Some of North Carolina’s best made an appearance at the TAC Titans October meet on Friday in Cary, North Carolina just outside of Raleigh, as some NC State pros raced against some of the best high schoolers at TAC Titans.
16-year-old Claire Curzan of the TAC Titans in North Carolina made her long course racing debut for the first time since March before the COVID-19 pandemic, as she swam the 100 back and 50 free at the TAC Titans October LCM meet on Friday night.
Curzan set her personal best in the 50 free with a 25.32 as she was a 25.33 earlier this year in March at Speedo Sectionals. She maintained her 13th place all-time standing in the 15-16 age group, just behind two-time Olympian Lia Neal (25.30).
Justin Ress won the 100 backstroke at 54.32 ahead of fellow NC State pro Coleman Stewart (55.37) before they head off to Budapest this year for the second season of the ISL. Wolfpack post-grads Chris Reid (55.81) and Paul Le (56.28) also raced in the meet that limited seven swimmers per event.
Curzan nearly broke a minute for the first time in her life in the 100 back with a 1:00.43, just off her 1:00.00 best time from the 2019 Junior Worlds where she won silver. She cruised ahead of TAC teammate Lily Welsh (1:04.82).
Texas grad Tate Jackson took the 50 free at 22.87 as he will also join Ress and Stewart on the Cali Condors ISL team later this month. Jackson is still registered in the south Texas LSC as he finished his eligibility at Texas in 2019.
Another postgrad swimmer Jack Saunderson, took the 200 butterfly at 2:03.09 ahead of current Princeton sophomore Dylan Porges (2:09.00), who also won the 800 free at 8:43.36. NC State grad Makayla Sargent won the 400 IM at 4:51.07.
In addition to Curzan, teammate Charlotte Hook, who won bronze in the 200 fly at the 2019 Junior Worlds, won her best event at 2:11.82, as she is one of the top uncommitted swimmers in the country in her junior year.
Caroline Pennnigton of the TAC Titans also took two wins on the night in the 200 (2:05.47) and 800 free (8:49.83)
Other winners:
- 200 free: Michael Cotter, 1:54.42
- 100 breast: Brooke Zettel, 1:14.74; Jorge Murillo, 1:02.16
- 400 IM: Nathan Herman, 4:46.68