2 weeks after Claire Curzan swam times faster than the 15-16 National Age Group Records in 3 events, USA Swimming has decided to ratify those times.
Clarifying that the existing policy of not allowing times to qualify for national-level meets from the month of July remains in-tact, USA Swimming decided that the policy didn’t specifically extend to National Age Group Records, though some around the organization were initially under the impression that the two policies were one-in-the-same.
This means that Curzan has 3 new National Age Group Records to her name:
- She swam a 21.51 in the 50 yard free, breaking her own record of 21.77 set last year.
- She swam a 50.03 in the 100 yard fly, which breaks her own National Age Group Record of 50.35 that was set in February.
- She swam a 47.23 in the 100 yard free, which broke Gretchen Walsh‘s 47.49 from 2019.
The approval of the records by USA Swimming actually answers two questions. The first, more recently, is about whether times swum in July of 2020 would count. This came up recently as a result of USA Swimming’s policy for the first meets back after the height of the coronavirus quarantine, and by Saturday is a matter that will expire – times are back to normal in all regards in August (presuming all of the usual applicable rules are met).
The other question is one that has lingered for a while, but that has never been forced to be addressed. USA Swimming rules (and FINA rules) don’t allow for records to be set on mixed-gender relay leadoff legs, primarily because of the potential benefits of drafting if a female swimmer is racing head-to-head against a male swimmer. This came up most infamously at the 2007 Duel in the Pool, when Libby Lenton swam a 52.99 relay leadoff leg in a 100 free. That made her the first woman ever under 53 seconds in that race, but because she was swimming against Michael Phelps, FINA disallowed that swim.
The intrasquad meet for the TAC Titans, like many meets since the restart, threw swimmers of all genders into the same heats, so Curzan was racing boys in all 3 swims (though in one of those cases, she actually won her heat regardless).
A literal and esoteric reading of the USA Swimming rules, however, are very specific in disallowing leadoff legs in mixed relays from counting for National Records.
104.2.C(1)
Lead-off legs/initial distances of mixed gender relays shall not count for American or U.S. Open records.
There is another rule in place that swimmers must win their heat to set a record, which Curzan only did in 1 of her 3 record-clearing swims. There is, however, an exception to that rule when the record being broken is “When age or representation is a condition for setting LSC or Age Group records.”
In this case, because it was a National Age Group Record, that loophole is filled. In the case that she broke an all-ages American Record, this loophole would have cleared her too, but if she had broken a U.S. Open Record, this specific rule would not have cleared her – so that hypothetical situation (it’s never happened) has not been answered by this approval.
USA Swimming confirmed that the meet had electronic timing and manual timers in place for each lane, information that helped them to ratify the records.
Curzan now holds 12 active National Age Group Records: 10 in short course and 2 in long course. Having just turned 16 a few weeks ago, she has almost a full year to continue going after the 15-16 record books.
Funny how when people in low virus places like Alaska complain their kids’ times won’t count as Trials cuts USA Swimming thumbs their nose and claims they made the rules for everyone, but when someone sets a NAG it’s suddenly sanctioned.
If we are not going to allow every single female in that age group the same racing conditions moving forward in perpetuity then it is difficult to understand why this should count. My daughter has NAG dreams also. When she reaches 15-16 years old, can she have the same mixed gender race setting again or is this a one time exception? Is any parent wrong for asking if their child can have the same opportunities and rules as another child? It’s a slippery slope, no matter how much we all want to cheer for something great right now.
Why
A NAG record is Not life altering event. If one thinks it is, there are bigger problems in store. For goodness sakes who cares either way.
What matters is winning
Yea yea paulo
Winning is everything I guess. Coming second means you are a loser in life I guess. That,s sports.
Teach athletes that if they dont win that gold, they are useless athletes. Coaches should take note and instill that mentality in their athletes.
Thats not even what he said. chill out
Ratified or not, I think shes going to break them again lol.
Good grief. Stunned and disappointed by the acrimony expressed here. These are unique, crazy, and scary times. The kid had an amazing swim. Celebrate it. Reward it. Don’t discount it. The adversity of these times she overcame to put in such a great performance should be put on a pedestal, not but under a bushel.
Congrats Claire, and I sincerely hope you better the time in August (or before your b-day) to set the bar even higher.
Can someone edit the YouTube video so we can watch the races? I’m more interested in that than whether it counts. She did the time, so it should count in my opinion. I think one of USA swimming’s goals was to remove the pressure or need for meets in areas where Covid is more prevalent. So I agree with their times not counting towards time standards. With so few athletes in a position to break a NAG, allowing these times to count is completely fine (in my opinion).
Boom