2024 TAC Titans Long Course Spring Sprint Meet
- April 19-21, 2024
- Cary, North Carolina
- LCM (50 meters)
- Results on Meet Mobile: “2024 TAC Titans LC Spring Sprint Meet”
The 2024 TAC Titans Long Course Sprint meet was held from April 19th through the 21st in Cary, North Carolina. The meet featured collegiate and professional swimmers from NC State as well as multiple club teams.
NC State’s Luke Miller won the 100 butterfly in 52.32, which puts him just a few tenths off his season best from the Pan American Games in October. At Pan Ams, Miller scored individual gold in 51.98 and helped Team USA win the 4×100 medley relay with a fly split of 51.36. The 21-year-old has been as quick as 51.86 in this 100m fly distance, a time he posted at the 2023 U.S. World Championship Trials.
The men’s 100 fly is anticipated to feature a deep field at the upcoming U.S. Olympic Trials, highlighted by world record holder Caeleb Dressel and World Championships medalist Dare Rose.
26-year-old Giovanni Izzo, who represents Italy on the international scene, raced in four different events. His only event win came in the 100 breast, where he stopped the clock in 1:03.65. He added 2nd place finishes in the 50 (23.19) and 100 (51.74) free and touched 4th in the 100 fly (56.17). Izzo’s 100 breast was close to his career best from 2016, as it rests at 1:03.23. He’s been as fast as 22.09 in the 50 free, 49.17 in the 100 free, and 53.82 in the 100 fly throughout his career.
NC State redshirt freshman Quintin McCarty competed in the 100 breast, 50 fly, and 50 back throughout the meet. He won the 50 fly (24.52) and 50 back (25.62) by comfortable margins after placing 2nd in the 100 breast (1:06.48). His performance in the 100 breast checks-in as a new best time by over two seconds, while he was about a tenth off his best in both 50m sprints.
McCarty broke through in a big way at the U.S. Open last December, where he threw down a time of 21.94 in the 50 free prelims. He became the 9th fastest American ever at 20-years-old or younger, which inserted his name into the conversation of making the Olympic Trials final in June. As a refresher, here is the top ten list for 20 or younger in the 50 free:
6. Jimmy Feigen – 21.77 (19)
While McCarty opted not to enter the 50 free, his 20-year-old training partner Drew Salls did. Salls notched a winning effort of 22.93 as the only swimmer to dip under the 23-second barrier. His personal best is a few tenths quicker at 22.62, which has him pre-qualified for the Olympic Trials.
On the age group front, 14-year-old Reina Liu earned two 1st place finishes at the meet. She swept the sprint freestyles in personal record style, clocking times of 26.34 and 56.70. She also rallied for 2nd in the 100 fly (1:06.38) and 100 back (1:06.48) in addition to placing 4th in the 100 breast (1:17.87).
Liu, who set a number of LSC Records in the 11-12 age group, has only just recently turned 14. Her best time in the 100 back, 1:02.04, puts her in striking distance of the 1:01.89 qualifying time for the Olympic Trials.
Friendly reminder that Luke Miller choked his 200 free so hard at NCs in 2023 that he switched his day 2 event to 100 fly (an event NCS is loaded in) and is scared to race 2 free now
Andrew – your insights are breathtaking. Did you ever compete as a swimmer?
200/400 IM and 2 back/2 fly with some 100 back/100 fly reps
So over/under 3 minutes in the 200 IM?
2:06 long course 1:44 SCY