Claire Curzan, Kate Douglass Vault Up Historical Rankings in 50 Free

2018 SPEEDO WINTER JUNIOR CHAMPIONSHIPS – EAST

• December 5-8, 2018
• Greensboro, NC
• Psych Sheets
• Live Results

This morning at the Speedo Winter Junior Champs – East, Claire Curzan (TAC Titans) and Kate Douglass (Chelsea Piers Aquatic Club) hit lifetime bests in the 50 free, moving them up the historical rankings for their respective age groups.

Curzan posted a 22.15 this morning, which moves her all the way up to #2 in 13-14 history. That’s a huge new best for the 14-year-old, with her old PR sitting back at 23.07 from this spring when she was still 13. In the 13-14 rankings, only Gretchen Walsh has been faster, at 22.00 with the NAG. Walsh, now 15, was 21.98 in prelims at this meet this morning, and will be battling for a title tonight. Notably, Douglass’s 22.32 from 2016 is now the #3 time in 13-14 history.

Curzan also went a 25.53 in the 50 LCM free last weekend at U.S. Winter Nationals, which is #4 in the 13-14 LCM all-time rankings. As it were, #5 belongs to Walsh (25.57) and #6 to Douglass (25.60) from 2017 and 2017, respectively.

U.S. 13-14 ALL-TIME RANKINGS – 50Y FREE

1. Gretchen Walsh – 22.00 (2017)
2. Claire Curzan – 22.15 (2018)
3. Kate Douglass – 22.32 (2016)
4. Dara Torres – 22.44 (1982)
5. Missy Franklin – 22.49 (2010)

Meanwhile, Douglass, who is 17 years old, posted a 21.87, which ranks 7th all-time in the 17-18 rankings. The NAG sits at 21.32 by Simone Manuel, which seems pretty safe, at least for now. That’s a breakthrough swim for Douglass, who was 22.04 in 2016 at this meet, which was her previous best. This is now a PR by .17, and it marks the first swim under 22.0 for the University of Virginia commit.

In terms of 17-year-olds only, Douglass ranks 3rd all-time. Manuel (21.70) and Janet Hu (21.82) are the only two American 17-year-olds in history to have been faster.

U.S. 17-18 ALL-TIME RANKINGS – 50Y FREE

1. Simone Manuel – 21.32 (2015)
2. Abbey Weitzeil – 21.49 (2014)
3. Grace Ariola – 21.73 (2018)
4. Maddie Murphy – 21.76 (2017)
5. Ky-lee Perry – 21.80 (2017)
6. Janet Hu – 21.82 (2013)
7. Kate Douglass – 21.83 (2018)
8. Faith Johnson – 21.89 (2013)

Notably, all of the times listed ahead of Douglass were from college freshmen who were not yet 19 when they swam those times, aside from Hu (and Manuel’s 21.70 from when she was 17).

Tonight, Curzan will be in striking distance of Walsh’s 22.00 13-14 NAG record. Meanwhile, Walsh’s own 15-16 record in the 50 free, a 21.85, could potentially go down — she’s still 15, and was 21.98 this morning.