NAG Record Holder Joshua Zuchowski Injured During NCSA Championships | SwimSwam

By Nicole Miller on SwimSwam

During the prelims of the 200 IM at the 2021 NCSA Championships, National Age Group record holder Joshua Zuchowski sustained a neck injury, according to his coach and father Johnathan Zuchowski. 

Johnathan Zuchowski says that the injury involved some form of neck strain, making it difficult for Zuchowski to breathe to one of his body and forward. It was not clarified which side Zuchowski is unable to breathe to. A doctor reportedly cleared him to compete in tonight’s session. 

As a result of his injury, Zuchowski pulled out of the 50 freestyle and 50 butterfly during the meet’s final session. However, he still swam the 200 IM, an event in which he is the 11-12 year-old NAG record holder. Zuchowski ultimately finished 2nd overall in the event with a time of 1:48.29. Notably, he was seen side breathing on the butterfly leg, despite usually breathing forward. 

Zuchowski already won both the 100 and 200 backstroke this weekend with times of 46.86 and 1:41.68, respectively. His time in the 200 backstroke ranks him as the 3rd fastest swimmer in 15-16 age-group history, less than a second shy of Ryan Murphy’s NAG of 1:40.93, while his time in the 100 ranks him 9th all-time. 

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