Prelims Roundup: Claire Curzan Fires Off 1:50.2 in 200 Back

claire-curzan-
Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick

Prelims Roundup: Claire Curzan Fires Off 1:50.2 in 200 Back

Claire Curzan got the final day’s prelims of the NC State GAC Invitational off to a flying start with a time of 1:50.20 in the 200 backstroke.

She’s the top seed in the event by more than three seconds, Stanford teammate Taylor Ruck second with the Cardinal taking the top three spots. Her best time in the event, from her high school days, is a 1:49.35 in Dec. 2020. It’s also an NCAA A cut.

Curzan was one of several fast swims to start the final day of prelims in the major college invitationals this week. A roundup of Saturday’s most notable morning swims:

NC State GAC Invitational

Curzan’s running mate Torri Huske set the pace in the 100 freestyle in 47.96 seconds. Her teammate Charlotte Hook is the top seed in the 200 fly in 1:54.62.

The women’s meet has devolved into a Stanford-NC State duel in most events. The teams owned the top seven spots in the 200 back A final and each of the top 11 spots in the 100 free. That should make for a scintillating 400 free relay to cap the night.

On the men’s side, Leon Marchand opted for the 200 fly over the 200 breast. He’s the top seed in that, having gone 1:42.33, a half-second up on teammate Alexander Colson. Arizona State owns the top three spots in that event as well as the 100 free, led by Max McCusker’s 42.44.

Tennessee Invitational

Jordan Crooks’ assault on the record board will not stop. He went 41.17 to win the 100 free prelims, downing a meet record. He’ll be taking aim at Brooks Curry’s pool record of 40.99 at night.

Teammate Gui Caribe was second in 41.91 with Aleksey Tarasenko fourth. With Virginia swimmers third and fifth, it portends an intriguing 400 free relay.

Not to be outdone, Kate Douglass set a meet and Tennessee pool record in the 200 breast of 2:03.57. It’s within a shout of her NCAA/American record of 2:02.19. Alex Walsh was second in 2:05.20, an NCAA A cut.

Gretchen Walsh is the top seed in the 100 free after a 47.41 that is three-tenths off her season best.

UGA Invitational

Florida’s Josh Liendo set the tone in the 100 free with a top seed of 42.40 seconds. He’s got company, with Maguire McDuff in 42.64 and Florida State’s Peter Varjasi in 42.67, among six swimmers under 43 seconds.

Just six tenths separate the top five in the 200 back, with Nathan Stoffle leading the way at 1:41.26.

Georgia’s Zoie Hartman threw down a 2:08.45, cutting 3.5 seconds off her season-best time, in the 200 breast.

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