Sub-22 David Curtiss, Catie DeLoof to Win TYR Pro Swim Series 50 Frees
The best of the American men’s sprinting crop wouldn’t be at the first TYR Pro Swim Series Meet of 2021 in San Antonio.
That statement, said on Friday, would’ve alluded to the absence of Caeleb Dressel from the field. By the end of Saturday night’s finals, it took on a new meaning, thanks to a speedy group that competed in the Richmond meet, which undercut the bigger names in the Lonestar State.
High school senior David Curtiss continued his rise onto the national sprint scene by undercutting 22 seconds again, this time in 21.98 seconds to win the event at the dual-site meet.
Curtiss, a Pennsylvania native and senior at the Pennington School in New Jersey who’ll swim for NC State next year, beat established names like Zach Apple and Ryan Held, both of whom headlined the San Antonio event. Curtiss went 21.87, a personal-best, in the morning prelims.
The Richmond meet produced both 50 free champions and the top three finishers in the men’s race. Second was Austin Surhoff, the 30-year-old former Texas standout, in 22.57 seconds. Veteran Michael Chadwick was third in 22.58.
All three times were quicker than what the San Antonio site had to offer. There, Apple got to the wall first in 22.69 seconds, fourth overall. Just behind was Held, who used a strong underwater to take fifth overall. Dean Farris, the NCAA champion missing out on a swim season at Harvard, was sixth overall in 23.00.
After the top three in Richmond, the next seven swims were produced by San Antonio. Fourth in Richmond was 15-year-old Diggory Dillingham at 23.45.
Richmond produced the women’s winner as well. While Abbey Weitzeil controlled the field in San Antonio with a 24.97, the Richmond and overall victory went to Catie DeLoof, who clocked in at 24.80.
“I’m really glad to be able to be here and race,” Weitzeil said on the broadcast. “I think just coming here, getting a lot of race rehearsal in, as much as we can, that’s what the mentality is. Being able to come here, and honestly I’m having so much fun just seeing everyone and just have some sense of normalcy again, definitely a good time.”
Third was Lindsey Flynn in Richmond at 25.39 with Margo Geer fourth. Olivia Smoliga and Casey Fanz tied for sixth at 25.58.
TYR Pro Swim Series 50 Freestyle
Women’s A Finals
- Catie DeLoof 24.80 (Richmond)
- Abbey Weitzeil 24.97 (San Antonio)
- Lindsey Flynn 25.39 (R)
- Margo Geer 25.46 (SA)
- Madison Kennedy 25.57 (R)
- Casey Fanz 25.58 (SA)
- Olivia Smoliga 25.58 (SA)
- Natalie Hinds 25.84 (SA)
- Ali DeLoof 25.89 (R)
- Alexandra Dicks 26.01 (R)
- Mallory Comerford 26.07 (SA)
- Katrina Konopka-Reid 26.12 (R)
- Aly Tetzloff 26.14 (R)
- McKenna Stone 26.17 (R)
- Marina Spadoni 26.27 (SA)
- Bella Sims 26.27 (SA)
Men’s A Finals
- David Curtiss 21.98 (R)
- Austin Surhoff 22.57 (R)
- Michael Chadwick 22.58 (R)
- Zach Apple 22.69 (SA)
- Ryan Held 22.76 (SA)
- Dean Farris 23.00 (SA)
- Tate Jackson 23.13 (SA)
- Danny Kovac 23.20 (SA)
- Nathan Lile 23.24 (SA)
- Daniel Kreuger 23.35 (SA)
- Diggory Dillingham 23.45 (R)
- Maxime Rooney 23.49 (SA)
- Caleb Hicks 23.60 (R)
- Reid Miller 23.85 (R)
- Aayush Despande 24.03 (R)
