Joshua Zuchowski Nails 200 Back PR of 1:43.03 at NCSA Day 1 Prelims

2021 NCSA SPRING INVITE

• March 16-20, 2021
• Orlando, Florida
• Short course yards (SCY)
• Psych sheets
• Meet information
• Live stream
• Results on Meet Mobile

The 2021 NCSA Spring Championships are back this week in Orlando, with prelims of the 200 back, 50 breast and 100 free running this morning, along with slower heats of the 1000 free (girls) and 1650 free (boys) and the 200 medley relay.

Flood Aquatics’ Joshua Zuchowski had a standout swim in the 200 back prelims, popping a lifetime best 1:43.03. That’s nearly a full second better than his old best of 1:44.02, done at the virtual 18 & Under Winter Championships in December. Zuchowski split a smart race, taking it out in 23.9 then going 26.2/26.7/26.1 on the following three 50s.

Zuchowski, 16, now moves to #10 in the all-time 15-16 rankings. Second this morning was 18-year-old Kyle Won of Gators Swim Club (NE), going a lifetime best 1:45.32. That’s the first sub-1:46 for the incoming Columbia freshman.

The girls’ 200 back saw three women lead with new best times, the fastest being NOVA of Virginia’s Josephine Fuller at 1:53.95. That’s a six-tenths drop for Fuller, a Tennessee commit. Second in prelims was 15-year-old Maggie Wanezek at 1:54.22, as Wanezek jumps to #31 in the 15-16 age group. That is a near-two-second drop for Elmbrook Swim Club’s Wanezek.

Machine Aquatics’ Paige Hall, an Ohio State commit, was 1:54.72 for a four-tenth drop, while NOVA of Virginia’s Zoe Dixon took fourth in 1:55.47, .05 off of her best.

Wanezek’s teammate, Lucy Thomas, also 15, dropped a big swim in the 50 breast to lead the way. Thomas was 27.46, which would grant her a medley relay spot at most NCAA Division I programs given she’s well within the realm of a 26-high split. TNT’s Letitia Sim, a Michigan commit, was second in 28.07 and Skirboll was third in 28.19.

In the boys’ 100 free, 18-year-old Reese Branzell (unattached) went 43.77 for the fastest time of the morning, slashing over a full second off of his old best. Branzell is committed to Georgia. Second went to 16-year-old Will Hayon of the Mid-Wisconsin Wave Makers at 43.83, a best by .08 for him. Hayon is now tied for #18 all-time in the 15-16 age group with Joe Hudepohl.

OTHER NOTABLE SWIMS

• After her 200 back swim, Hall went the fastest time of the morning in the 100 free, going 50.11 ahead of Huntsville Swim Association’s Rebekah Hamilton (50.13), Racer X Aquatics’ Zoe Skirboll (50.16) and Santa Maria Swim Club’s Claire Tuggle (50.21). All four added time.
• Four boys went under 25 seconds in the 50 breast, led by Ty Spillane of Academy Bullets at 24.70 ahead of Daniel Worth, unattached (24.77). Spillane is committed to Mizzou and Worth to UVA. Third and fourth went to iNspire Swim Team teammates Kael Mlinek and Luke Barr at 24.83 and 24.87, respectively. Barr is an Indiana commit.
• There were two standout swims in the early heats of the boys’ mile, where 15-year-olds Isaac Fleig (unattached) and Luke Corey (Naval Academy Aquatic Club) surged to new bests. Fleig went 15:29.29 and Corey 15:33.31, both taking 26.8 seconds off of their old bests.