Quance Gets Her National Record Back

Chalk up the confusion over Kristine Quance’s national high school swimming record in the the 100-yard breaststroke to a case of mistaken gender.

Quance, of Granada Hills High, swam the event in 1 minute 1.79 seconds Wednesday night at the City Section championships.

Was it the national prep record?

Yes, said the announcer at the City Section swimming championships, using the information in the meet’s program.

Newspapers reported the record Thursday.

No, said the National High School Sports Record Book, which listed Laci Faltay of Lyndhurst (Ohio) Hawken Prep as the record-holder in 1:01.17. The Times retracted Friday.

Quance’s mother, Sandy, upon reading the retraction, called Swimming World magazine, which called Ohio swimming representatives, who had never heard of a female swimmer named Laci Faltay.

With good reason. Laci Faltay is a male.

The previous female record holder is Mary Ellen Blanchard of Norcross (Georgia), who swam 1:01.88 in 1989.

“It’s kind of funny that they had a bogus record,” Sandy Quance said. “I guess you can see where it would happen with a name like Laci.”