Curzan and Huske Light It Up with Huge Personal Bests on Final Night in Cary

2021 TAC TITANS LONG COURSE PREMIER MEET

• Thursday, April 8 – Sunday, April 11, 2021
• Triangle Aquatic Center, Cary, North Carolina
• Long Course Meters (50 meters), Prelims/Finals
• Meet Central
• Live Stream
• Psych Sheets
• Live Results

Claire Curzan of the TAC Titans was responsible for the first eye-popping swim of the night in Cary on Sunday, blasting a 59.37 lifetime best in the 100 back to move to #4 all-time in the 15-16 age group and tie for the #12 performer slot in American history. Her time also jumps her to #5 in the world this season, just ahead of World Record-holder Regan Smith.

The second huge swim came shortly after, as Torri Huske of Arlington Aquatic Club took down Simone Manuel‘s 17-18 NAG record in the 50 free to go 24.44, making her the #6 U.S. performer ever and the #9 performer in the world this season. Curzan tied Huske with a 24.44 of her own, but was DQ’d for a 15-meter violation. Read more about the race here.

Huske returned shortly after for a big 200 IM, just missing her lifetime best with a very solid 2:11.65 to touch well ahead of Gamecock Aquatics’ Emma Barksdale (2:14.09). Huske had splits of 27.8/33.7 on the front half and 38.1/31.9 coming home. Her 2:11.18 from November’s U.S. Open still stands at #11 in the world this season.

Justin Ress of Wolfpack Elite picked up a season-best in the 100 back, swimming to a two-second win with a 53.30. Ress’s old season-best was a 53.37, which had him at #8 in the world this season (though this doesn’t move him up any places).

NCAP 18-year-old Jakob Frick shaved over a second off of his prelims time, and also a second off of his old PR from November in the men’s 200 breast. Frick posted a 2:15.91; he also had the Wave I cut, and now he’s less than a second off of the Wave II cut.

OTHER WINNERS

• Duke’s Sally Foley nabbed the 200 breast victory, clocking a 2:33.56 to come a little over a second off of her best.
• Matt Josa, swimming unattached, took two-tenths off of his prelims swim to claim the men’s 50 free in 23.30.
• In the men’s 200 IM, Sam Stewart of the YMCA Hub Fins posted a 2:01.39 for the win ahead of TAC Titans’ Michael Cotter (2:03.95). That’s a new Wave I cut for Cotter.
• Lance Norris won the men’s 1500 by almost 20 seconds for the TAC Titans, going 15:53.72. That’s about 17 seconds off of his best from October.
• In the women’s 1500 free, TAC Titans’ Caroline Pennington and NCAP’s Paige McKenna raced to the finish. Pennington won in 16:37.02, just ahead of McKenna’s 16:37.89.