Claire Curzan (born June 30, 2004) is an American swimmer.
She won four medals at the 2019 World Junior Swimming Championships.
At the 2020 Summer Olympics she won a silver medal in the 4×100 meter medley relay for her contribution swimming the butterfly leg of the relay in the prelims and in her individual event, the 100 meter butterfly, she placed tenth.
At the 2021 World Short Course Championships, she won a gold medal in the 4×100 meter freestyle relay and a silver medal in the 4×50 meter medley relay.
Early life and education
Curzan was raised in Cary, North Carolina and started swimming when she was three years old.
Curzan is a student at Cardinal Gibbons High School in Raleigh, North Carolina.
In October 2021, she committed to competing collegiately for Stanford University starting in fall  of 2022.Lepesant, Anne (October 3, 2021). "
#1 In 2022, Olympic Silver Medalist Claire Curzan Makes Her College Choice".
SwimSwam.
Retrieved October 12, 2021.
Swimming career
2019
2019 World Junior Championships
Curzan competed at the 2019 World Junior Championships in Budapest, Hungary, winning a total of four medals, of which three were in individual events.OlympicTalk (November 13, 2020).
"Claire Curzan, 16, flies into the Olympic swimming picture".
NBC Sports.
Retrieved November 21, 2021.
On August 21, Curzan won her first medal of the Championships, a silver medal in the 100 meter backstroke with a time of 1:00.00.FINA (August 21, 2019).
"7th FINA World Junior Swimming Championships 2019: Women's 100m Backstroke Final Results".
Omega Timing.
Retrieved November 21, 2021.
She followed her silver medal up with a bronze medal on August 23 in the 50 meter butterfly, where she finished third in 25.81 seconds, just 0.11 seconds behind the gold medalist in the event and fellow American Torri Huske.FINA (August 23, 2019).
"7th FINA World Junior Swimming Championships 2019: Women's 50m Butterfly Final Results".
Omega Timing.
Retrieved November 21, 2021.
On the final day of competition, August 25, Curzan finished third in the 100 meter butterfly with a time of 58.37, winning the bronze medal and missing out on the gold medal to Torri Huske.FINA (August 25, 2019).
"7th FINA World Junior Swimming Championships 2019: Women's 100m Butterfly Final Results".
Omega Timing.
Retrieved November 21, 2021.
Curzan wrapped up her competition swimming backstroke on the 4×100 meter medley relay, splitting a time of 1:00.75 and helping the relay win the gold medal in a time of 3:59.13.FINA (August 25, 2019).
"7th FINA World Junior Swimming Championships 2019: Women's 4 x 100m Medley Relay Final Results".
Omega Timing.
Retrieved November 21, 2021.
2020
As a 16-year-old in August 2020, Curzan set a new National Age Group record in the 100 yard butterfly for the girls 15–16 age group with a time of 49.73 seconds.
2021
At the 2021 TAC Titans Premier Meet, conducted in long course meters, Curzan became the second-fastest female American performer ever in the 100 meter butterfly, with a time of 56.20 seconds that moved her up in rankings behind fastest female American Dana Vollmer and ahead of third-fastest female American Kelsi Dahlia.Lepesant, Anne (April 10, 2021).
"Claire Curzan Goes 56.20 in the 100 Fly; Passes Dahlia for #2 American All-Time".
SwimSwam.
Retrieved November 21, 2021.
2020 Olympic Trials
In 2021, Curzan placed second in the final of the 100 meter butterfly at the US Olympic Team Trials in Omaha, Nebraska with a time of 56.43 seconds, qualifying her for the 2020 US Olympic Team.Hunt, Loretta (July 23, 2021).
"US butterfly prodigy Claire Curzan: 'Everyone gawked at this girl who liked to swim fast'".
The Guardian.
Retrieved October 12, 2021.
The 2020 Olympic Games were the first Olympic Games Curzan qualified to compete at, making her just 16 years old when she qualified and 17 years old at her Olympic debut.Mazur, Joe (June 16, 2021). "
'It doesn't feel real:' 16-year-old from Cary makes US Olympic team for summer games in Tokyo".
ABC 11.
