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Kaii Winkler Clocks 43.04 100 Free, Now #2 15-Year-Old In History (With Video)

2022 FGC Senior Championships

Eagle Aquatics’ Kaii Winkler continued his ascent up the U.S. age group rankings last weekend at the 2022 FGC Senior Championships in Pembroke Pines, Florida, putting up some blistering freestyle times that rank among the fastest ever for 15-year-olds.

Winkler, who became the fastest 15-year-old of all-time in the LCM 100 free (50.24) in early March, dropped a time of 43.04 in the SCY event to shoot up to #2 for 15-year-old boys, trailing only Maximus Williamson, who went 42.98 last month.

Boys’ 100 Freestyle (SCY) All-Time Rankings, 15-Year-Olds

  1. Maximus Williamson, 42.98 – 2022
  2. Kaii Winkler, 43.04 – 2022
  3. Ryan Hoffer, 43.13 – 2013
  4. Jack Alexy, 43.44 – 2018
  5. Evan Croley, 43.48 – 2021

Winkler came into the meet with a best time of 43.68, set in December at the Winter Junior Championships – East, and is also now the sixth-fastest swimmer in 15-16 history. Considering Winkler is only 15, the list of names he’s accompanying in the 15-16 top 10 is staggering, featuring several current NCAA stars and reigning 100 free Olympic champion Caeleb Dressel.

Boys’ 100 Freestyle (SCY) All-Time Rankings, Boys’ 15-16

  1. Ryan Hoffer, 42.67 – 2014
  2. Jack Alexy, 42.87 – 2019
  3. Maximus Williamson, 42.98 – 2022
  4. Drew Kibler, 42.99 – 2016
  5. Adam Chaney, 43.00 – 2019
  6. Kaii Winkler, 43.04 – 2022
  7. Sam Hoover, 43.10 – 2020
  8. Caeleb Dressel, 43.29 – 2012
  9. Daniel Diehl, 43.31 – 2022
  10. Sonny Wang, 43.38 – 2022

Watch Winkler’s 100 Free Race Below:

The 100 free wasn’t Winkler’s only standout performance of the competition, as he also registered lifetime bests in the 50 free, 200 free, 100 back, 100 fly and 200 fly.

His 200 free time of 1:35.41 lowered his previous best of 1:36.78 set in November (he was also 1:36.59 in the prelims), and moves Winkler into fourth all-time among 15-year-olds and 15th in the 15-16 age group.

Boys’ 200 Freestyle (SCY) All-Time Rankings, 15-Year-Olds

  1. Jack Walker, 1:33.73 – 2016
  2. Maximus Williamson, 1:34.97 – 2022
  3. Thomas Heilman, 1:35.02 – 2022
  4. Kaii Winkler, 1:35.41 – 2022
  5. Grant House, 1:35.84 – 2014

Watch Winkler’s 200 Free Race Below:

Winkler also went 20.22 in the 50 free to rank tied for 17th among 15-year-olds all-time, 48.60 in the 100 back to rank 29th, and 48.03 in the 100 fly to rank 18th. In the 200 fly, he swam a time of 1:50.36 which annihilated his previous best of 1:55.96 set in December 2020 (also 1:55.31 in the prelims).

Joining Winkler with a noteworthy swim in that 100 back was Heritage Swim Team’s Landon Kyser, who clocked 49.05 to rank 53rd all-time among 15-year-olds.

On the women’s side, 15-year-old Jillian Crooks picked up three individual wins in the 100 free (50.09), 200 free (1:49.49) and 100 back (55.26), and added additional best times in the 50 free (23.06) and 100 fly (55.06).

Former NC State swimmer Sirena Rowe placed first in the 50 free (23.00) and was also the runner-up to Crooks in the 100 back (55.36).

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Marmot
2 years ago

Hudson Williams just swam 43.32 in the 100 freestyle at age 16 last weekend (and a 1:35 200 freestyle). He beat Scott Buff head-to-head by two tenths in that 100 race. Head-scratching why those swims aren’t getting more publicity considering the exposure on Buff and Winkler.

John Hueth
2 years ago

I’ll take Daniel Diehl over any of these guys any day!

Jay Ryan
2 years ago

Someone’s been posting this kid’s swimming races in Florida on YouTube for the past few years…a Family member, I think. It seems that we’ve been watching him grow up through them. He is not nearly physically mature, yet. He has a bright future.

Prospect swimmer
2 years ago

Jillian crooks is the younger sister of jordan crooks, current top seed for ncaas in the 50 free let’s gooo

NB1
2 years ago

Usain Bolt of swimming

Swimfan
Reply to  NB1
2 years ago

Nahhh. #RemelGoat
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Last edited 2 years ago by Swimfan
steer
Reply to  Swimfan
2 years ago

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Jamesabc
2 years ago

Looking forward to Winkler v Southam in LA

James
2 years ago

The depth in swimming right now is just incredible. Looking at top times, anything older than the past 4 to 5 years is an outlier. Outside of a few straggler records left over from the tech suit era, I suspect anything earlier than the 2000 teens will be gone by 2024

Jamesabc
Reply to  James
2 years ago

Even though it’s not technically the WR because of Biedermann in a supersuit, Thorpe’s 3:40.08 isn’t being beaten in textile for a while. Sun Yang got close in 2011-2012 (possibly with some extra help) but no one else in a textile suit has been within 1 second of it ever. I am convinced that will be the longest standing textile record in history, and it’s already the only textile record from before the supersuit era.

Yeee
2 years ago

Wow 15 year old Jack Walker was really in a class of his own. Incredible

Distance Per Stroke
Reply to  Yeee
2 years ago

He never went that time again and was a 1:42? going into the meet I think. Absolutely unreal swim.

Konner Scott
Reply to  Distance Per Stroke
2 years ago

1:40 going in, 1:35 in prelims, 1:33 in finals. Almost took down Drew Kibler, who was a year older than him. Absolutely legendary swim

About James Sutherland

James Sutherland

James swam five years at Laurentian University in Sudbury, Ontario, specializing in the 200 free, back and IM. He finished up his collegiate swimming career in 2018, graduating with a bachelor's degree in economics. In 2019 he completed his graduate degree in sports journalism. Prior to going to Laurentian, James swam …

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