Monday, February 8, 2021
Emerging Butterfly Talent Claire Curzan Preps for Trials
Claire Curzan put the world on notice when she posted a blistering 56.6 in the 100-meter butterfly last November at the Toyota U.S. Open. Still the fastest time in the U.S. since, Curzan’s preparation for Olympic Trials is shaping up to deliver a big performance. As one of our nation’s up-and-coming fliers, and possibly the world’s, the high school junior’s sights are set on Tokyo.
Curzan’s Trials goals are straightforward and realistic: qualify for the Team, break a :57 again in the 100 fly, break a 54 in the 100 free, post a 25 in 50 free, break her 1:00:00 barrier in the 100 backstroke, and focus on back-half speed in her 200 back. Simple enough. Yet, with five events on her plate, her schedule of 15 possible races sounds anything but simple.
“I won’t scratch any events until we know how things play out. I want to be able to focus on my best chances so we’ll take it as it comes,” Curzan says. “I’m done with waiting. I can’t wait to compete against the best swimmers and I’m also excited about the fire show! But I’m most looking forward to the first day of the meet - I think it will be my favorite because of the 100 fly. That’s just been my thing.”
“Hitting that :56 in the 100 fly is my proudest moment. I went in with zero expectations, and was absolutely shocked when I saw the clock. It was the best feeling in the world,” she says.
Her TAC Titan coaches Bruce Marchionda and Olympic Gold Medalist Claire Donahue will prepare Curzan and her Trials teammates with several rehearsals leading up to Omaha. “We rehearse prelims, semis, finals, and simulate going fast at each one,” says Marchionda. “We rehearse warm downs, time between events, ready rooms and quick turnarounds. We’re building their confidence for getting into the A final.”
Marchionda wants Claire to enjoy the whole experience. “We don’t want Trials to take on a life of its own because it isn’t the end all-be all. We focus on things that are controllable and keep it fun and relaxed,” he says. “Especially at Trials, anything can happen.”
Coach Donahue would know. She qualified for the London Games from Lane 1 in the Trials finals. “Claire’s been my sounding board for so many things,” says Curzan. “It’s been such a fun process and I’m just really looking forward to so much this summer.”
Why Curzan is so fast
She’s characterized for defining the true beauty of the sport, and watching Curzan’s butterfly in action is described by many as something special. Her natural feel for the water grants a powerful and graceful stroke, and her gifted underwaters help her stand out from the competition.
Marchionda says Curzan can mimic a dolphin’s unique muscle makeup and technique that most humans lack, creating a super-catch on the up kick, resulting in extremely powerful underwaters. “She has an ability to move more water than most and she creates a vortex,” he says.
Curzan currently averages 11 kicks off turn walls, and 12 off the start. “We play around with the numbers in practice, comparing kick rate to stroke rate and pace, learning where we can pick up extra tenths,” says Marchionda, who also incorporates heavy sock work. “Socks give swimmers a big kicking resistance. Once they come off, it immediately transpires to faster kicking.”
“I really don’t know why I’m so good at underwaters,” says Curzan. “I danced a lot when I was younger so I think having that flexibility and body awareness in the water might be an advantage. I also have asthma, so I cough a lot and that works my abs! But I think having a strong core is very important for strong underwaters.”
Marchionda also credits Curzan’s coachability for helping her succeed. “Claire is a great student of the sport. She easily makes corrections. She doesn’t just have the ability to make technical stroke adjustments, she understands the why behind it and how it fits into the big picture.”
Her sprint freestyles are equally impressive. She perfectly executes a straight-arm technique in the 50, as well as the last-half of her 100. “When we got to the U.S. Open, I was coming off quarantine and between long course and short course seasons, so I kind of forgot how to swim it. Bruce told me not to think about it. I did that, but ended up breathing eight times in that 50,” says Curzan, who still managed to pull off a 25.2.
“I think the key to a good sprint is having a fast reaction time, proper hand entry, strong breakout and planning your walls. This past season, I’ve been heavily focusing on back-half speed. I just want to come off that wall and have a really good breakout and closing speed.”
Curzan’s excellent technique and willingness to learn and adapt have provided a steady climb to the ranks of swimming’s finest, still, none of this would be possible without her level-headed mindset.
She does not focus on results or outcomes, saying there’s nothing to gain from it. “I ask, what can I do to be stronger and more efficient and how can I improve my stroke?’ If I’m having an off day in practice, or not hitting pace, I don’t freak out. Instead, I just think about one thing to make that set better - maybe it’s just focusing on strong breakouts,” she says.