Retrieved October 12, 2021.
2020 Summer Olympics
At the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Japan and held in 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Curzan placed tenth in the 100 meter butterfly and won a silver medal in the 4x100 meter medley relay for her contribution swimming the butterfly leg of the relay in the prelims.Omega Timing; Atos (August 1, 2021).
"Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games: Swimming Results Book".
International Olympic Committee.
Retrieved October 12, 2021.
The silver medal Curzan won for her efforts as part of the prelims relay consisting of herself, Rhyan White (backstroke), Lilly King (breaststroke), and Erika Brown (freestyle) was her first Olympic medal of any kind.Pelletier, Justin (August 2, 2021).
"Cary's Claire Curzan had one last shot at an Olympic medal.
Here's how she did".
The News & Observer.
Retrieved October 12, 2021.
2021 World Short Course Championships
Curzan was announced to the United States team for the 2021 World Short Course Championships in late October, with the announcement of the team earning the number two spot for "The Week That Was" honor from Swimming World."
2021 FINA Short Course World Championships Roster".
USA Swimming.
October 28, 2021.
Retrieved November 20, 2021.Rieder, David (November 1, 2021).
"The Week That Was: Chalmers Takes Down 13-Year-Old World Record".
Swimming World.
Retrieved November 20, 2021.
Building up her short course racing prowess in advance of the 2021 World Championships, Curzan broke the national high school records, both overall and independent records for each event, in the 100 meter butterfly with a time of 57.08 seconds, in the 50 meter freestyle with a 24.94, and in the 100 meter backstroke where she set the new record at 58.40 seconds.Rieder, David (November 20, 2021).
"Claire Curzan Smashes Three Short Course Meters National High School Records in Chattanooga".
Swimming World.
Retrieved November 20, 2021.
Her three records captured the number three spot for "The Week That Was" honor for the week of November 22.Shay, Ashleigh (November 22, 2021).
"The Week That Was: Regan Smith Crushes Signature Events at NC State Invitational".
Swimming World.
Retrieved November 22, 2021.
Prior to the start of competition, Curzan entered to compete in three individual events, the 50 meter freestyle, 50 meter butterfly, and 100 meter butterfly.FINA (December 14, 2021).
"15th FINA World Swimming Championships (25m): Entries Book".
Omega Timing.
Retrieved December 14, 2021.
Commencing competition on day one, Curzan swum in both the prelims and the final of the 4×100 meter freestyle relay, helping achieve a gold-medal-win in the final with a time of 3:28.52, splitting a 52.25 for the second leg of the relay.FINA (16 December 2021).
"15th FINA World Swimming Championships 2021 Abu Dhabi (UAE): Women's 4x100m Freestyle Final Results".
Omega Timing.
Retrieved 16 December 2021.Moss, Bonnie (December 16, 2021).
"U.S. Women Win Gold on First Day of 2021 FINA World Championships (25m)".
USA Swimming.
Retrieved December 16, 2021.OlympicTalk (December 16, 2021).
"U.S. swimmings wins five medals, ties for gold, on first day of short course worlds".
NBC Sports.
Retrieved December 18, 2021.
In the morning of day two, Curzan split a 24.87 for the butterfly leg of the 4×50 meter medley relay in the prelims heats, helping advance the relay to the final ranked first.FINA (December 17, 2021).
"15th FINA World Swimming Championships 2021 Abu Dhabi (UAE): Women's 4x50m Medley Relay Heats Results Summary".
Omega Timing.
Retrieved December 17, 2021.
Curzan split a 24.56 for the same leg in the final, helping achieve a silver-medal-winning time of 1:43.61 with finals relay teammates Rhyan White, Lydia Jacoby, and Abbey Weitzeil.FINA (December 17, 2021).
"15th FINA World Swimming Championships 2021 Abu Dhabi (UAE): Women's 4x50m Medley Relay Final Results".
Omega Timing.
Retrieved December 17, 2021.Moss, Bonnie (December 17, 2021).
"Casas' Gold Leads Way for U.S. on FINA World Championships (25m) Night Two".
USA Swimming.
Retrieved December 17, 2021.
