LSU swimmer Brooks Curry single-handedly doubled the swimming program’s NCAA individual titles Saturday with a win in the 100-meterfree inside the McAuley Aquatic Center in Atlanta.
Curry clocked in a time of 40.84 seconds, which broke his school record previously set in February at the SEC Championships. In the prelims, he finished in third place with a time of 41.19 seconds.
Curry, a two-time national champion, won both individual national titles at the 2022 NCAA Swimming and Diving Championships. On Thursday, he won the first individual swimming championship in program history since Mark Andrews won the 50-meter free in 1988. Curry clocked in at 18.56 seconds which broke the school record that he achieved at the 2022 SEC Championships.
“It’s an amazing day for LSU, and it’s an amazing day for Brooks Curry,” head swimming coach Rick Bishop said. “He believed in himself and was able to climb the mountain and achieve one of the biggest goals in any swimmer’s career. He knew he had a great swim in him, and he went out on the biggest stage and performed.”
National champion in the 50-meter free, Brooks Curry swam in the 200-meter free as well. He claimed eighth place in the morning session to earn a spot in a championship final for the second straight day.
With his finish in the top eight, Curry was guaranteed his fourth NCAA All-American honor during his historic career and his second in the 200-meter free. Curry got off to a great start but finished in sixth place with a time of one minute and 31.45 seconds in the final.
At the SEC Championships in February, he broke Caeleb Dressel’s, the U.S. Olympian, SEC meet record with a blistering 40.99 seconds. That time broke his own school record and the Jones Aquatic Center pool record.
On the boards, LSU diver Juan Celaya-Hernandez grabbed another All-American status with his third-place finish on one meter. It was the seventh of his career. After closing out the prelims in sixth place with a score of 374.9, he claimed bronze in the championship final with a final score of 413.2.
Adrian Abadia also competed in one-meter in his first NCAA Championships and almost made the consolation final. He finished in 17th place with a final score of 327.9.
Celaya-Hernandez earned his second bronze medal at the 2022 Men’s NCAA Swimming and Diving Championships Friday. He took third place in three-meter with a final score of 459.2.
With his finish inside the top-eight, Celaya-Hernandez claimed his eighth career All-American honor and his fourth in three-meter. In the prelims during the early afternoon session, he held eighth place with a score of 395.55.
“That was truly an incredible three-meter championship final,” Shaffer said. “I’m so proud of Juan’s performance.”
On the boards, Celaya-Hernandez closed out his final NCAA Championship with an 18th place finish on platforms. He finished with a final score of 323.2.
LSU and its three participating athletes put together an impressive performance that yielded 85 points and a 15th-place finish. It is the highest finish for the Tigers since 1997 when LSU placed 14th.
