Rex Maurer Posts 4:13 500 Freestyle Among Three Wins at CIF-Southern Section Championships
At the CIF Southern Section Division I championship meet Friday evening in Mission Viejo, Loyola junior Rex Maurer posted three victories (two individual plus one relay), and he challenged a six-year-old National High School record. Maurer won the 500 freestyle in 4:13.90, less than a second-and-a-half short of Grant Shoults’ national mark of 4:12.47 set in 2016. Maurer will have one more year on the high school level to attempt to challenge Shoults’ mark.
Maurer won the 500 free by more than 15 seconds, with only two other swimmers recording 4:29s. Earlier in the meet, Maurer had captured first place in the 200 free by almost 3.5 seconds in 1:34.95, and he led off Loyola’s first-place 400 free relay in 43.76. Maurer was also a member of his team’s 200 free relay, and he led off in prelims earlier in the week in 20.20, but the foursome was disqualified in the final. Loyola ended up placing second in the team competition with 270 points, 85 behind champion Santa Margarita.
This high school championship meet came on the heels of Maurer returning from Greensboro, N.C., where he competed at the U.S. International Team Trials last week. Maurer earned some evening swims in Greensboro as he placed fourth in the B-final of the 400-meter free and also third in the 200 free C-final.
If he shaves his head he’s a national record holder
The record is 4:12.87