Scarlet Aquatics 14-year-old Richard Poplawski broke three LSC age group records across three event disciplines last weekend.
Poplawski erased some big swimming names from the New Jersey record books, setting short course yards records in the 100 fly, 200 back, and 400 IM.
Poplawski already owned the 400 IM record with a 3:59.53 he put up last fall. But at last weekend’s meet in Camden, New Jersey (listed as BWA ABBC Feb 2021 on Meet Mobile), Poplwaski cut down to a 3:57.46 to lower the LSC record further. Poplawski has now cut more than two and a half seconds in the event over the last four months, and moves up to #18 all-time in the 13-14 age group, per USA Swimming’s database.
The National Age Group record is a 3:51.5, but only ten swimmers in the age group have ever broken 3:55, a barrier Poplawski is rapidly approaching.
In the 200 back, Poplawski went 1:49.18 – that’s a massive drop, taking more than four full seconds off a best time of 1:53.35 he swam back in December of 2019. Poplawski erases Jack Alexy from the NJ record books there – Alexy is a top-ranked recruit who will swim for Cal next fall.
Poplawski moves to #3 all-time in the 13-14 age group for the 200 back.
Finally, in the 100 fly, Poplawski took two seconds from his best, dropping from 52.65 (also in December 2019) to 50.43. That time ties for 84th in USA Swimming’s 13-14 history. It also erases an LSC record held by Dare Rose, a current Cal freshman.
Dang