18-Year Old Torri Huske Swims 53.4 in 100 LCM Free to Lift Olympic Profile

2021 TAC TITANS LONG COURSE PREMIER MEET

• Thursday, April 8 – Sunday, April 11, 2021
• Triangle Aquatic Center, Cary, North Carolina
• Long Course Meters (50 meters), Prelims/Finals
• Meet Central
• Live Stream
• Psych Sheets
• Live Results

Already firmly in the conversation for a spot on the U.S. Olympic Team in the 100 fly, 18-year old Torri Huske is now in the conversation for another Olympic berth.

Racing on Friday at the TAC Titans’ Long Course Premier Meet, the Arlington Aquatic Club product swam a 53.46 in the 100 meter free.

That knocks more than half-a-second off her previous best time from November’s U.S. Open meet in Richmond, Virginia, where she swam 54.04. In total, she’s taken more than a second off her best time during the pandemic year, dropping from the 54.52 she swam at the 2019 World Junior Championships.

American Rankings, US Olympic Trials Qualifying Period, 100 LCM Free

1. Simone Manuel – 52.04
2. Mallory Comerford – 52.98
3. Abbey Weitzeil – 53.18
4. Erika Brown – 53.42
5. Torri Huske – 53.46
6. Gretchen Walsh – 53.74
7. Allison Schmitt – 53.80
8. Margo Geer – 54.09 (retired)
9. Katie McLaughlin/Olivia Smoliga – 54.15

Huske is now the 5th-fastest American in the 100 free during the U.S. Olympic Trials qualifying period. Among the top 18 Americans on that list, only two have been best times since quarantines lifted and racing resumed last summer: Huske and 16-year old Claire Curzan, who placed 2nd in 54.40 on Friday.

Curzan, wh0 ranks 13th in that time period, is the fastest American in the 100 fly in that same qualifying range.

Huske wasn’t the only teenager to make an Olympic-caliber statement swim. 17-year old TAC swimmer Charlotte Hook, a member of the U.S. National Team, won the 200 fly on Friday in 2:07.99. That was just .12 seconds short of the lifetime best that she swam at the 2019 Summer National Championships.

Huske finished 2nd in that race in 2:09.97, which is a lifetime best for her by 4 seconds.

While the young swimmers showed out on Friday, some of the veterans raced well as well – especially from the post-grad group attached to NC State: Wolfpack Elite.

Justin Ress won the 100 free in 49.06, and his teammate Coleman Stewart placed 2nd in 49.84. For the 23-year old Ress, that’s his fastest time since 2018 and the third-best time of his career. The same is true for the 23-year old Stewart, although he’s primarily a backstroker.

Other Winners and Noteworthy Results:

• The post-grad group from the University of South Carolina, who learned the identity of their new coach this weekend, swept the 100 breaststrokes on Friday evening. Emma Barksdale won the women’s race in 1:09.91, ahead of the top junior, Kaylee Hamblin, who was 2nd in 1:10.70. Hamblin’s swim was just-shy of her personal best. The NC State commit is the defending North Carolina State Champion in the 100 breaststroke and the high school state record holder.
• The men’s 100 breaststroke win went to Ben Cono in 1:02.54. NCAP’s Jakob Frick placed 2nd in 1:02.71.
• The host TAC Titans swept the 200 butterflies. After Hook’s win in the women’s race, 17-year old Jacob Pishko won the men’s race in 2:02.26. Pishko is a Naval Academy commit, who has been about half-a-second faster. The runner-up was US National Teamer Sam Stewart in 2:04.02, while Justin Wright finished 3rd in 2:04.69.
• 18-year old Caroline Pennington won the 400 free in 4:16.58, beating out NCAP’s Paige McKenna, who placed 2nd in 4:16.73. Both have been faster.
• TAC’s Michael Cotter ended the day with a 3:57.04 win in the men’s 400 free. That’s a best time by more than three-and-a-half seconds. That snuck him under the Wave I qualifying standard for the U.S. Olympic Trials for the first time. That gives him a 2nd qualifying standard to go along with a 200 free cut. His teammate’ Lance Norris also swam a best time of 3:57.68 for 2nd, but just missed the Olympic Trials standard.