Most ‘World Records,’ or even ‘National Records’ are pretty easy to pick out. In many cases, when poring over results, a well-trained eye can at least get a good sense of what sorts of times to look for when seeking major record-breaking swims.
And then, there’s FINA Junior World Records.
On Thursday morning, in prelims, at the 400 free relay, Katie Ledecky broke the official FINA Junior World Record, which currently sits at a 4:06.30. Ledecky was a 4:05.27 in prelims at the 2014 Mesa Grand Prix.
The existing records, when approved earlier this year, were set as the FINA Junior World Championships Record; since Ledecky didn’t go to the FINA Junior World Championships, that record belongs to Russian Elena Sokolova from back in 2008 – which is actually one of the old Junior World Records there is.
Ledecky wasn’t at the FINA Junior World Championships because she was busy last summer winning gold at the regular World Championships, and that’s why this record wasn’t immediately recognizable. That’s because Ledecky, who is only 17-years old, is the second fastest 400 meter freestyler in history at 3:59.82 from the 2013 Worlds.
Still, though, this mid-season, unrested, prelims swim without much doubt about her status to qualify for finals, will enter the FINA World Record books as the new Junior World Record. Even though Ledecky swam her lifetime best in the same time frame as many other world records, and at a FINA sanctioned meet, and at a meet where she was drug-tested multiple times to verify the legitimacy of her performances.
So now you know the target to watch for in finals, where Ledecky will likely break the record again. Odds are that she’ll break this record many, many times over the next year, until eventually she goes another lifetime best, at which point all will be right in the records world again.
The world junior championship times are not considered records, but the FINA asks that a swimmer better these times before they will recognize any record in a particular event. It looks like the FINA suspects that lots of swimmers in the past got away with cheating when records were set. It also looks like the FINA doesn’t have much faith in the level of drug testing at the 2012 London Olympics.
FINA’s thought process (or at least a credible thought process) behind the Junior World Records is likely that once the records are set at actual taper meets and the standards are all put down at high levels, it’ll be much better for the sport to keep track of. We just need time for the records to be set first.
Personally I think that’s silly. It should not be difficult to find the fastest performances ever by girls 17 and under and boys 18 and under. It’s not like these times have not been recorded in the past.
I wish Laure Manaudou had stayed with Lucas, stayed on track and swam during the suited era. I think we would have seen her go 3:57.
No way. The suit had no effect on her.
Anyway, I’m 100 times more interested in seeing Katie break that suited 400 free WR next summer.
3.59.15 is the target!
3.59.15!
3.59.15!
3.59.15!
It will be very hard but she can do it!
She continues to improve slowly but surely her speed base.
And that’s imperative to break that record.
Whilst there is a lot wrong about the world junior records , this article is wrong also .
The standing ‘record ‘ was 4 .06.02 by Remy Fairweather Apri 2014 .
Of course prior to Elena there were Tracey’s 4 .06.29 (1978) & Janet’s 4.03.7 (1988) !
Yes. It’s hilarious but also pathetic.
Why they don’t take all the fastest times already swum in history by teenagers to create their junior world records?
why dont they use her best time…
Honestly… The posters on these pages can (have?) figured this out in a day.