16-year-old Claire Curzan swam a 24.17 50 freestyle to win the final at the 2021 TAC Titans Spring Invitational Meet in Cary, North Carolina. With that swim, Curzan has broken Rikako Ikee‘s world junior record, she becomes the top-ranked American woman this season, and she becomes the 3rd fastest American woman of all time.
Curzan’s swim gets under Rikako Ikee’s 2017 world junior record in the event of 24.33 which she set at the National Sports Festival in Matsuyama, Japan. This swim for Curzan is her second world junior record this year, having previously lowered the 100 butterfly mark to a 56.20 in April. She neared that mark just 2 events before swimming her 24.17 50 freestyle, notching a 56.43 for gold.
In terms of all-time American rankings, Curzan has now jumped to the #3 spot behind only Simone Manuel and Dara Torres who hold the respective 1st and 2nd spots.
All-Time Women’s Long Course 50 Freestyle USA Rankings
- Simone Manuel – 23.97 (2017)
- Dara Torres – 24.07 (2008)
- Claire Curzan – 24.17 (2021)
- Amanda Weir – 24.23 (2009)
- Abbey Weitzeil – 24.28 (2016)
- Madison Kennedy – 24.39 (2016)
- Torri Huske – 24.44 (2021)
- Jessica Hardy – 24.48 (2008)
- Lara Jackson – 24.50 (2008)
- Erika Brown – 24.57 (2020)
She moves up from 7th place which she attained during the prelims with her 24.45. That 24.45 was also a new 15-16 national age group record for Curzan, meaning that her 24.17 again lowers the mark. As if a world junior record, national age group record, and #3 all-time rank wasn’t enough, Curzan is now the fastest American this season, surpassing Torri Huske‘s 24.44.
USA Women’s Long Course 50 Freestyle Rankings (2020-2021)
- Claire Curzan – 24.17
- Torri Huske – 24.44
- Abbey Weitzeil – 24.57
- Gretchen Walsh – 24.65
- Simone Manuel – 24.70
- Catie DeLoof – 24.73
- Linnea Mack – 24.85
- Kate Douglass – 24.99
To add one final accolade that has been granted to Curzan with this swim, she has now tied Emma McKeon for the 4th fastest long course 50 freestyle worldwide this season. She and McKeon share a 24.17 which trails only Sarah Sjostrom‘s 24.07, and Ranomi Koromowidjojo and Cate Campbell‘s 24.11. Additionally, she and McKeon are now also tied for the #16 spot in history, worldwide.
2020-2021 LCM Women 50 Free
McKeon
23.81
| 2 | Cate Campbell | AUS | 23.94 | 06/17 |
| 3 | Ranomi Kromowidjojo | NED | 23.97 | 05/18 |
| 4 | Pernille Blume | DEN | 24.06 | 05/17 |
| 5 | Sarah Sjostrom | SWE | 24.07 | 08/01 |
To summarize, Curzan’s 24.17 50 freestyle at the 2021 TAC Titans Spring Invitational Meet gives her the following:
- World Junior Record
- 15-16 US National Age Group Record
- #1 time from an American (2020-2021)
- #3 swim from an American, all-time
- #4 time worldwide (2020-2021)
- #16 time worldwide, all-time
SwimSwam – you should always be showing the y vs. m and sc vs lc.
Hokey Smokes Bullwinkle! Congratulations Claire!
Wow, congrats to Curzan! What a swim!
Great write-up. Very thorough and all information we need to know was all included. Thank you Ben!
Curzan will break the world records in 50/100 fly, back, and free in the future.
Backstroke is a gold prediction with Smith/McKeown
Curzan will grab the gold medal in 50 free at this year’s Olympics.
Uh, Simone said hello!
The revolution will he televised.
This summer in Tokyo. This kid is gonna make a lot of legends look slow
Yep. Huske also! Hope claire breaks the WR in 50 free and 100 fly
Hopefully, but still a bit of a ways to go. But hopeful nonetheless for something even more amazing than the tear she has been on this past year.
What I don’t get is that she’s been like, at peak level for a month. How is she able to gear and cycle her training like that, and still know she’s gonna peak at trials?
It’s called being young and hungry for something bigger, she knows it’s coming. The ceiling is high for her.
Good question. How is she able to do that? She is unbelievable! Can not wait for Trials!
I’m so excited for trials every race is going to be exciting
Seriously?
Katie Ledecky eviscerates the field in the women’s 200 meter freestyle. Katie Ledecky eviscerates the field in the women’s 400 meter freestyle. Katie Ledecky eviscerates the field in the women’s 800 meter freestyle. Katie Ledecky eviscerates the field in the women’s 1500 meter freestyle. That’s an untapered Katie Ledecky, mind you.
Ok.
I believe Claire Curzan just insert herself in the conversation the 100 fly, 100 back, 100 free and 50 free at trials ( and Olympics if she navigates throught the field ) just have to see what she puts up in the 100 back and 100 free this weekend
The 100 BK interferes with the 100 FL on the schedule. Too many high quality female backstrokers (Bacon, Baker, Smith, Smoliga) in the talent pool to deal with.
Bacon – 100 BK, 200 BK
Baker – 100 BK, 200 IM, 200 BK
Curzan – 100 FL, 100 FR, 50 FR
Huske – 100 FL, 200 IM, 100 FR, 50 FR
Smith – 100 BK, 200 FL, 200 BK
Smoliga – 100 BK, 200 FR?, 100 FR, 50 FR
100 back semi is before the 100 fly final ( about a hour between if I remember) because coughlin attempted the double at the 2012 trials,
And missy Franklin won the 100 back against favorite Emily seebohm with only 14 minute between 200 semi and 100 back! So it is possible!!!
DBZA reference?
She may be the best 100 fly/back/free since Couglin
The women’s 50 meter freestyle:
Personal Best Times
Manuel – 23.97
Curzan – 24.17
Weitzeil – 24.28
Huske – 24.44
The women’s 200 meter freestyle:
Katie Ledecky eviscerates the field untapered.
You realize until yesterday, Katie Ledecky was the only female to make the OQT in the women’s 200 meter freestyle for Team USA in calendar year 2021?