Liam Custer Swims 13th-Straight Best Time on Friday in 1000 Free

Braden Keith
by Braden Keith 17

September 12th, 2020 Club, National, News

Sarasota Sharks Fall Kick Off

  • September 11-13, 2020
  • Selby Aquatic Center, Sarasota, Florida
  • Short Course Yards (25 yards) Pool
  • Results on Meet Mobile: “Sarasota Sharks Fall Kickoff”

16-year old Liam Custer swam a new lifetime best of the 1000 free in the opening distance night of the Sarasota Sharks’ second post-quarantine on Friday evening.

After swimming 12 lifetime bests at the team’s last meet 6 weeks ago, Custer was named the Ultra Swim Swimmer of the Month for July.

Custer’s new meet kicked off with the 1000 free, an event he didn’t race in July, where he swam a 9:15.33. That was an 8.27 second drop from the time he swam at the 2019 YMCA National Championships.

Custer’s time is the fastest recorded in the country early in the new 2020-2021 season, which officially began on September 1. It would have ranked 15th among 15-16s in the 2019-2020 season.

Custer has now swum lifetime bests in 13 consecutive races. He is also scheduled this weekend to swim the 100 free, 100 breast, 100 fly, 200 back, 200 free, 200 fly, and 200 breast.

The runner-up in the 1000 free was Nicol Hernandez-Tome, a 2020 NCAA Championship qualifier at Alabama. He swam 9:36.13 on Friday, which is almost 30 seconds short of his best time.

Hernandez is training with Sarasota and will take a year off from college swimming in 2020-2021 before beginning competition for the University of Florida next fall.

The top finisher in the girls’ race was 15-year old Michaela Mattes in 10:05.43, followed by 14-year old Gracie Weyant in 10:07.49. Neither swim was a best time.

The remaining 4 sessions of the meet throughout the weekend will include races, among others, but highly-ranked class of 2022 commit and US National Junior Team member Natalie Mannion. Typically a member of Commonwealth Swimming in Boston, Mannion has joined a group of swimmers who have fled south to Florida from the northeast amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic and uncertainty about pool availability at home.

 

 

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Smom
3 years ago

New season just started Sept 1 & there hasn’t been many meets. That’s a good time but it won’t stand as the “fastest” for his age group. Still good job to Liam!

Thomas
3 years ago

Someone clearly made the most of his time off from school during the pandemic. Might’ve been eating healthier, resting more, and cross-training more. Great work.

swimfan210_
3 years ago

I watched the live stream https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqhToFzVfdgK9rqS9RcflAg it looks like he wasn’t even suited for that swim

wanye kest
3 years ago

Go sharks!

GA Boy
3 years ago

Unreal!😳😳 *knock knock knock* hey! I’m a representative from USADA, can you pee in this cup for me?

NICK
Reply to  GA Boy
3 years ago

First and foremost, absent evidence, it’s inappropriate to even hint that this young man is doping or might be doping. Second, it’s not an unreal time for a 16 year old, and I believe this program has a history of producing good distance swimmers.

GA Boy
Reply to  NICK
3 years ago

USADA has a history of performing “random” drug tests on swimmers who get hot. 13 best times in a row is certainly a hot streak.

Nick
Reply to  GA Boy
3 years ago

There is zero evidence that this young man has doped. It is far from uncommon for a boy his age to mature and grow several inches between seasons, which would easily give rise to a slew of PRs. And if you are going to say that this swim needs to be drug-tested, fine, but there are 1000 other swims reported on this website each season that would merit similar attention.

GA Boy
Reply to  Nick
3 years ago

@Nick, this was not a comment saying that this kid has doped. It is a point of honor to swim so well that you are drug tested. My comment has nothing to do with thinking he has doped, I have never met this kid. It is only saying that his swims/ rate of improvement/ best times from meet to meet are an anomaly. USADA is attracted to anomalies. I think you are misunderstanding my intended message. I mean “this kid is crazy good! Congrats and keep it up! USADA is gonna be knocking.” It’s a compliment. I do not mean “this kid is sketchy! USADA should look in to him, that’s not natural!” All love towards Liam! I hope he… Read more »

Last edited 3 years ago by GA Boy
Qqq
Reply to  NICK
3 years ago

It’s harsh for a kid who’s on a hot streak, but I for one think we shouldn’t certify NAGs until a drug test is done.

NCSwimmer101
Reply to  Qqq
3 years ago

It’s a reality check for everyone. They are readily available at your finger tips – (https://www.bostonmagazine.com/health/2019/10/15/instagram-drug-market/)
All sports governing bodies should enforce the rule. Simply updating the banned list without performing a more aggressive tests means more cheaters out there. I agree with Qqq that NAGs are not to be certified until a drug test is done.

NICK
Reply to  NCSwimmer101
3 years ago

You may or may not have a valid point, but you’ve certainly changed the subject. This boy’s time is more than 30 seconds of the 15-16 1000yd NAG.

NCSwimmer101
Reply to  NICK
3 years ago

@ Nick: Please read my post in its entirety. I was merely responding to Qqq’s comment about certifying NAG times and re-focusing on a severe problem we are facing with HGH.

FL Coach
Reply to  GA Boy
3 years ago

Wow, your life/swim career must be really sad that you have to troll someone’s positive improvement on a comment board. And to throw out unfounded accusations to boot…this wreaks of jealousy.

swimapologist
Reply to  FL Coach
3 years ago

I think a lot of y’all didn’t get the joke. Like “OMG he’s swimming so well, call the drug testers!!”

I read it as a compliment. But, then again, I didn’t come looking for a fight.

NICK
Reply to  swimapologist
3 years ago

Disagree. If you look at the follow-up posts, the original guy was completely serious, saying USADA might want to get involved simply because the kid’s had a string of PRs – the most notable of which is more than 30 seconds off the current NAG.

GA Boy
Reply to  FL Coach
3 years ago

Read my comment to Nick. I am sorry that you misunderstood my joke towards USADA. There are no bad feelings about Liam’s performances, I am impressed by him and hope he continues on this amazing streak!

About Braden Keith

Braden Keith

Braden Keith is the Editor-in-Chief and a co-founder/co-owner of SwimSwam.com. He first got his feet wet by building The Swimmers' Circle beginning in January 2010, and now comes to SwimSwam to use that experience and help build a new leader in the sport of swimming. Aside from his life on the InterWet, …

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