2022 Short Course YMCA Nationals
- March 28 – April 1, 2022
- Greensboro Aquatic Center, Greensboro, NC
- SCY (25 yards)
- Meet Central
- Psych Sheet
- Live Results
On Wednesday night at the 2022 SCY YMCA Nationals in Greensboro, NC, 15-year-old Thomas Heilman cranked out a new personal best of 3:49.31 to win the men’s 400 IM. The swim takes 2.15 seconds off Heilman’s previous best of 3:51.46, which he swam in January of this year to break the 13-14 boys NAG in the event.
Just having turned 15 in February, Heilman’s time tonight already ranks him as the #6 15-year-old all-time in the SCY 400 IM. Here is the updated all-time top 10 for 15-year-old boys in the SCY 400 IM:
| Rank | Time | Swimmer | Meet |
| 1 | 3:42.22 | Maximus Williamson | 2021 West Speedo Winter Junior |
| 2 | 3:46.62 | Carson Foster | 2017 Dolfin ISCA Junior Championships |
| 3 | 3:48.84 | Zachary Tan | 2019 Sectionals – Paradise Valley |
| 4 | 3:48.87 | Gunnar Bentz | 2011 Winter Junior Nats |
| 5 | 3:48.99 | Curtis Ogren | 2011 Winter Junior Nats |
| 6 | 3:49.31 | Thomas Heilman | 2022 SC YMCA Nationals |
| 7 | 3:49.58 | Luca Urlando | 2018 Sectionals – College Station |
| 8 | 3:49.88 | Cooper Lucas | 2020 NT LAC ARENA Winter Champs |
| 9 | 3:50.20 | Michael Phelps | 2000 US Freestyle Sendof |
| 10 | 3:51.08 | Carter Lancaster | 2021 East Speedo Winter Junior |
Additionally, Heilman is now already ranked #30 all-time in the 15-16 age group. For those who may be wondering, the 15-16 boys NAG in the SCY 400 IM is held by none other than Michael Phelps, standing at 3:42.08.
Let’s take a look at where Heilman dropped time over the last two months in the 400 IM. Here is a split comparison between his previous best of 3:51.46 from January and his performance tonight.
| Splits | 2022 SC YMCA Nationals | 2022 VA CA-Y Winter Invitational (Previous Best – 1/22) |
| Fly | 50.90 | 50.86 |
| Back | 57.77 | 59.45 |
| Breast | 1:08.18 | 1:08.71 |
| Free | 52.46 | 52.44 |
| FINAL TIME | 3:49.31 | 3:51.46 |
As the splits show, Heilman made his improvement over the last two months in the middle of the race. He improved by 1.68 seconds on the backstroke leg and 0.53 seconds on the breast leg, while keeping his fly and free splits the same.
So far this week, Heilman has also swum a personal best of 19.78 in the 50 free.
Another 400 IM where Carson Foster comes in second, oof.
That 3:42 by Max Williamson is ridiculous
Wonder what he’s gonna swim at Trials because he’s apparently good at just about everything.
Yards aren’t meters tho. Lots of good swimmers who have great turns and underwaters can’t measure that success in meters. We shall see.
Ummmmm he’s already proven to be phenomenal in meters already. I think you need to go take a gander at his PBs
Let’s circle back on this post come World Trials.
Yeah people like to make these kind of cracks because it feels like low-hanging fruit to rip young talent. Saw someone say the same about Kate Douglass, an Olympic bronze medalist, last week.
For anyone whose not actually going to look it up: he was 53.27 in the 100 fly in long course in December. At 14 years old. Ohio State’s Chachi Gustafson, who was 45.90 in the 100 fly in yards at NCAAs last week (Heilman’s best is 45.81), has a long course best time of 54.58.
So, I think he’s doing pretty well in long course too.
Crazy good
Truly an amazing athlete. He is going times that could get a senior into any college as a 15 year old. Keep it up Thomas