Swimming

Bedford High’s Leah Shackley Swims 50.83 in the 100 Yard Back at PIAA District 6 Meet

March 10, 2023

PIAA District 6 Championships

March 3-4, 2023
University Park, Pennsylvania
Short Course Yards (25 yards), Prelims/Finals
Results on Meet Mobile

Bedford High School junior Leah Shackley swam 50.83 in the 100 yard backstroke last week at the PIAA District 6 Championship meet, which shattered her own personal best and Allegheny Mountain LSC Records in the event. That time was the fastest 100 backstroke at the meet – for either gender.

Shackley, who is 16, entered the meet with a personal best of 51.82 from a local meet in December, which was also the open-age Allegheny Mountain LSC Record.. Prior to this season, her best was a 52.42 from last year’s PIAA AA High School State Championship meet.

Shackley now ranks 3rd all-time in the 15-16 age group in the 100 backstroke.

All-Time Top Performers, Girls’ 100 SCY Backstroke, 15-16 Age Group:

Claire Curzan, Tac Titans – 50.03 (2021)
Regan Smith, Riptide – 50.58 (2018)
Leah Shackley, Bedford High – 50.83 (2023)
Maggie Wanezek, Elmbrook Swim Club – 51.13 (2022)
Phoebe Bacon, NCAP – 51.18 (2018)

Of the five swimmers on that list, the top two are Olympic gold medalists, Bacon was a 2021 Olympian and 2022 World Championships silver medalist, and Wanezek, like Shackley, is still a junior in high school.

Wanezek and Shackley are due for some Big Ten battles down the road when they’re in college: Wanezek is committed to Wisconsin and Shackley is committed to Indiana.

Shackley also swam, and won, the 100 fly, though her time of 53.10 was not a new personal best.

At this weekend’s state championship meet, the girls’ 100 backstroke will be among the highlights. Besides Shackley, the race will feature Mount Lebanon’s Sylvia Roy, who swam 53.84 in the 100 back and a personal best of 22.72 in the 50 free at the WPIAL district championships last week,

Other big results in district competition came from State College’s Samuel Higgins, who won the 200 free in 1:39.59 and the 500 free in 4:33.31 in District 6, and Lily King (not to be confused with Olympian Lilly King), who swam bests of 48.58 in the 100 free and 1:47.36 in the 200 free at WPIALs. King is only a sophomore.

SwimSwam: Bedford High’s Leah Shackley Swims 50.83 in the 100 Yard Back at PIAA District 6 Meet