Olympic Redshirt Midseason Update, How Are They Doing?

With the 2024 Paris Olympics coming this summer, more than a handful of NCAA swimmers have opted to redshirt the 2023-2024 NCAA season. Some of these swimmers have been busy competing this fall. This article will give an overview of how some of these swimmers are doing as they look to focus on long course meters (LCM).

• See the full list of 2023-2024 Olympic Redshirts and Deferrals here

Claire Curzan, Virginia*, USA

Curzan originally announced that she would be redshirting while still at Stanford, then entered the transfer portal and is now training at the University of Virginia. Curzan’s biggest swim at the US Open came from her personal best in the 100 backstroke as she swam a 58.35. She was third in the event this past summer at Nationals behind Regan Smith (57.71) and Katharine Berkoff (58.01), but the swim is still a personal best regardless. She also swam her second fastest 200 back ever with a 2:06.39, just off her best time of a 2:06.35 which she swam this summer.

Jack Aikins, Virginia, USA

Like Curzan, Aikins also finished third this summer at US Nationals as he swam a personal best time of a 1:56.04 in the 200 backstroke. Aikins won the event at the Pan Am Games this fall in a 1:56.58 and swam a 1:56.82 in the event at the US Open, showing great consistency and replicability in the event.

Torri Huske, Stanford, USA

Huske had a huge meet at the US Open earlier this month. Huske swam two personal best times going a 24.41 in the 50 free and the even bigger swim came in the 200 IM with a 2:09.10, making it her second time under the 2:10 mark. Her 100 fly time from the US Open (56.21) was also faster than she was at Worlds this summer where she swam a 56.61 in finals for bronze.

Luca Urlando, Georgia, USA

Despite swimming at the Sun Devil Open at the beginning of June (in the 200 and 400 frees), Urlando did not compete at US Summer Nationals after working his way back from shoulder surgery from last November. At the US Open, Urlando competed in his first LCM 200 butterfly since finishing 5th in the event at the 2022 World Championships. Urlando also had a solid swim in the 400 free, posting a personal best at the US Open.

Letitia Sim, Michigan, Singapore

At the 2023 Japan Open, Sim swam a personal best in the 100 breaststroke to swim a 1:06.36. That was faster than her previous best time and National Record that stood at a 1:06.86. Her time also earned the Olympic ‘A’ cut, which stands at a 1:06.79, qualifying her for the 2024 Paris Olympics in the event.

David Johnston, Texas, USA & Charlie Clark, Ohio State, USA & Will Gallant, NC State, USA

Both distance freestylers Johnston and Clark competed at the US Open. Both had their biggest swims in the 800 freestyle as they went 1-2 in the event. Clark won in a 7:50.49, just off his best time of a 7:50.07 while Johnston swam a 7:53.87 just off his best of a 7:51.70. Gallant also competed in the 800 free, which turned out to be his highest finish with a 5th place finish in a 7:57.72, about seven seconds off of his best.