Curzan qualified for the semifinals of the 50 meter butterfly in the morning prelims session on day three, ranking fourth with her time of 25.17 seconds.FINA (December 18, 2021).
"15th FINA World Swimming Championships 2021 Abu Dhabi (UAE): Women's 50m Butterfly Heats Results Summary".
Omega Timing.
Retrieved December 18, 2021.
In the evening she qualified for the final of the 50 meter butterfly with a time of 25.20 seconds, which tied her with Arina Surkova of Russia and Torri Huske for fifth-rank heading into the final.FINA (December 18, 2021).
"15th FINA World Swimming Championships 2021 Abu Dhabi (UAE): Women's 50m Butterfly Semifinals Results Summary".
Omega Timing.
Retrieved December 18, 2021.
For the final of the 4×50 meter mixed medley relay, Curzan helped win the silver medal in a time of 1:37.04, swimming a 24.85 for the butterfly leg of the relay.FINA (December 18, 2021).
"15th FINA World Swimming Championships 2021 Abu Dhabi (UAE): Mixed 4x50m Medley Relay Final Results".
Omega Timing.
Retrieved December 18, 2021.
In the final of the 50 meter butterfly on day four, Curzan won the bronze medal with a world junior record, Americas record, and American record time of 24.55 seconds.FINA (December 19, 2021).
"15th FINA World Swimming Championships 2021 Abu Dhabi (UAE): Women's 50m Butterfly Final Results".
Omega Timing.
Retrieved December 19, 2021.Hamann, Michael (December 19, 2021).
"Claire Curzan Breaks American, World Junior Records In 50 Fly".
SwimSwam.
Retrieved December 19, 2021.Lohn, John (December 19, 2021).
"Claire Curzan, Men's 800 Freestyle Relay Set American Records at Short Course Worlds Championships".
Swimming World.
Retrieved December 19, 2021.
In the prelims heats on day five, Curzan ranked second in the 100 meter butterfly with a time of 56.46, less than half a second slower than first-ranked Louise Hansson of Sweden, and qualified for the semifinals in the evening.FINA (December 20, 2021).
"15th FINA World Swimming Championships 2021 Abu Dhabi (UAE): Women's 100m Butterfly Heats Results Summary".
Omega Timing.
Retrieved December 20, 2021.
Later in the morning, Curzan swam a 24.11 in the prelims of the 50 meter freestyle and qualified for the semifinals ranking eighth.FINA (December 20, 2021).
"15th FINA World Swimming Championships 2021 Abu Dhabi (UAE): Women's 50m Freestyle Heats Results Summary".
Omega Timing.
Retrieved December 20, 2021.
Starting her competition in the evening, Curzan tied the world junior record in the 100 meter butterfly with a time of 55.64 seconds in the semifinals and qualified for the final ranking second.FINA (December 20, 2021).
"15th FINA World Swimming Championships 2021 Abu Dhabi (UAE): Women's 100m Butterfly Semifinals Results Summary".
Omega Timing.
Retrieved December 20, 2021.Sutherland, James (December 20, 2021).
"Claire Curzan Matches World Junior Record In 100 Fly Semis – 55.64".
SwimSwam.
Retrieved December 20, 2021.Rieder, David (December 20, 2021).
"Ilya Borodin, Yu Yiting, Claire Curzan Set World Junior Record in Abu Dhabi".
Swimming World.
Retrieved December 20, 2021.
Finishing her day five events, Curzan qualified for the final of the 50 meter freestyle ranked sixth with a time of 23.80 seconds in the semifinals.FINA (December 20, 2021).
"15th FINA World Swimming Championships 2021 Abu Dhabi (UAE): Women's 50m Freestyle Semifinals Results Summary".
Omega Timing.
Retrieved December 20, 2021.
Awards and honors
Swimming World, The Week That Was: November 1, 2021 (#2), November 22, 2021 (#3)
SwimSwam Top 100 (Women's): 2021 (#47)Anderson, Jared (February 11, 2021).
"SwimSwam's Top 100 For 2021: Women's #50 — #41".
SwimSwam.
Retrieved October 11, 2021.
References
External links
