Saturday, March 5, 2022
Curzan's Double Leads Way at TYR Pro Swim Series Westmont
Claire Curzan won two events, while fellow Olympians Ryan Murphy, Hali Flickinger and Michael Andrew also picked up victories on the third night of racing at the TYR Pro Swim Series Westmont in Westmont, Ill.
Curzan, a 2020 Olympian from TAC Titans, showed off her versatility with a strong showing in the women’s 200m back. Curzan dropped nearly three seconds off her prelim swim to take first in 2:07.31, well in front of fellow Olympian Olivia Smoliga of Sun Devil Aquatics (2:09.35) and 15-year-old Teagan O’Dell of Irvine Novaquatics (2:14.52).
“I couldn’t be happier with how the day went," Curzan said. "I’m a little surprised honestly, but I’m super proud of my 100 fly. The time actually kind of shocked me a bit, so I’m kind of glad where I’m leaving that. This has been a great midseason meet for me.”
Later in the night, Curzan touched first in the 100m fly in 56.89, not far off the World Junior Record of 56.46 held by Canada’s Penny Oleksiak. Cardinal Aquatics’ Kelsi Dahlia, a 2016 Olympian in the event, grabbed second in 57.53, with Beata Nelson in third at 58.24.
California Aquatics’ Ryan Murphy, the 2016 Olympic gold medalist and 2020 Olympic silver medalist, pulled away on the final length to win the men’s 200m back in 1:56.78, ahead of Longhorn’s Shaine Casas (1:58.09). Sam Stewart dropped seven seconds from his prelim time to take third in 2:00.30.
“It’s nice to swim long course again," Murphy said. "This is my first meet since the Olympics, so it is nice to have to do it in a training environment. To be able to come out in front of a crowd—and a pretty rowdy crowd at that—and perform at a high level is great.”
After winning the 200m fly earlier in the meet, Sun Devil’s Hali Flickinger added another victory in the women’s 400m IM tonight. The 2020 Olympic bronze medalist touched in 4:36.46 to out-distance Longhorn Aquatics’ Leah Smith (4:39.78) and Gator Swim Club’s Katie Ledecky (4:40.28).
MA Swim Academy’s Michael Andrew scored an upset win in the men’s 100m fly, just out-touching Casas (51.77) and world-record-holder Caeleb Dressel of Gator Swim Club (51.79) with a final time of 51.74. Andrew also won the men’s 100m breast earlier in the competition.
Sixteen-year-old Leah Hayes of Fox Valley Park District got the night started with a close win in the women’s 200m free. After flipping second at the final wall, Hayes charged home on the last 50 to touch first in 1:59.14, two tenths ahead of Tennessee Aquatics’ Erika Brown (1:59.36). Club Wolverine’s Gabby DeLoof claimed third in 1:59.98.
The men’s 200m free final turned out to be even closer, with Indiana Swim Club’s Marwan Aly El Kamash moving up from third to first over the final 50 meters to just out-touch Michigan’s Jake Mitchell, 1:48.59 to 1:48.63. Aly El Kamash also won the men’s 1500m free and 400m free on nights one and two of the meet. Boulder City Henderson’s Zane Grothe rounded out the top three in 1:49.19.
The men’s 400m IM final featured the closest race of the whole night, with NOVA of Virginia’s Charlie Swanson just holding off Longhorn’s Will Licon by the slimmest of margins, 4:20.29 to 4:20.30. Landon Driggers of Gold Medal Swimming grabbed third in 4:25.71.
“I know that Will [Licon] is obviously a great breaststroker," Swanson said. "I saw that I was a little bit ahead of him at the 250. I saw him and was a little surprised that he was there, but he is also good enough to be there. My freestyle has been struggling a little bit, but I just had to put my head down at the end of it. That is something that we worked on at Michigan and I kind of channeled it through there.”
The competition concludes tomorrow with prelims at 9:00am CST and finals at 6:00pm CST.
Curzan, a 2020 Olympian from TAC Titans, showed off her versatility with a strong showing in the women’s 200m back. Curzan dropped nearly three seconds off her prelim swim to take first in 2:07.31, well in front of fellow Olympian Olivia Smoliga of Sun Devil Aquatics (2:09.35) and 15-year-old Teagan O’Dell of Irvine Novaquatics (2:14.52).
“I couldn’t be happier with how the day went," Curzan said. "I’m a little surprised honestly, but I’m super proud of my 100 fly. The time actually kind of shocked me a bit, so I’m kind of glad where I’m leaving that. This has been a great midseason meet for me.”
Later in the night, Curzan touched first in the 100m fly in 56.89, not far off the World Junior Record of 56.46 held by Canada’s Penny Oleksiak. Cardinal Aquatics’ Kelsi Dahlia, a 2016 Olympian in the event, grabbed second in 57.53, with Beata Nelson in third at 58.24.
California Aquatics’ Ryan Murphy, the 2016 Olympic gold medalist and 2020 Olympic silver medalist, pulled away on the final length to win the men’s 200m back in 1:56.78, ahead of Longhorn’s Shaine Casas (1:58.09). Sam Stewart dropped seven seconds from his prelim time to take third in 2:00.30.
“It’s nice to swim long course again," Murphy said. "This is my first meet since the Olympics, so it is nice to have to do it in a training environment. To be able to come out in front of a crowd—and a pretty rowdy crowd at that—and perform at a high level is great.”
After winning the 200m fly earlier in the meet, Sun Devil’s Hali Flickinger added another victory in the women’s 400m IM tonight. The 2020 Olympic bronze medalist touched in 4:36.46 to out-distance Longhorn Aquatics’ Leah Smith (4:39.78) and Gator Swim Club’s Katie Ledecky (4:40.28).
MA Swim Academy’s Michael Andrew scored an upset win in the men’s 100m fly, just out-touching Casas (51.77) and world-record-holder Caeleb Dressel of Gator Swim Club (51.79) with a final time of 51.74. Andrew also won the men’s 100m breast earlier in the competition.
Sixteen-year-old Leah Hayes of Fox Valley Park District got the night started with a close win in the women’s 200m free. After flipping second at the final wall, Hayes charged home on the last 50 to touch first in 1:59.14, two tenths ahead of Tennessee Aquatics’ Erika Brown (1:59.36). Club Wolverine’s Gabby DeLoof claimed third in 1:59.98.
The men’s 200m free final turned out to be even closer, with Indiana Swim Club’s Marwan Aly El Kamash moving up from third to first over the final 50 meters to just out-touch Michigan’s Jake Mitchell, 1:48.59 to 1:48.63. Aly El Kamash also won the men’s 1500m free and 400m free on nights one and two of the meet. Boulder City Henderson’s Zane Grothe rounded out the top three in 1:49.19.
The men’s 400m IM final featured the closest race of the whole night, with NOVA of Virginia’s Charlie Swanson just holding off Longhorn’s Will Licon by the slimmest of margins, 4:20.29 to 4:20.30. Landon Driggers of Gold Medal Swimming grabbed third in 4:25.71.
“I know that Will [Licon] is obviously a great breaststroker," Swanson said. "I saw that I was a little bit ahead of him at the 250. I saw him and was a little surprised that he was there, but he is also good enough to be there. My freestyle has been struggling a little bit, but I just had to put my head down at the end of it. That is something that we worked on at Michigan and I kind of channeled it through there.”
The competition concludes tomorrow with prelims at 9:00am CST and finals at 6:00pm CST.