Claire Curzan, 17, broke the American record in the 100 fly with her time of 49.24, defeating Erika Brown’s previous record of 49.38.
Curzan swam the event during the 4A NCHSAA State Championships, where she also lowered her own high school national record and set a state record. Brown swam the previous record during the SEC Championships in 2020, competing for Tennessee.
| Curzan’s 100 Fly (2022 4A NCHSAA State Champs) | Brown’s 100 Fly (2020 SEC Champs) |
| 23.01 | 22.83 |
| 26.23 | 26.55 |
| Total: 49.24 | Total: 49.38 |
Curzan is now the 2nd-fastest 100 butterflier, behind Maggie MacNeil. Curzan also posted the 2nd-fastest time ever, behind only MacNeil’s 48.89 swum at the 2021 NCAA D1 Championships.
| MacNeil’s 100 Fly (03/19/2021) | Curzan’s 100 Fly (04/10/2022) |
| 22.67 | 23.01 |
| 26.22 | 26.23 |
| Total: 48.89 | Total: 49.24 |
You can watch Curzan’s race here:
Curzan also lowered her own NISCA independent high school record in the 100 fly, which was 50.35.
| CURZAN’S 100 Fly (2022 4A NCHSAA State Champs) | Curzan’s 100 Fly (2020 4A NCHSAA State Champs) |
| 23.01 | 23.44 |
| 26.23 | 26.91 |
| Total: 49.24 | Total: 50.35 |
Less than a week after Curzan broke the NISCA national high school record in the 100 back, she dropped a 49.61 in the same race.
Last weekend, Curzan swam the 100 back in 50.47, defeating fellow Tokyo Olympian Phoebe Bacon’s 2020 record of 50.89.
| CURZAN’S 100 BACK (4A NCHSAA State Champs) | Curzan’s 100 BACK (4A East NCHSAA Regional Champs) |
| 24.14 | 24.48 |
| 25.47 | 25.99 |
| Total: 49.61 | Total: 50.47 |
Now, Curzan’s most recent time makes her the 3rd-fastest 100 backstroker behind Regan Smith and Beata Nelson. Her time is also the 3rd-fastest ever, only behind Smith’s and Nelson’s bests.
| Smith’s 100 Back (03/14/2021) | Nelson’s 100 Back (03/22/2019) | Curzan’s 100 Back (02/10/2022) |
| 23.78 | 23.76 | 24.14 |
| 25.38 | 25.42 | 25.47 |
| Total: 49.16 | Total: 49.18 | Total: 49.61 |
Notably, Nelson swam her 49.18 at NCAA D1 Championships, and Smith at the 2021 Minnesota Aquajets March Invite. Since Curzan swam this time at high school states, she goes home a state champion, and as a state record holder as well.
Curzan already has a slew of NISCA meters records. She’s the record-holder in the 50 free, 100 fly, and 100 back. At the same meet, Curzan took home two first-place medals as part of the winning 200 free (1:33.94, 21.40 split) and 400 free (3:25.61, 46.76 split) relays.
Curzan is also the overall record breaker in both events, since the current records for public schools is Olivia Smoliga’s 51.43 100 back and Torri Huske’s 49.95 100 fly.
SwimSwam ranked Curzan as the No. 26 swimmer, internationally, for 2022. The rankings include swimmers of all ages, and Curzan is one of the youngest top-30 swimmers. Curzan is also heading to Stanford in the fall–her time puts her within a few tenths of future teammate Regan Smith’s best 100 back time.
Her incredible times earned her the 2021 Swammy for 15-16 swimmer of the year. She currently owns six NAGs in the 15-16 age group. She also competed for Team USA at the Olympics, getting to the semi-finals of the 100m fly, finishing 11th, and she swam the prelims relay of the 4×100 medley relay, for which she earned a silver medal.
no mention of her previous PB in the 100 fly? anybody know?
49.51 from last March
just realized that future/current/former Stanford swimmers hold 10/14 of the SCY American Records, in the 100/500/1000/1650 free, both backstroke events, both fly, and both IM. Cal has the 50/200 from Weitzeil and Franklin, and Indiana obviously has both breaststroke records.
Imagine racing at your high school State Championship and then someone breaks an American Record next to you lmao.
She also splint 46 on the last leg of the 400 Free Relay
Whuuuu
Underwaters have really changed swimming. It seems like there are more underwaters for the duration of the swim than actual stroking.
Agreed, and not for the better. Backstroke in SCY and SCM allows 60% of the ‘swim’ to be underwater, and the endless dolphin kicking really distorts the actual swimming. It’s not as bad in fly since the dolphin kicking is part of the event, but it’s changed free/back for the worse.
LCM still exists and I would say Curzan is pretty damn good at it
LCM is still 30% underwater – diminishes actual swimming. Watch a few pre-’91 backstroke events and you’ll see. 1988 Women’s 200 back Olympic final, 1986 World Trials (Mitchell killed that race) and 1976 John Naber Olympic win. Wondering if this post will get even more downvotes than my original? Inquiring minds…..
Instructions unclear, watched 1988 men’s 100 back Olympic final.
Sorry, was drawing attention to one of my favorite all-time races — women’s 200 back final, 1988 Olympics – Krisztina Egerszegi slayed the East Germans and came very close (2:09.29) to Betsy Mitchell’s WR (2:08.60). YouTube has full race. There’s a short clip of Mitchell’s swim on YouTube when she set WR.
Should we all get off your lawn now?
What’s wrong with the sport evolving and finding faster ways to move through the water? UW dolphin kick is hard, and a form of swimming.
Nah, I go to a swim meet, I wanna see swimming, not kicking. And can’t see anything if they’re underwater but a colorful blob moving very quickly through the water. Heck, it could be a dolfin under there for all you can see. LCM much, much better. (Y’all save your comments about me being old fashioned, I’m aware! lol)
(old fashioned is a very nice way to put it! lol)
I can’t wait until someone evolves dolphin kicks into breaststroke!
Alexis wenger
Did you just time travel here from the mid-20th century? The 15m rule has been a thing for a long time . . . Underwaters aren’t new.
You youngin”. For you 10 years is a “long time.” LMAO And I was there when Berkoff invented the whole underwater thing. So relax. Oh, and it wasn’t mid-20th century either.
How’s her breaststroke?
Great googlymoogly that’s fast!
Why are u not getting downvoted
Better videos are at https://www.highschoolot.com/green-hope-boys-myers-park-girls-win-4a-swimming-state-championships/20131022/