Claire Curzan Breaks Own NCAA, American Records With 1:46.82 200 Backstroke
03/22/2025 09:49 PM
By Anya Pelshaw on SwimSwam
2025 NCAA Division I Women's Swimming and Diving Championships
- March 19-22, 2025
- Weyerhaeuser King County Aquatics Center — Federal Way, Washington
- Short Course Yards (25 yards)
- Start Times: Prelims: 10 AM ׀ Finals: 6 PM (Pacific Daylight Time)
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Women's 200 Backstroke
NCAA Record: 1:46.87 – Claire Curzan, Virginia (2025)Championship Record: 1:47.24 – Beata Nelson, Wisconsin (2019)American Record: 1:46.87 – Claire Curzan, Virginia (2025)U.S. Open Record: 1:46.87 – Claire Curzan, Virginia (2025)- 2024 Champion: Phoebe Bacon, Wisconsin – 1:48.23
Top 8:
- Claire Curzan (Virginia) – 1:46.82 (NCAA Record)
- Bella Sims (Florida) – 1:47.11
- Phoebe Bacon (Wisconsin) – 1:47.60
- Leah Shackley (NC State) – 1:48.52
- Carmen Weiler Sastre (Virginia Tech) – 1:49.22
- Josephine Fuller (Tennessee) – 1:49.73
- Erika Pelaez (NC State) – 1:49.81
- Isabelle Stadden (California) – 1:51.41
Claire Curzan broke her own NCAA, American, and US Open record swimming to a 1:46.82 in the 200 backstroke. She also broke the previous NCAA meet record of a 1:47.24 that Beata Nelson swam representing Wisconsin in 2019.
Split Comparison
| 2025 NCAA Finals (Curzan) | 2024 Tennessee Invite/Old NCAA, American Records (Curzan) | Old Meet Record (Beata Nelson) | |
| 50 | 24.89 | 25.22 | 25.24 |
| 100 | 26.6 | 26.77 | 27.2 |
| 150 | 27.54 | 27.3 | 27.44 |
| 200 | 27.79 | 27.58 | 27.36 |
| 1:46.82 | 1:46.87 | 1:47.24 |
Curzan was out much faster today than she was back at midseason when she set the previous NCAA and American Records. She was exactly half a second ahead of record pace at the 100 mark.
With her win, the Virginia junior swept the backstroke titles. She also won the 100 back, swimming a 49.11 to out-touch Bella Sims by 0.01. Sims finished 2nd tonight, also under Nelson’s previous meet record as Sims touched in a 1:47.10.
After redshirting last year, Curzan earned her NCAA title back. As a freshman at Stanford, Curzan won the 200 back in a 1:47.64.
Read the full story on SwimSwam: Claire Curzan Breaks Own NCAA, American Records With 1:46.82 200 Backstroke
