Update: Conestoga High School’s Brendan Burns also broke the record on Tuesday, in Pennsylvania, with a time of 1:48.47. Both swimmers’ meets started at similar times, so it’s unclear as to who broke the record first, but Burns ends the day with the mark.
Destin Lasco of Mainland Regional High School in Linwood, New Jersey has broke the NISCA National Public High School Record in the 200 short course meter freestyle. Swimming in Mainland Regional’s pool, Lasco swam a 1:51.15, which broke the old National Public High School Record of 1:51.58. That record was set by another New Jerseyan John Kennedy almost exactly 31 years ago – on January 14th, 1988.
Lasco’s Splits:
- 27.09
- 28.09
- 29.07
- 26.90
That record was the 2nd-oldest record on NISCA’s national record books, and one of only two set prior to the year 2000. The new oldest mark is the public high school record in the 500 free, which Jeff Kostoff set in 1983.
Lasco and the Mainland Regional High School boys now own 8 of the 12 National Public High School Records in short course meters (which is an approved course for high school competition in the United States, but is by-far less-competed as compared to short course yards). Lasco owns 5 individual records, and Mainland Regional owns all 3 relay records.
Trey Freeman of the Baylor School in Chattanooga, Tennessee still holds the Independent High School record in 1:47.49 – the fastest overall short course meters time in high school competition.
Lasco’s National Public High School Records in Short Course Meters:
- 200 free – 1:51.51
- 200 IM – 2:00.14
- 100 free – 49.95
- 400 free – 3:53.30
- 100 back – 53.28
- 200 medley relay – 1:43.99
- 200 free relay – 1:33.07
- 400 free relay – 3:26.36
Awesome swim!
On another note however, I’ve never understood why we need separate private vs public swim records. it seems most swim Championships are swan together (private and public) at the state level, etc.
James – most championships are swum together, but not all. Texas is the biggest exception. Virginia has some separation as well, as do some meets in the Northeast.
I think it harkens back to an era where the best swimmers were largely concentrated at private schools where they had the best facilities and coaches (broad strokes, there’s always exceptions). Now, most of the top swimmers train in an atmosphere that’s club-like (even in cases where it’s technically with a hs team) so it’s definitely less relevant. And with school of choice and other programs, even on relays it’s less relevant (though relays are still more relevant of a distinction than individual events).
I don’t mean to be picky or make you feel old Braden but it has been 31 years since 1988 not 21.
Seli was a 1:43 SCM in a canadian meet as a senior in HS.
I wish America built their pools in meters instead of yards…
Back-halfing it once again… last 50 split dear god
I did a double-take… pretty amazing splits.
Fantastic swim! Do only some schools swim scm, as I know when I swam in high school we only swam yards. Is it by state or?
Terror – it really just depends on the pool. Tends to be more common in certain states (Virginia, Tennessee, NJ), but I don’t know of any states that use SCM for their championship meets.
Virginia public schools had some state championship meets in SCM during 00s, but don’t think it’s happened since the Christiansburg and Richmond facilities opened.
Braden, The Baylor School has a 10×50 meter pool. Baylor and Science Hill swim their yearly duel meet in scm. I believe that is the pool length that Science Hill has at their school.
Baylor sets the pool up scm for that 1 duel meet, which is where Trey broke the national record last year or the year prior. SCM is not common in Tennessee. The majority of our schools only do short course yards, with the above exception.
The Baylor pool is very nice. Deck space isn’t great but the pool is deep the whole way. There are times I wish the school had it when I was there.
Whatever pools are available. In South Carolina, many of our high school meets are neighborhood pools, making them 25m.