2026 Vector Security Polar Plunge Meet
- January 16-19, 2026
- Triangle Aquatic Center, Cary, NC
- SCY (25 yards)
- Results
15-year-old Reina Liu powered to one of the fastest 100 backstrokes in the history of the girls 15-16 national age group, becoming the 6th 15-16 performer ever with a 51.00 at the 2-26 Vector Security Polar Plunge Meet in Cary.
Liu was dominant in the 100 back, finishing over three seconds faster than the field, and dropping more than eight tenths of a second from her month-old best that she set at the Speedo Winter Junior Championships in 51.85. This time catapulted her into the top 10 performers all-time in the 15-16 age group, sitting at 6th.
Top 10 All-Time Girls 15-16 100 Backstroke Performers (SCY)
- Charlotte Crush- 49.46 (2024)
- Claire Curzan- 50.03 (2021)
- Regan Smith- 50.58 (2018)
- Leah Shackley- 50.83 (2023)
- Teagan O’Dell- 50.96 (2023)
- Reina Liu– 51.00 (2026)
- Maggie Wanezek- 51.13 (2022)
- Phoebe Bacon- 51.18 (2018)
- Isabelle Stadden- 51.23 (2019)
- Levenia Sim- 51.30 (2023)
Liu’s success did not stop there; she also shaved a near half-second off of her best time in the 100 free to move up to the 28th fastest performer ever in the event, blasting a winning time of 48.51.
Liu also added career best times in the 100 breast in 1:03.01, and 500 free (4:47.99) on the meet, while coming away with four event wins.
Her Tac Titans teammate Nikki Nixon, 16, a Georgia commit, also climbed the 15-16 NAG rankings after clocking a best time in the 200 butterfly of 1:54.18, making her the 13th-fastest performer ever in the event, just ahead of Olivia Bray in 1:54.21.
Other Notable Performances
- Class of 2027 and Cal commit Davis Jackson set a number of lifetime bests on the meet, one of his most notable coming in the 400 IM, where he charged to a win in 3:48.46. In addition to that career-best swim, he also notched his fastest-ever times in the 100 free (45.76), 200 free (1:39.64), 200 breast (2:00.97), and 200 fly (1:47.26).
- 14-year-old Finola Whelehan became the 28th fastest performer in the 13-14 age group in the 200 fly, turning in her first ever time under 2:01 in 1:57.99.
Is Reina still competing for Canada? She only raced at trials in 2024 but hasn’t been at any Canadian meets since then. Is she going to do same Ilya?
Jr Pan Pacs 2024 team following that trials. In 2025 she would have been behind Madison Kryger for jr worlds.
Does anyone know what is going on with the DataHub on the USA Swimming website? I want to see things like the top 100 age group times in the 15-16 100 Back, yet the website keeps crashing. This is like the third time this has happened this month. I also can’t see the event ranks for USAS or the NCAA.
I bet she can get that NAG. She only turned 15 right before long course. Still has state and sectionals both this year and next year to get to Crush.
Serious question. If Canadian/representing Canada, can one break NAG records? Or is she now officially doing the US approach?
I don’t think international swimmers (which she’d be considered) are eligible for national (American) records.
This one is actually a bit of a curveball. If you’re a US citizen, representing a USA Swimming club or competing unattached, you are eligible to establish National Age Group records, even if you have another sporting citizenship. Must be a member at the time of the swim.
There’s not a sporting citizenship requirement on national age group records.
Well then I stand corrected