There was a lot of negativity and controversy coming into this year’s Virginia High School League State Championships. With now 6 different state championship levels, some of the big-name matchups were separated out into different classes, and some events wound up with sparse entries (the boys’ 400 free at the 5A Championship only had 6 qualifiers, for example).
There’s nothing like some fast swimming, though, to make everyone forget the drama.
Andrew Seliskar of Thomas Jefferson High School has broken the National High School Record in the 100 yard breaststroke, swimming a 53.24 in prelims at the Collegiate School Aquatics Center in Richmond on Friday morning. He was out in 24.90, and came home in 28.34, which cleared the 53.39 that Steven Stumph of Campolindo HS set last year out in Califonia at 53.39.
Carsten Vissering from Georgetown Prep swam a 53.49 two weeks ago at the nearby D.C. Metro Champs a couple of weeks ago (watch the video of Vissering’s swim here), and at Easterns on Saturday will have the chance to catch Seliskar’s time as well.
Seliskar also swam a 1:36.26 in the 200 free in his other individual race in prelims. He is only a junior this year.
Seliskar Photo courtesy of Marianne Thiede
Andrew Seliskar, Thomas Jefferson High School, breaks the National High School Record in the 100 yard breaststroke, swimming a 53.24
(courtesy of Marianne Thiede)
Andrew Seliskar, Thomas Jefferson High School, breaks the National High School Record in the 100 yard breaststroke, swimming a 53.24
(courtesy of Marianne Thiede)
Andrew Seliskar, Thomas Jefferson High School, breaks the National High School Record in the 100 yard breaststroke, swimming a 53.24
(courtesy of Marianne Thiede)
Husker breaks 53 (!) in prelims. Some fast kids out there. Jacob swam a 1:45 200 IM as well. I am anxious to hear his 100 free split on the 400 free relay. Jacob set the 200 free record last year.
There needs to be drama. The state meets are seriously messed up. Having such dramatically different qualifying times for kids in an individual sport is messed up. And why swim two days when you barely have enough to field two heats in some of the events. Hopefully someone at VHSL will look at this more closely.
Congrats to Andrew.
The high school records are getting so fast it’s hard to believe.
Good Grief!
He must be a very impressive student as well. Thomas Jefferson widely regarded as the top public charter school in the country, and is regarded by some to be the best academic high school in the country outright. Extremely competitive to be admitted into TJ.
Awesome to see an accomplished swimmer also this accomplished in school. Some college will be very lucky to have a great athletic and academic admit in Andrew.
An interesting article about him here.
http://reachforthewall.com/2014/02/19/andrew-seliskar-tries-to-do-it-all-for-t-j/
He’s also a super cool guy, almost don’t like him cause he’s too perfect
Aside from making for a more exciting, fast, and efficient (2 sessions vs. 4) meet, any logical classification system would have pitted Seliskar against Austin Temple (5A and 6A)
and the two meets are at the same pool, same days! 5A has 9am prelims/finals on Friday and Saturday. 6A is prelims/finals at 4pm, same days. Go figure.
The records fall in prelims.
Congrats to him.
Hopefully we can see a 52 in final.
Janet Hu will also make the show in Virginia this weekend.
swimswam read my mind