Olympians and Age Group Stars Top Richmond PSS Psych Sheets

2021 TYR PRO SWIM SERIES – Richmond

• January 14-17, 2021
• Collegiate School Aquatics Center, Richmond, VA
• Long Course Meters (LCM)
• Psych Sheet
• Schedule/Initial Timelines

USA Swimming has posted psych sheets for the Richmond site of this year’s Pro Series, giving us a fuller picture of who all we be competing this weekend, after we got a peek yesterday for the psych sheets for the simultaneous event in San Antonio. There was supposed to be another site in Irvine, but that was canceled due to an extension of California’s regional stay-at-home orders.

The biggest name entered is four-time Olympian Ryan Lochte. The 36 year-old, who has been training with the Gator Swim Club, is entered in six events, including the 100,200, and 400 freestyles, the 100 fly, the 100 back, and the 200 IM. He’s seeded first in the 200 IM, the event in which he holds the world record, with a time of 1:57.76, from 2019 Summer Nationals.

With college teams focusing on college competition (UVA and Virginia Tech are scheduled to have a dual meet Saturday, just an hour away from this site), the entries are largely split between veteran national teamers and some of the up-and-coming stars of USA Swimming.

Olympian Jack Conger, who trains with Cavalier Aquatics, is entered in five events, the 50, 100, and 200 freestyles, and the 100 and 200 butterflies. He’s the top seed in both the 100 free and 100 fly.

Other well-known veterans scheduled to swim include Ashley Twichell, Miranda Tucker, Emily Escobedo, Jack Saunderson, Coleman Stewart, Justin Wright, Ali DeLoof, Caitie DeLoof, Madison Kennedy, Michael Chadwick, Justin Ress, Jeff Newkirk, and Austin Surhoff.

Headlining the age groups entries is 16 year-old Claire Curzan of the TAC Titans. Curzan was on a tear all of last year, setting several national age group records, and throwing down a 56.61 in the 100 fly, moving to #3 all-time among American women. She’s the top seed in that event next weekend, along with the 100 and 200 backstrokes, and she’s also entered in the 50 and 100 freestyles.

With relatively few opportunities for top-level competition due to Covid-19 restrictions, the psych sheet looks like a Who’s-Who of some of the top age group stars in the country, especially those in the Mid-Atlantic region. Just a few of those names include: Paige McKenna, Erin Gemmell, Tess Howley, Lance Norris, Tim Connery, Aiken Do, Arsenio Bustos, Aiden Hayes, Garrett Boone, Grace Sheble, Samantha Tadder, Mariah Denigan, Braeden Haughey, Baylor Nelson, Rachel Stege, and David Curtiss.