On-Fire Aussie Teen Jack Cartwright Nabs 100 Back Aussie Age Record

While competing at the 2017 Georgina Hope Foundation Australian Age Championships today, red-hot Jack Cartwright nabbed a new national age group record in the men’s 100m backstroke. In the 18 years category, Cartwright scored a winning time of 54.53 in the event, splitting 26.57/27.96 to overtake the previous record of 54.88 held by Olympian Andrew Lauterstein since 2005.

Entering this meet, Cartwright’s personal best in the 100m back event sat at the 55.37 he registered just last December at the Queensland Championships. He’s never been sub-55, so his 54.53 today is a major milestone for the teen.

After the race, Cartwright said, “I’m not too sure how I did it actually, I really don’t know. My plan was to go out harder than this morning and then use that back-end – the best part of my race – to bring it home.

“I guess it brought my excitement levels up a little bit knowing that I am on that senior team,” he said. “It gave me more confidence going into my age group swims – it made it a lot easier.”

At the Senior National Championships last week, Cartwright was perhaps most impressive in his 100m freestyle race, where he dropped his personal best down from 48.91 to 48.81 in prelims, then down almost another 4/10 down to 48.43. Splitting 23.52/24.91 in the finals, Cartwright dipped under the quick 48.49 Aussie-mandated QT for Budapest and earned a slot on his nation’s World Championships 4x100m freestyle relay.