Shaine Casas Maintains Momentum With Impressive Victory in 100 Backstroke at Austin Sectionals
One night after Carson Foster headlined the Austin Sectionals with a spectacular performance in the 200-meter butterfly, Shaine Casas produced his second superb outing of the competition. Backing up his victory in the 100 freestyle, Casas went to work in one of his more familiar events and came away with a first-place finish in the 100 backstroke on Friday night.
Posting a time that would have been good for fifth at the recent FINA World Championships in Budapest, Casas touched the wall in 52.51 for an easy decision over Sam Stewart (55.17). Casas went out in 25.12 and returned home in a split of 27.39. It was Casas’ second swift mark of the meet, as he clocked a time of 48.23 in the 100 freestyle during Thursday action.
A former standout at Texas A&M and now doing his training as a professional with Longhorn Aquatics, Casas is just a few weeks removed from claiming the bronze medal in the 200 backstroke at the World Champs. In that event, Casas stood on the podium with countryman and champion Ryan Murphy, and silver medalist Luke Greenbank of Great Britain.
In the 200 freestyle events, Kelly Pash (1:59.47) and Coby Carrozza earned triumphs. Pash was the only woman to dip under the two-minute barrier and was followed by Jillian Cox (2:00.75) in second place. On the men’s side, Carrozza popped a time of 1:46.97 to overwhelm the field. A member of the United States’ World Champs squad in the 800 freestyle relay, Carrozza was more than three seconds quicker than the 1:50.56 of 15-year-old Maximus Williamson for second place.
Jake Foster covered the 400 individual medley in 4:22.89 to join his brother, Carson, as a meet winner.
Paula Warren was the winner of the women’s 100 backstroke in 1:03.29 and Carli Cronk was best in the 400 individual medley in 4:48.53.