A 4th National Age Group Record holder has joined the training group at Georgetown Prep in Maryland under the banner of the Nation’s Capital Swim Club (NCAP), NCAP CEO Tom Ugast confirmed today.
Matthew Hirschberger is leaving the Clearwater Aquatic Team under one legendary coach, Randy Reese, to join this NCAP site under a coach who’s certainly on the verge of legendary status, Bruce Gemmell.
Hirschberger holds the 11-12 National Age Group Records in the 200 (2:00.88), 400 (4:12.52), and 800 (8:48.59) long course meter freestyle events. He also holds the all-time bests in the 1000 yard free for 11-12’s (9:38.50) and in the same event for 13-14’s (9:02.37). That 9:02, done when he was still 14, would rank him 4th in the NCAA this year (two tenths away from ranking 2nd) – which is the kind of thing we see on the women’s side of the pool, but rarely from the men’s side.
He’s now 15, and is headed up the coast to Maryland. His current bests are:
- 1:40.74 – 200y free
- 4:26.11 – 500y free
- 9:02.37 – 1000y free
- 15:14.42 – 1650y free
- 1:55.04 – 200m free
- 4:03.43 – 400m free
- 8:19.44 – 800m free
- 15:44.44 – 1500m free
Hirschberger will make the 4th individual National Age Group Record holder at this particular NCAP site, joining fellow distance swimmers Katie Ledecky and Isabelle Rongione, plus breaststroker/IM’er Carsten Vissering.