Destin Lasco Breaks Two NAG Records in a Matter of Minutes at Eastern Zone Championships

Sometimes, it’s all about timing. Sometimes, it’s despite timing.

Destin Lasco hit them both on the first day of the 2014 Eastern Zone Championships on Wednesday at the Collegiate School Aquatic Center in Richmond, Virginia.

This meet begins on August 6th, so Lasco is locked in as a 12-year old for the duration, even though he will turn 13 on August 7th. That means he’s eligible for the National Age Group Records in 11-12’s still by a matter of hours.

On the other hand was a matter of poor timing in finals – as two races in which Lasco was gunning for records came back-to-back, and just minutes apart. That didn’t phase the young swimmer who is representing the Middle Atlantic LSC at this meet but trains at Pleasantville Aquatics.

He first put in a 2:10.39 in the boys’ 200 meter backstroke final, which he then followed with a 55.04 in the 100 meter freestyles

200 Back Details

The 200 backstroke swim of 2:10.39 broke Lasco’s own (unratified) record of 2:11.59 done just two weeks ago. Ryan Murphy’s 2008 record of 2:13.91 is now gone by three-and-a-half seconds. Were it to be eligible, Lasco’s swim would rank among the 100 fastest times ever by an American 13-14, though he’s got a ways to drop to catch Murphy or the record holder Peirsol’s best times in that age group (2:02.8, 2:02.7, respectively).

The comparison between Lasco today and Lasco on July 27th:

Lasco (old record): 31.42/33.74/33.97/32.45
Lasco (new record): 30.77/32.76/33.88/32.98

Lasco crushed the record even though he ran out of gas a little on the final strokes. His opening split of 1:03.5 was fast enough to carry him through.

100 Free Details

In the 100 free, Lasco’s time of 55.04 broke the 2010 record set by West Virginian Preston Padden in 55.45.

Lasco’s splits there were 26.63 and 28.41 in that 100 free, which for a swimmer of that age is pretty tight splitting.

Lasco also has entries this week in the 100 back, the 200 free, the 50 back, and the 200 IM. He won’t reswim the 400 IM, in which he also broke a National Age Group Record two weeks ago.