elite’s Coleman Steward (54.43). Sam Stewart grabbed third in 55.27.
The top three finishers in the women’s 100m breast last night duplicated their placings tonight in the 200m breast, with Indiana’s Lilly King leading the way in 2:23.69. Anna Elendt of Texas couldn’t quite keep pace with King on the final 50 but wound up second in 2:24.63, just ahead of Olympic bronze medalist Annie Lazor (2:24.95).
“The third 50, I wasn’t really paying attention [to the field]," King said. "Then we turned for the last 50 and I was like, ‘oh, everybody is right here.’ It was a close race and a good race and I’m pretty happy with it.”
Leon Marchand used a strong backhalf to win the men’s 200m breast comfortably over 2020 U.S. Olympian Nic Fink, 2:09.24 to 2:11.67. Kalisz took third in 2:12.47.
World record-holder Katie Ledecky and 2016 Olympic bronze medalist Leah Smith led the way in the women’s 400m free, with Ledecky cruising to a 4:03.84 for her second win of the meet so far. Smith clocked in at 4:05.43, well in front of Flickinger who stopped the clock at 4:10.38.
The final event of the night featured one of the closest races of the whole meet. Indiana’s Marwan El Kamash out-raced Tommy-lee Camblong down the stretch to take the win, 3:52.62 to 3:52.82. There was a tie for third place between TAC Titans’ Michael Cotter and Bar Soloveychik, who posted identical 3:53.70s.
After winning the women’s 100m fly last night, TAC Titans’ Curzan doubled up with two more sprint victories tonight. Curzan raced to a 24.43 in the women’s 50m free, good for a new 17-18 National Age Group record and only a tenth off the world junior record held by Japan’s Rikako Ikee set back in 2017.
“It definitely took me by surprise," Curzan said of the National Age Group record. "I was just having fun with the race and am happy to be outside, so it was definitely exciting.”
Tennessee Aquatics’ Erika Brown, who swam the 100m free in Tokyo, grabbed second in 24.81, with Cardinal Aquatics’ Mallory Comerford in third at 25.11.
Later in the evening, Curzan touched first in the women’s 100m back in 58.73, nearly even-splitting the race. Olympic backstrokers Rhyan White (1:00.05) and Olivia Smoliga (1:00.28) took second and third, respectively.
Sun Devil Swimming’s Hali Flickinger picked up her second win of the meet with a first-place finish in her signature event, the women’s 200m fly. She dropped almost three seconds off her prelim swim to touch in 2:08.47, comfortably ahead of Texas’ Kelly Pash (2:09.21) and Lindsay Looney (2:09.81).
“Obviously it’s not a fast time, but I’m doing some things in training that, quite honestly, I have never really done before just in terms of some of the sets we’re doing. So, for where I am in training, this was good,” Flickinger said.
In the men’s 200m fly, Athens Bulldog’s Chase Kalisz led from start to finish, extending his lead on the third 50 to win by more than two seconds in 1:56.79. Cardinal Aquatics’ Zach Harting, who represented the U.S. in Tokyo in the event, wound up second in 1:58.95 with Bolles School’s Martin Espernberger (1:59.28) in third.
Michael Andrew also added another win, this time in the men’s 50m free. Andrew won the men’s 100m breast last night and tonight took down Caeleb Dressel (21.86) and David Curtiss (21.93) with a 21.73 for the win.
Shaine Casas added the men’s 100m back win to his victory yesterday in the 100m fly with a 53.54, just under a second in front of Wolfpack Elite’s Coleman Steward (54.43). Sam Stewart grabbed third in 55.27.
The top three finishers in the women’s 100m breast last night duplicated their placings tonight in the 200m breast, with Indiana’s Lilly King leading the way in 2:23.69. Anna Elendt of Texas couldn’t quite keep pace with King on the final 50 but wound up second in 2:24.63, just ahead of Olympic bronze medalist Annie Lazor (2:24.95).
“The third 50, I wasn’t really paying attention [to the field]," King said. "Then we turned for the last 50 and I was like, ‘oh, everybody is right here.’ It was a close race and a good race and I’m pretty happy with it.”
Leon Marchand used a strong backhalf to win the men’s 200m breast comfortably over 2020 U.S. Olympian Nic Fink, 2:09.24 to 2:11.67. Kalisz took third in 2:12.47.
World record-holder Katie Ledecky and 2016 Olympic bronze medalist Leah Smith led the way in the women’s 400m free, with Ledecky cruising to a 4:03.84 for her second win of the meet so far. Smith clocked in at 4:05.43, well in front of Flickinger who stopped the clock at 4:10.38.
The final event of the night featured one of the closest races of the whole meet. Indiana’s Marwan El Kamash out-raced Tommy-lee Camblong down the stretch to take the win, 3:52.62 to 3:52.82. There was a tie for third place between TAC Titans’ Michael Cotter and Bar Soloveychik, who posted identical 3:53.70s.