2024 BC Winter Provincial Championships
- March 7-10, 2024
- Victoria, British Columbia
- LCM (50 meters)
- Results
Canada has long been searching for a top female breaststroker, and while some candidates have emerged in the present, the future is looking bright.
Shima Taghavi, a 12-year-old from the Hyack Swim Club, rebroke the girls’ 11-12 Canadian National Age Group Record in the 200 breast at the B.C. Winter Provincials on Thursday, clocking 2:32.99 to lower her own mark of 2:33.65 established in January.
Prior to that January swim, the record had been on the books for 38 years, with Allison Higson having established a mark of 2:34.11 at the 1986 Commonwealth Trials.
Split Comparison
| Taghavi, January 2024 | Taghavi, March 2024 |
| 35.25 | 35.03 |
| 1:15.24 (39.99) | 1:14.25 (39.22) |
| 1:54.63 (39.39) | 1:53.81 (39.56) |
| 2:33.65 (39.02) | 2:32.99 (39.18) |
Perhaps the most impressive stat about Taghavi’s swim is that it would rank #1 all-time in the U.S. 11-12 age group, more than a second faster than the record of 2:34.28 set by Annie Zhu in 2007.
All-Time Top 5, U.S. Girls 11-12 200 Breaststroke (LCM)
- Annie Zhu, 2:34.28 – 2007
- Mikayla Tan, 2:34.53 – 2022
- Carly Geehr, 2:34.95 – 1997
- Meghan Lynch, 2:35.97 – 2016
- Kristen Caverly, 2:36.18 – 1997
Taghavi’s early 2024 long course swims come on the heels of a blistering end to her short course season, having broken a 25-year-old NAG record in the SCM 11-12 200 breast (still 11 at the time) in December.
At 12, Taghavi ranks 11th in Canada so far in 2024.
Taghavi also set a new B.C. Provincial Record in the 100 breast at the meet, clocking 1:12.65 to sit #2 all-time in Canada behind Higson’s 1:10.94. (In the U.S., 1:12.65 would rank 5th.)
She incredibly won all 11 events she raced at the meet (LCM), nine of them in personal best fashion:
- 200 free – 2:16.53
- 200 back – 2:28.46
- 50 breast – 34.11
- 100 breast – 1:12.65
- 200 breast – 2:32.99
- 100 fly – 1:06.25
- 200 fly – 2:28.66 (PB is 2:25.92)
- 200 IM – 2:28.53 (PB is 2:24.53)
- 400 IM – 5:08.26
Hyack Swim Club, based in New Westminster, B.C., was also home to male age group standout Laon Kim before he moved to the University of Calgary Swim Club (UCSC) last year.
Wow, I was thinking that Canada’s depth on the women’s side might be lacking in 2028 with some anticipated high-profile retirements, but I was very wrong!
What is also impressive is Allison Higsons time from 1986 would be ranked #1 in the USA.
The 11/12 Canadian record books are getting rewritten this season between this and Annie Xu (11) who is breaking all of Summer McIntosh’s FR and IM Ontario records. Some crazy swims at the recent LC provincial championships https://www.swimrankings.net/index.php?page=meetDetail&meetId=643740&clubId=74026
Which records of Summer were broken?
200fr, 400fr, 800fr, 400im i believe might be more
Props to her, Coach Frici, head coach Lenny and the program.
I’m confused as to why Mikayla Tan is listed since she is not American.
Those are the top 5 American swims.