16-year-old Josh Zuchowski set a new Independent National High School Record in the men’s short course meter 100 butterfly on Tuesday, clocking a time of 55.10 at a tri-meet hosted by his school, The King’s Academy, in West Palm Beach, Fl.
Zuchowski, a junior with the Lions, broke the previous mark of 55.35 set by Episcopal Academy’s Cole Whitsett in December of 2019. The overall and public high school records in the event still belong to Brendan Burns of Conestoga High School in Berwyn, Pennsylvania, who swam a 52.41 in 2018.
While official results are not yet available from the meet, The King’s Academy boys triumphed over both Jupiter Christian (117-42) and Cardinal Newman (118-28).
Zuchowski has no other SCM 100 fly swims on record according to USA Swimming’s database, but does hold personal best times of 49.37 and 56.17 in the SCY and LCM 100 fly, respectively. Both were set in 2019.
Back in August, the 16-year-old competed at the Flood Aquatics Time Trial, also hosted at The King’s Academy, where he produced a two-second drop in the SCY 200 backstroke (1:43.66).
Short course meters is an approved course for high school competition in the United States, but is by-far less-competed as compared to short course yards. Long course meters, in general, is not approved for high school competition.
Not to take away from the accomplishment, but It’s not even that great of a swim. The converted time is only like 57.0 converted to LCM or 50.2 In SCY. you call that a national record?
Do a lot of high schools swim SCM? I’m not trying to knock the record or the swim, I’m genuinely curious because I don’t recall that being common 30 years ago when I was in HS.
It’s not uncommon in the Eastern US. Still a minority course, for sure, but more-and-more teams are scheduling SCM meets, for some variety, sometimes to chase records, etc.
Nice swim for a backstroker mid-season!!
3 seconds off of burns’ record? wow.