Claire Curzan Puts on Another Speed Show; Just Misses NAG Record in 100 Freestyle & Blazes 200 Backstroke
The fast times keep coming for Claire Curzan of the TAC Titans. Competing on Sunday night at the Cary Sectionals, the 16-year-old Olympic hopeful posted a time of 47.32 in the 100-yard freestyle to just miss her own National Age Group standard in the 15-16 classification. Curzan holds the record at 47.23 from last year.
In her latest record-setting performance, Curzan went out in 22.55 and returned in 24.77 to beat runnerup Annabel Crush (49.25) by nearly two seconds. Still sorting out her college options, Curzan would be seeded third in the 100 freestyle at the upcoming NCAA Women’s Championships, where Kate Douglass is the top seed in 46.83.
Curzan also put up a time of 1:50.08 in the 200 backstroke. That time would also make Curzan the third seed at the NCAA Champs in that event, and was further proof of her versatility. As part of a triple, she added an effort of 1:59.68 in the 200 medley, which was won by TAC teammate Charlotte Hook in 1:55.37.
Prior to her quick time in the 100 free, Curzan set NAG standards at Sectionals in the 100 butterfly (49.51), 50 freestyle (21.50) and 100 backstroke (50.03). While she has been tabbed as a top challenger to qualify for the Olympic Games in Tokyo in the 100 butterfly for several months, Curzan is now looking like a contender to earn a Team USA spot in additional events.
Although Sectionals was held in the short-course format, Curzan has proven herself to be adept at long course, too. Her best effort in the Olympic-sized pool came late last year when she clocked a time of 56.61 in the 100-meter butterfly. That time would have shared the bronze medal in the event at the 2019 World Championships, and with the improvement arc Curzan is following, a faster time figures to come this summer.