ASC IMX/IMR Challenge
- September 24-26, 2021
- Austin, TX
- Short Course Yards
- Full results here or on Meet Mobile under 2021 ST ASC IMX/IMR Challenge
Austin Swim Club, a USA Swimming Silver Medal Club in Austin, TX, hosted an IMX/IMR meet this past weekend. Swimmers competed in races of all four strokes and an IM over the course of the three-day meet.
Austin Swim Club’s Andrew Zou, a 16-year-old high school sophomore, was the standout of the weekend. Zou’s biggest swim came in the 100 breast, where he touched in a 55.67. That was a drop of four tenths from his best time and his first time under 56 seconds. Zou also dropped a half second in the 100 fly, touching in 52.37, and six tenths in the 100 back, finishing in 53.29.
Zou’s early-season short course success builds upon a great long course season. At the 2021 TXLA Speedo Southern Sectionals in late July, Zou exploded in both breaststroke events, hitting a 1:03.80 in the 100 and a 2:17.12 in the 200. The latter actually slid under the 2020 Olympic Trials Wave I Standard, albeit after the completion of Olympic Trials.
The Austin Swim Club product has long been one of the top breaststrokers in the country for his age. He has been ranked Top 10 in the country for his age in either the 100 or 200 breast every year since 2016, when he was the 3rd-fastest LCM 10 & Under boys 100 breaststroker in the country. As a 12-year-old, Zou was the national age group champion in the 200 LCM breast, and last year he was the fastest 15-year-old 200 SCY breaststroker in the nation.
Zou also holds several spots on USA Swimming’s All-Time Top 100 Age Group Times list. In short course, Zou sits in 78th in the 11-12 boys 200 breast, 95th in the 13-14 boys 100 breast, 45th in the 13-14 200 breast and 83rd in the 15-16 200 breast with a full short course season still in the age group.
His breaststroke is even stronger in long course, as Zou ranks 14th in the 11-12 100 breast and 4th in the 11-12 200 breast all time, while currently sitting at 38th in the 15-16 200 breast with another year in the age group.
A look at Zou’s progression over time:
| 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | |
| 100 Breast SCY | 1:00.17 | 58.31 | 56.14 | 55.67 |
| 100 Breast LCM | 1:10.60 | 1:07.26 | X | 1:03.80 |
| 200 Breast SCY | 2:09.84 | 2:05.15 | 2:00.07 | 2:03.24 |
| 200 Breast LCM | 2:29.98 | 2:26.41 | 2:21.36 | 2:17.12 |