14-Year Old Lucca Battaglini Swims 49s in 100 Back and 100 Fly in Same Session

TAC TITANS CHALLENGE INVITATIONAL MEET

• August 14-16, 2020
• Triangle Aquatic Center, Cary, North Carolina
• SCY (25 yard) Course
• Results on Meet Mobile: “TAC TITANS Challenge Invitational Meet”

14-year old Lucca Battaglini didn’t win either of the two races that he swam on Saturday at the TAC Titans’ Challenge Invitational Meet, but he still was among the top performers on day 2 of the event.

Battaglini placed 2nd in the 100 fly in 49.07 and 2nd in the 100 back in 49.83. Among 13-14-year olds nationally this season, that 100 back time ranks him 2nd, and his 100 fly time ranks him tops in the country.

Battaglini, who swims for Club Kick Start, has swum 4 best times in 4 races so far this weekend. His national ranks among 13-14 American swimmers, both this season and all-time, in each event are below:

• 500 free – 4:35.74, 3.09 second drop (season: 11th, all-time N/A)
• 50 free – 20.78, .50 second drop (season: 2nd, all-time t-15th
• 100 fly – 49.07, 1.52 second drop (season: 1st, all-time 8th)
• 100 back – 49.83, 3.10 second drop (season: 2nd, all-time 23rd)

Among those swims, several were also North Carolina LSC Records in the 13-14 age group. The 50 free swim broke the record of 21.19 that was previously set by Michael Ivy in 2016. Ivy, incidentally, who is now 19, was the only swimmer on Friday who beat Battaglini in the 50 free, swimming 20.58.

Battaglia also broke the LSC’s 100 fly record of 49.41, set back in 2003 by Ricky Berens. Berens went on to become a two-time US Olympian and 2-time Olympic gold medalist.

Finally, he broke the old LSC Record of 49.94 in the 100 back that was set in 2018 by Ryan Weaver.

The swimmer who beat him in one of those races, the 100 back, was Lance Norris of the TAC Titans. Norris also swam a best time of 49.38. That was one of two wins for Norris on Saturday, following a 1:39.34.

Through Saturday, Norris has 4 best times through 4 races, after swimming 1:48.68 in the 200 IM and 21.41 in the 50 free on Friday.

In 13 total swims at 3 meets over the last month since TAC Titans began racing again, Norris is a perfect 13-for-13 in personal best times, including multiple best times in the same events.

• Read more about Norris’ Friday swims here.

Other Winners and Notable Results

• Also in the boys’ 100 fly, Russell Exum swam a 49.02 for his only race of the weekend. That knocked half-a-second off his previous personal best, and also broke the Titans’ team record. The old mark belonged to Alex Tomlinson, who swam 49.10 last year.
• Elizabeth McDevitt of YBAC topped the girls’ 100 fly in 56.61, which is just a tenth away from her best time in the event.
• T’Lez Foulkes led the boys’ 100 breaststroke in 59.84. Liza Murtagh of NSEA topped the girls’ field in 1:08.78.
• The top finisher in the girls’ 100 back was TAC Titans 15-year old Lily Welsh, who swam 54.55. That was just .02 seconds short of her personal best.
• US National Teamer Charlotte Hook, after winning the 50 free on Friday, swam a 1:47.26 to win the 200 free on Saturday. Her best time is 1:46.28.