Claire Curzan Smashes Three Short Course Meters National High School Records in Chattanooga

Claire Curzan -- Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick

Claire Curzan Smashes Three Short Course Meters National High School Records in Chattanooga

Every year, the Baylor School hosts one short course meters high school meet in late November, and this year, Cardinal Gibbons High School made the trip from Raleigh to Chattanooga. That meant Claire Curzan would have a chance to go after some records in a course where she rarely competes — and also tune up for next month’s Short Course World Championships in the process.

Short course meters is a recognized course for high school competition, but because swimmers rarely compete in that distance, records can be challenged whenever top swimmers compete in high school meet in SCM. Given the chance Saturday, Curzan broke three national high school records and just missed a fourth.

First, Curzan swam a 57.08 in the 100 butterfly, crushing the independent school record of 1:01.01 set in September 2021 by Aspen Gersper. Curzan also broke the overall high school record held by Samantha Woodward at 1:00.57, a record that dates back to 2005.

Next, Curzan led off Cardinal Gibbons’ 200 free relay in 24.94, edging out the independent schools record and overall record held by Erica Pelaez since September at 25.01. Her third record came in the 100 back, where her 58.40 crushed the 59.87 independent and overall record set by Baylor’s Ellie Waldrep at the same meet two years earlier.

In her final swim of the day, Curzan led off Cardinal Gibbons’ 400 free relay in 54.80, finishing just 0.05 off the independent and overall records of 54.75 that Palaez set a few months ago.

Curzan became a first-time U.S. Olympian this year when she finished second in the 100 butterfly at U.S. Olympic Trials, and she was a semifinalist in that event in Tokyo. Curzan also picked up an Olympic silver medal after swimming the butterfly leg in prelims of the 400 medley relay in Tokyo. Curzan will represent the U.S. again at the Short Course World Championships next month, and she is slated to compete in the 50 free, 50 fly, 100 fly and likely multiple relays.

Curzan recently committed to swim at Stanford University beginning in the fall of 2022. In addition to the records broken Saturday, she also owns the national high school record in the 100-yard butterfly at 50.35.

Overall, host Baylor defeated Cardinal Gibbons in both the girls’ and boys’ meets, 147-129 for the girls and 166-120 for the boys.

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Melissa Waldrep

2 years ago

Congratulations Claire!