Ranking The Top 10 Swims From 2023 US Summer Junior Nationals

2023 SUMMER JUNIOR NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS

• July 31 – August 4, 2023
• Prelims 9AM, finals 5PM (Pacific Time)
• LCM (50 meters)
• William Woollett Jr. Aquatics Center, Irvine, California, United States
• Meet Central
• Pre-Scratch Timelines
• Pre-Scratch Psych Sheet
• Girls meet preview
• Boys meet preview
• Live Results
• Live Stream

Now that US Summer Junior Nationals are over, let’s look at the top 10 swims from the whole five-day meet. There were many good swims at this meet, so this list of ten is not a fully exhaustive list of swims that were the “best” but instead they are the top ones that stand out.

1. Tess Howley 200 Fly: 2:06.85

Tess Howley swam a best time in the girls 200 butterfly by over a second. Her best time coming into the meet was a 2:08.07 which she swam at the 2022 US Summer National Championships. Here, she swam a best time in prelims (2:07.56) before swimming even faster in finals with a 2:06.85. Even more notably, her finals time would have finished second at US World Trials in Indianapolis, which would have qualified her to represent the US at the 2023 World Championships. At Worlds, the time would have made the Championship final, finishing fourth overall.

2. Luka Mijatovic 800 Free: 7:59.64

A 14-year-old boy won the 800 free. Yes, he is only 14. Luka Mijatovic broke a total of four National Age Group records at this meet. Not only did Mijatovic break his own 800 free record, he also won the event and became the youngest swimmer to break the 8-minute mark in the event. He also became the fastest 13-14-year-old in the event by almost a full ten seconds. This means, not only does he just hold the NAG, he holds it by a sizeable margin.

3. Aaron Shackell 400 Free: 3:47.00

Aaron Shackell swam a personal best time in the 400 free, becoming tied for the third fastest 17-18 ever in the 400 free. He is now less than a second off of the NAG record. His best time was by over two seconds, and overall he has dropped over eight seconds in the last year. He won the event by over four and a half seconds, setting a new meet record as well.

4. Luka Mijatovic 1500 Free: 15:27.38

Another Mijatovic top 10 swim. Mijatovic broke the oldest NAG record in the books which stood at a 15:31.03 since 1976. After previously missing it by just over a second at US World Trials, Mijatovic swam a 15:27.38. Mijatovic had already held the 200, 400, and 800 LCM freestyles, but added this one while in Irvine.

5. Maximus Williamson 200 Free Relay Lead-Off: 1:47.29

Maximus Williamson lowered his own 15-16 200 freestyle NAG record while leading off Lakeside Aquatic Club’s 4×200 free relay in a 1:47.29. That was faster than his old record of a 1:47.62 that he swam at the US World Trials. Prior to Willaimson, the record stood at a 1:47.73 which Luca Urlando set back in 2019. Not only was Williamson’s swim a NAG, but the relay as a whole went on to set a 15-18 NAG. Even though he is the NAG record holder in the event, Williamson opted not to swim the individual event in Irvine.

6. Madi Mintenko 200 Free: 1:58.07

15 year old Madi Mintenko won the 200 free in a meet record of 1:58.07. That moved her up to the 7th fastest 15-16 all-time. It also was a personal best by over a second, and marked a two and a half second drop in the event over the last year. The swim also would have notably placed her into the ‘A’ final at US World Trials (had she swum the time in prelims) in June.

 7. Maximus Williamson 100 Free Relay Lead-Off: 48.84

Maximus Williamson once again led off Lakeside’s relay that went on to set another 15-18 NAG record. Williamson did so in a personal best time of a 48.84, faster than his old best of a 48.91. He already was the #2 15-16 all-time in the event, but inched even closer to Kaii Winkler‘s NAG record of a 48.81.

8. Jonathan Gim 50 Free Relay Anchor: 21.92

Jonathan Gim had a huge relay split to anchor Rose Bowl Aquatics 4×50 free relay as he swam a 21.92, almost catching Lakeside’s relay that set the 15-18 NAG. Rose Bowl’s went on to set a 17-18 relay NAG. Overall’ Gim’s 50 free split in the 4×50 free relay was the fastest by half a second, showing just how impressive it was.

9. Alex Shackell 100 Fly Relay Split: 57.51

Although she declared a false start in the individual 100 fly, Alex Shackell blasted a 57.51 on the final night of competition to help the Carmel girls set a new meet and 15-18 NAG record in the 4×100 medley relay. Shackell was one of two swimmers to split under the 1:00 mark in the fly leg of the race (Bailey Hartman split a 58.72).

10. Kayla Han 1500 Free: 16:16.94

15 year old Kayla Han won the girls 1500 free in a new lifetime best of 16:16.94. That made her the #15 fastest 15-16 ever. It also was a huge best time as her previous best was a 16:26.92 which she swam back in March of this year. Overall, she has dropped almost 20 seconds in the race over the last year.