2021 ESSZ SENIOR SECTIONAL MEET
- March 4-7, 2021
- Triangle Aquatic Center, Cary, NC
- SCY (25y)
- Hosted by TAC Titans
- Friday Psych Sheet – A Flight | B Flight
- Saturday Psych Sheet – A Flight | B Flight
- Sunday Psych Sheet – A Flight | B Flight
- Live Results
The 2nd day of the Cary Sectionals meet was electric, featuring two more National Age Group records.
Claire Curzan, a TAC 16-year-old, continued her hot streak, breaking another pair of NAGs. Curzan kicked off the finals session with a 21.50 in the 50 free, shaving .01 seconds off her previous best, which stood as the 15-16 girls NAG. Not even an hour later, Curzan was back in the pool, tearing to a 50.03 in the 100 back, taking .15 seconds off her previous best.
TAC 17-year-old Charlotte Hook ripped a new best time in the women’s 200 fly, clocking a 1:52.72. The time makes Hook the fastest 17-year-old of all-time in the event, and moved her up to 3rd in the 17-18 girls all-time standings. Hook also finished 2nd in the 500 free, swimming a 4:45.25. Eleanore Marquardt took the women’s 500 with a 4:43.76.
SwimMAC Carolina 17-year-old Baylor Nelson had a massive performance in the men’s 200 breast, winning the race in 1:56.01. The swim was earth shattering for Nelson, as he entered the meet with a personal best of 2:03.43, which he established in August of 2020. He then swam a 1:58.90 in prelims, earning a lane in the A final, and went on to drop another nearly 3 seconds in finals. He also went on the win the 100 back in a new lifetime best 47.91. Nelson is a Texas A&M recruit.
TAC 17-year-old and NC State recruit Michael Cotter won the men’s 500 free with a 4:19.93. The swim marks a personal best for Cotter, and his first sub-4:20 performance in the event. Teammate Lance Norris finished 2nd with a 4:20.64, marking a .19 second improvement.
Pro swimmer Michael Chadwick won the men’s 50 free by a big margin, clocking a 19.03. Another North Carolina Aquatic club pro, Justin Wright, took the men’s 200 fly in 1:43.44.
SwimMAC 16-year-old Grace Rainey took the women’s 200 breast with a 2:10.67. The swim comes in just off her personal best of 2:10.25.
This is great that the Sectional meet in Cary allowed swimmers over 18 to swim. It is more inclusive. Kudos to them for making that happen. Unfortunately, the Section VIII sectional meet (in Jenks) is not allowing anyone over 18 or anyone not in high school or lower enter the meet. So Section VIII is essentially an 18/under Sectional meet. This is disappointing to many swimmers who have qualifying times but graduated last year. Not all of them went on to do college swimming. It is too bad that Section VIII (Jenks) wasn’t able to come up with creative options such as duel pools etc in order to allow more qualified swimmers to swim.
Baylor Nelson is an IM star in the making.
Too bad they are not posting live results today. Cuts off after last night.
Special congrats to Baylor for his massive improvements.