Claire Curzan, Men’s 800 Freestyle Relay Set American Records at Short Course World Championships

SMITH Kieran USA, JULIAN Trenton USA, FOSTER Carson USA, HELD Ryan USA Gold Medal Men's 4x200m Freestyle Abu Dhabi - United Arab Emirates 19/12/21 Etihad Arena FINA World Swimming Championships (25m) Photo Andrea Masini / Deepbluemedia / Insidefoto

Carson Foster, Trenton Julian, Kieran Smith and Ryan Held won gold for the U.S. in the men's 800 free relay -- Photo Courtesy: Andrea Masini / Deepbluemedia / Insidefoto

Claire Curzan, Men’s 800 Freestyle Relay Set American Records at Short Course World Championships

Early- and late-session American records highlighted the efforts of the United States on the fourth day of the FINA Short Course World Championships. The action in Abu Dhabi for Team USA was jumpstarted by Claire Curzan setting national and World Junior records in the 50-meter butterfly and was capped by the men’s 800 freestyle relay establishing an American mark en route to the gold medal.

A surging star on the American scene and potential pillar for the United States for years to come, Curzan earned a bronze medal in the 50 butterfly, thanks to a time of 24.55. The swim was just .11 off the winning effort of Ranomi Kromowidjojo (24.44) and easily sent Curzan into the record book. The former World Junior record was 25.14, set by Japan’s Rikako Ikee in 2017, and the old American record was 24.80, set by Maddy Banic last year.

In the final event of the night, the United States stormed to gold in the men’s 800 freestyle relay from an outside lane. The foursome of Kieran Smith (1:41.79), Trenton Julian (1:41.35), Carson Foster (1:41.65) and Ryan Held (1:42.21) produced a time of 6:47.00. That performance was just off the world record of 6:46.81, set by Brazil in 2018. The former American record was 6:49.58 from 2010.

The medal was Held’s second of the day, following his silver medal in the 50 freestyle earlier in the evening. Meanwhile, Foster captured the silver medal in the 200 individual medley earlier in the meet.

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