12-year-old Claire Tuggle has done it again, breaking her second National Age Group Record of the day in the girls 11-12 LCM 200 freestyle.
At the 2017 Summer Slam Champs in Fresno, California, Tuggle started the day off by removing a 26-year-old record from the books in the 400 free, touching in a time of 4:18.41. That swim brought Dee Brown‘s 1991 mark of 4:19.48 off the books, and gave Tuggle her 7th NAG.
About three hours later she narrowly missed Missy Franklin‘s 200 IM NAG of 2:19.12 by less than second in 2:20.03, earning herself another big PB.
Just over three hours later she was at it again, knocking over three seconds off her best in the 200 free to clock 2:02.21, and break another one of Brown’s records. Brown also held the 200 free record from 1991 at 2:03.38, but Tuggle dismantled it by over a second, and impressively by a wider margin than she broke the 400 record.
The swim also qualifies her for U.S. Nationals, dipping below the standard of 2:02.39. At 12, she’s now incredibly the 42nd fastest American in the event this year.
With this amazing day of racing, Tuggle has removed the two oldest girls 11-12 NAGs off the books. She now owns eight national records. Take a look below:
- Girls 10 & Under SCY 200 Free – 1:58.20 – 2015
- Girls 10 & Under SCY 500 Free – 5:13.74 – 2015
- Girls 10 & Under LCM 400 Free – 4:37.41 – 2015
- Girls 11-12 SCY 200 Free – 1:47.71 – 2017
- Girls 11-12 SCY 500 Free – 4:49.32 – 2017
- Girls 11-12 SCY 200 IM – 2:03.23 – 2017
- Girls 11-12 LCM 200 Free – 2:02.21 – 2017
- Girls 11-12 LCM 400 Free – 4:18.41 – 2017
Tuggle will be turning 13 in July, and has certainly left a mark on the 11-12 record book with five different records. She’ll be chasing some iconic names in her new age group, as Sippy Woodhead owns both the 200 & 400 LC 13-14 records, while Missy Franklin and Katie Ledecky own the 200 & 500 yard records.
Results from this meet are available on Meet Mobile under ‘2017 Summer Slam Champs’.
I was at the meet where she broke the records and I got to meet her she is so nice and must feel like celebrity I was 1 heat behind her in 200 free in finals
It looks like she also owns the senior record for Clovis swim club, which puts it as one of the fastest 200 m swims ever done in the central section of CA.
Quite an accomplishment breaking two of the oldest NAGs! At the time Dee Brown set the 400 record, she went under the boys record as well. Truly an incredible feat! http://articles.latimes.com/1991-08-06/sports/sp-659_1_national-junior-olympic
Serious question, this meet was over 6 hours long?
It’s actually run as several separate meets. Starting with three dual meets fri-sat, then a short distance meet and a championship final on Sunday. Thus the apparent 6hrs.
I need to update my prediction. Claire will break the 2-minute barrier this summer. 🙂
Stop putting pressure on her she is only 12.
Just to report what Tuggle’s coach, Mark Bennett, explained to Swimming World, “She is very consistent with her effort, in- tensity and focus at practices. When she sets a goal, it’s not enough to achieve it just once. She will strive to achieve the objective over and over, and then strive to do it even better!”
Sometimes Bobo perhaps exaggerates a litlle bit in his predictions and I think that breaking the 2 minute barrier already this summer for a girl who just turns 13 in July is an example, but no doubt that Tuggle herself is setting tremendously ambitious goals.
Anyway, the medium-long term – not Nags or intermediate results – is always the most important thing, both in… Read more »
Stop putting pressure on her in the comments section on swimswam because I’m sure she reads these comments, and is upset at the pressure commenters are putting on her.
there is no pressure ….just a wish from BOBO , nothing to be pressurized for . lets chill out here . The girl knows what she needs , regardless of the comments over here . I wish her the best for this summer .
Congrats Claire!
I predicted a few days ago in the world trials’ 200 free preview that you would swim close to the 2-minute barrier this summer! 🙂
https://swimswam.com/2017-u-s-trials-preview-ledecky-spearheads-formidable-200-free-field/
Amazing talent and not only on freestyle. And congrats to her coach too.
Her times are IMPOSSIBLE! Congrats to her.
Oh my goodness…congratulations and keep going f!!!