At world-class meets where she is racing some of the best in the sport, Curzan calms herself in the Ready Room by staying quiet and focused. “Once I can visualize my race, it becomes less scary. I practice a lot of deep breathing and talk myself through it. If I’m really nervous, I just tell myself, ‘Well at least it's not the 200 fly.’”
Curzan’s Trials goals are straightforward and realistic: qualify for the Team, break a :57 again in the 100 fly, break a 54 in the 100 free, post a 25 in 50 free, break her 1:00:00 barrier in the 100 backstroke, and focus on back-half speed in her 200 back. Simple enough. Yet, with five events on her plate, her schedule of 15 possible races sounds anything but simple.
“I won’t scratch any events until we know how things play out. I want to be able to focus on my best chances so we’ll take it as it comes,” Curzan says. “I’m done with waiting. I can’t wait to compete against the best swimmers and I’m also excited about the fire show! But I’m most looking forward to the first day of the meet - I think it will be my favorite because of the 100 fly. That’s just been my thing.”
“Hitting that :56 in the 100 fly is my proudest moment. I went in with zero expectations, and was absolutely shocked when I saw the clock. It was the best feeling in the world,” she says.
Her TAC Titan coaches Bruce Marchionda and Olympic Gold Medalist Claire Donahue will prepare Curzan and her Trials teammates with several rehearsals leading up to Omaha. “We rehearse prelims, semis, finals, and simulate going fast at each one,” says Marchionda. “We rehearse warm downs, time between events, ready rooms and quick turnarounds. We’re building their confidence for getting into the A final.”
Marchionda wants Claire to enjoy the whole experience. “We don’t want Trials to take on a life of its own because it isn’t the end all-be all. We focus on things that are controllable and keep it fun and relaxed,” he says. “Especially at Trials, anything can happen.”
Coach Donahue would know. She qualified for the London Games from Lane 1 in the Trials finals. “Claire’s been my sounding board for so many things,” says Curzan. “It’s been such a fun process and I’m just really looking forward to so much this summer.”
Why Curzan is so fast
She’s characterized for defining the true beauty of the sport, and watching Curzan’s butterfly in action is described by many as something special. Her natural feel for the water grants a powerful and graceful stroke, and her gifted underwaters help her stand out from the competition.
Marchionda says Curzan can mimic a dolphin’s unique muscle makeup and technique that most humans lack, creating a super-catch on the up kick, resulting in extremely powerful underwaters. “She has an ability to move more water than most and she creates a vortex,” he says.
Curzan currently averages 11 kicks off turn walls, and 12 off the start. “We play around with the numbers in practice, comparing kick rate to stroke rate and pace, learning where we can pick up extra tenths,” says Marchionda, who also incorporates heavy sock work. “Socks give swimmers a big kicking resistance. Once they come off, it immediately transpires to faster kicking.”
“I really don’t know why I’m so good at underwaters,” says Curzan. “I danced a lot when I was younger so I think having that flexibility and body awareness in the water might be an advantage. I also have asthma, so I cough a lot and that works my abs! But I think having a strong core is very important for strong underwaters.”
Marchionda also credits Curzan’s coachability for helping her succeed. “Claire is a great student of the sport. She easily makes corrections. She doesn’t just have the ability to make technical stroke adjustments, she understands the why behind it and how it fits into the big picture.”
Her sprint freestyles are equally impressive. She perfectly executes a straight-arm technique in the 50, as well as the last-half of her 100. “When we got to the U.S. Open, I was coming off quarantine and between long course and short course seasons, so I kind of forgot how to swim it. Bruce told me not to think about it. I did that, but ended up breathing eight times in that 50,” says Curzan, who still managed to pull off a 25.2.
“I think the key to a good sprint is having a fast reaction time, proper hand entry, strong breakout and planning your walls. This past season, I’ve been heavily focusing on back-half speed. I just want to come off that wall and have a really good breakout and closing speed.”
Curzan’s excellent technique and willingness to learn and adapt have provided a steady climb to the ranks of swimming’s finest, still, none of this would be possible without her level-headed mindset.
She does not focus on results or outcomes, saying there’s nothing to gain from it. “I ask, what can I do to be stronger and more efficient and how can I improve my stroke?’ If I’m having an off day in practice, or not hitting pace, I don’t freak out. Instead, I just think about one thing to make that set better - maybe it’s just focusing on strong breakouts,” she says.
At world-class meets where she is racing some of the best in the sport, Curzan calms herself in the Ready Room by staying quiet and focused. “Once I can visualize my race, it becomes less scary. I practice a lot of deep breathing and talk myself through it. If I’m really nervous, I just tell myself, ‘Well at least it's not the 200 fly.’”