Claire Curzan Breaks American, World Junior Records in 50 Fly

By Michael Hamann on SwimSwam

2021 FINA SHORT COURSE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS

• Thursday, December 16th – Tuesday, December 21st
• Etihad Arena, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
• SCM (25m)
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High school senior Claire Curzan blasted a new American and World Junior Record while claiming the bronze in tonight’s 50 fly final in Abu Dhabi. The swim marks Curzan’s first senior level international individual medal and her first American Record after years of assaulting the USA Swimming National Age Group Records. The TAC Titans swimmer and Stanford commit breaks Japan’s Rikako Ikee‘s 2017 WJR and Madeline Banic’s American Record from last year’s ISL season.

Curzan’s swim this evening obliterated both the former records, chopping nearly 6 tenths off of Ikee’s record and a quarter of a second off of Banic’s best. She also slips past France’s Melanie Henique to become the fourth fastest performer in history.

Interestingly, the second and third fastest 50 butterfliers of all time also competed in tonight’s final, with Ranomi Kromowidjojo taking the gold and Sarah Sjostrom taking the silver. Kromowidjojo blasted a new lifetime best tonight of 24.44, just off of Therese Alshammar‘s World Record of 24.38, while Sjostrom was just off of her lifetime best of 24.50 from last month’s European Championships.

All-time fastest performers in women’s 50 fly:

1. Therese Alshammar (SWE): 24.38
2. Ranomi Kromowidjojo (NED): 24.44
3. Sarah Sjostrom (SWE): 24.50
4. Claire Curzan (USA): 24.55
5. Melanie Henique (FRA): 24.56

Curzan’s future Stanford Cardinal teammate Torri Huske also competed in tonight’s final, touching in fourth in 24.88. Huske, now a freshman at Stanford, clocks in as the fourth fastest American of all time, behind only Curzan, Banic and Kelsi Dahlia.

Read the full story on SwimSwam: Claire Curzan Breaks American, World Junior Records in 50 Fly