Liberty junior Malcolm Collins set a new Liberty pool record in the 100 breaststroke with a time of 58.63 during the Hurricanes’ meet against William Allen on Dec. 20.

“It didn’t feel like it, and I was a little scared, but when I looked up, I saw it, and I was really relieved,” Collins said. “Right when I finished the race, I was done. Everything was off my mind and thinking about the next event.”

Collins touched the wall among cheers from his teammates who knew what was at stake.

“Last night in practice, I was talking about it, and this morning I was thinking about it because over the weekend I went 58.40 (with Parkland Aquatic Club), so if I can do that, I might as well put a tech suit on, come here, and beat the record,” he said.

Liberty’s pool record in breaststroke was previously held by Emmaus’s Carter Paules whose time was 59.17 set in 2014.

“We talked about it, said Liberty coach Reik Foust, “and I said, ‘These are what we need to be looking at in practice to make sure what you have already established, you can build on,’ and then he went for it. He was out faster in the 50 of his 100 at the split than he was in the medley relay, so I knew he was on it.”

Collins was last season’s District XI Class 3A silver medalist in breaststroke with a time of 59.43, and was also the PIAA Class 3A state silver medalist along with Danny Lehr, Patrick Gilhool, and Addison Collins in the 200 medley relay where he swam breaststroke.

Foust expects that Collins will have his eye on breaking Liberty’s school record, currently held by fellow Hurricane Eric Burcin since 2011. Burcin’s time was 58.19.

“That was a real nice swim by Malcolm, being before Christmas and without a lot of competition, so that’s pretty special,” Foust said.