Saturday, February 17, 2024
Curzan Completes Backstroke Sweep at World Aquatics Championships
Results | U.S. Roster | U.S. Medalists
Men’s 50m Freestyle – FINAL
4 – Michael Andrew (Encinitas, Calif./MA Swim Academy), 21.71
14 – Matt King (Snohomish, Wash./Texas Ford Aquatics), 21.99
Women’s 200m Backstroke – FINAL
GOLD – Claire Curzan (Cary, N.C./University of Virginia), 2:05.77
10 – Lilla Bognar (Travelers Rest, S.C./Team Greenville), 2:11.26
Curzan on her backstroke sweep: “It was awesome. I wasn't really expecting those kinds of results going into this meet, but the momentum from the 100 back to the 50, and now finally the 200, I don’t think I could have scripted a better meet. I'm really just happy with how it went and I'm proud of myself.”
Race Notes:
• Curzan becomes second female swimmer in history – following Australia’s Kaylee McKeown’s performance last year – to win world titles in all three backstroke events at a single World Championships.
• Curzan becomes the 11th fastest performer in event history with her swim.
• Her time shaved 0.55 seconds off her previous personal best.
Women’s 50m Breaststroke - SEMIFINAL
4 – Piper Enge (Mercer Island, Wash./Bellevue Club Swim Team), 30.53
The final will be contested on Sunday, February 18, 2024.
Men’s 100m Butterfly – FINAL
6 – Zach Harting (Huntsville, Ala./Cardinal Aquatics), 51.68
16 – Shaine Casas (McAllen, Texas/Longhorn Aquatics), 52.75
Women’s 50m Freestyle – SEMIFINAL
3 - Kate Douglass (Pelham, N.Y./New York Athletic Club), 24.24
The final will be contested on Sunday, February 18, 2024.
Men’s 50m Backstroke – SEMIFINAL
2 – Hunter Armstrong (Dover, Ohio/California Aquatics), 24.43
7 – Michael Andrew (Encinitas, Calif./MA Swim Academy), 24.70
The final will be contested on Sunday, February 18, 2024.
Women’s 800m Freestyle – FINAL
15 – Kayla Han (La Mirada, Calif./Carmel Swim Club), 8:40.36
Mixed 4x100m Freestyle Relay – FINAL
BRONZE – United States, 3:22.28
Hunter Armstrong (Dover, Ohio/California Aquatics)
Matt King (Snohomish, Wash./Texas Ford Aquatics)
Claire Curzan (Cary, N.C./University of Virginia)
Kate Douglass (Pelham, N.Y./New York Athletic Club)
Douglass on the relay: “I think we're all a little tired tonight, but going into the ready room, we were just kind of laughing and having a good time. I think we all had fun and that's what matters. To come away with a medal tonight is a good accomplishment.”
Armstrong on the relay: “Mixed relays have always been my favorite. To get to work with these incredible women, there are very slim opportunities to do that. It was a lot of fun to back-up my 50 back (semifinals swim) and just get here, race, and come through with a medal after pretty much every one of us had two events tonight.”
Race Notes:
• Luke Hobson, Jack Aikins, Addison Sauickie, and Kayla Han receive medals for their swim in the event’s prelims. The World Championships medal is the first of Han’s career.
• The bronze medal gives Curzan her sixth medal of the competition, the most of any swimmer at the meet entering the final day.
The 2024 World Aquatics Championships conclude tomorrow, with prelims beginning at 1:30 a.m. ET and finals beginning at 11 a.m. ET. All sessions are streamed live on Peacock.
Keep up with all the latest USA Swimming news by following @usaswimming on Facebook, X, and Instagram.
Night seven of the 2024 World Aquatics Championships featured a historic backstroke sweep from Claire Curzan (Cary, N.C./University of Virginia), who won the 200-meter backstroke world title to become the second female swimmer in history to sweep the backstroke events at a single World Championships meet. The U.S. rounded out the evening with a bronze medal in the mixed 4x100m freestyle relay.
A look at the U.S. team medal table after seven days of competition in Qatar:
| Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total | |
| United States | 7 | 4 | 6 | 17 |
Men’s 50m Freestyle – FINAL
4 – Michael Andrew (Encinitas, Calif./MA Swim Academy), 21.71
14 – Matt King (Snohomish, Wash./Texas Ford Aquatics), 21.99
Women’s 200m Backstroke – FINAL
GOLD – Claire Curzan (Cary, N.C./University of Virginia), 2:05.77
10 – Lilla Bognar (Travelers Rest, S.C./Team Greenville), 2:11.26
Curzan on her backstroke sweep: “It was awesome. I wasn't really expecting those kinds of results going into this meet, but the momentum from the 100 back to the 50, and now finally the 200, I don’t think I could have scripted a better meet. I'm really just happy with how it went and I'm proud of myself.”
Race Notes:
• Curzan becomes second female swimmer in history – following Australia’s Kaylee McKeown’s performance last year – to win world titles in all three backstroke events at a single World Championships.
• Curzan becomes the 11th fastest performer in event history with her swim.
• Her time shaved 0.55 seconds off her previous personal best.
Women’s 50m Breaststroke - SEMIFINAL
4 – Piper Enge (Mercer Island, Wash./Bellevue Club Swim Team), 30.53
The final will be contested on Sunday, February 18, 2024.
Men’s 100m Butterfly – FINAL
6 – Zach Harting (Huntsville, Ala./Cardinal Aquatics), 51.68
16 – Shaine Casas (McAllen, Texas/Longhorn Aquatics), 52.75
Women’s 50m Freestyle – SEMIFINAL
3 - Kate Douglass (Pelham, N.Y./New York Athletic Club), 24.24
The final will be contested on Sunday, February 18, 2024.
Men’s 50m Backstroke – SEMIFINAL
2 – Hunter Armstrong (Dover, Ohio/California Aquatics), 24.43
7 – Michael Andrew (Encinitas, Calif./MA Swim Academy), 24.70
The final will be contested on Sunday, February 18, 2024.
Women’s 800m Freestyle – FINAL
15 – Kayla Han (La Mirada, Calif./Carmel Swim Club), 8:40.36
Mixed 4x100m Freestyle Relay – FINAL
BRONZE – United States, 3:22.28
Hunter Armstrong (Dover, Ohio/California Aquatics)
Matt King (Snohomish, Wash./Texas Ford Aquatics)
Claire Curzan (Cary, N.C./University of Virginia)
Kate Douglass (Pelham, N.Y./New York Athletic Club)
Douglass on the relay: “I think we're all a little tired tonight, but going into the ready room, we were just kind of laughing and having a good time. I think we all had fun and that's what matters. To come away with a medal tonight is a good accomplishment.”
Armstrong on the relay: “Mixed relays have always been my favorite. To get to work with these incredible women, there are very slim opportunities to do that. It was a lot of fun to back-up my 50 back (semifinals swim) and just get here, race, and come through with a medal after pretty much every one of us had two events tonight.”
Race Notes:
• Luke Hobson, Jack Aikins, Addison Sauickie, and Kayla Han receive medals for their swim in the event’s prelims. The World Championships medal is the first of Han’s career.
• The bronze medal gives Curzan her sixth medal of the competition, the most of any swimmer at the meet entering the final day.
The 2024 World Aquatics Championships conclude tomorrow, with prelims beginning at 1:30 a.m. ET and finals beginning at 11 a.m. ET. All sessions are streamed live on Peacock.