13-Year-Old Luka Mijatovic Climbs Age Group Rankings With 9:23/15:44 Distance Frees

2022 Pleasanton Seahawks SC Senior Open

• November 19-20, 2022
• Pleasanton, Calif.
• SCY (25 yards)
• Results (HTM)
• Results on Meet Mobile: “Pleasanton Seahawks SC Senior Open”

Budding age group standout Luka Mijatovic was on fire throughout the month of November.

Early in the month, the Pleasanton Seahawks swimmer posted the fastest time ever for a 13-year-old American in the boys’ 500 freestyle, clocking 4:29.84 at the Terrapins SC Senior Finals, and he was back in action Nov. 19-20 at his home pool in the Seahawks’ Senior Open.

Reportedly racing in a practice suit, Mijatovic produced eight new personal best times, including two that rank inside the top-three all-time for 13-year-old Americans.

In the 1000 free, Mijatovic swam to a time of 9:23.74, ranking him second all-time among 13-year-olds in the U.S. and the fastest in 15 years. The only swimmer who has been faster at that age is Gulf Coast Swim Team’s Nicholas Caldwell, who swam a time of 9:21.87 at the 2007 NCSA Junior Championships.

This was only Mijatovic’s third 1000 free swim on record, with his previous best sitting at 9:50.25 from March 2022, which ranks him fourth all-time in the 11-12 age group.

In the 13-14 age group, Mijatovic now ranks 56th all-time.

All-Time Rankings, 13-Year-Old Boys’ 1000 Freestyle (SCY)

1. Nicholas Caldwell (Gulf Coast Swim Team), 9:21.87 – 2007
2. Luka Mijatovic (Pleasanton Seahawks), 9:23.74 – 2022
3. Sean Green (Long Island Aquatic Club), 9:26.05 – 2021
4. Robert Freeman (Wasatch Front Fish Market), 9:27.36 – 2014
5. Liam Egan (Crimson Aquatics), 9:29.02 – 2010

In the 1650 free, his second ever, Mijatovic clocked 15:44.30 to rank third among 13-year-olds, trailing Caldwell (15:40.46) and South Shore YMCA’s William Barao (15:43.61).

This past March, Mijatovic swam his first 1650 in 16:30.59, ranking sixth in the boys’ 11-12 age group, and is now 58th among 13-14s. According to USA Swimming data, Mijatovic’s birthday falls somewhere between April and May, meaning he’ll be in the 13-14 age group for approximately 16 more months.

All-Time Rankings, 13-Year-Old Boys’ 1650 Freestyle (SCY)

1. Nicholas Caldwell (Gulf Coast Swim Team), 15:40.46 – 2007
2. William Barao (South Shore YMCA Strypers), 15:43.61 – 2014
3. Luka Mijatovic (Pleasanton Seahawks), 15:44.30 – 2022
4. Lucas Cooper (Lakeside Aquatic Club), 15:44.69 – 2019
5. Liam Egan (Crimson Aquatics), 15:48.50 – 2010

Mijatovic also swam to new best times in the 50 free (22.56), 100 free (48.48), 100 breast (1:01.99), 200 breast (2:14.00), 100 fly (52.86) and 200 fly (1:57.21). The 100 free swim makes him the fastest 13-year-old in the U.S. this season, while he also cracked the top 10 in the 100 fly (fourth), 200 fly (fourth), 200 breast (ninth) and 50 free (10th).

Another standout at the competition, which featured swimmers from 37 different clubs, was Mijatovic’s teammate Tim Wu, a 14-year-old who hit five new best times including a blistering 49.72 performance in the 100 fly.

Wu’s swim marked a massive PB, having previously been 51.03 at the early-November Terrapins meet, launching him up into a tie for 41st all-time in the boys’ 13-14 age group. He also ranks first in the country this season for 13-14 boys by a full second.

Wu added best times in the 50 free (22.21), 200 back (1:56.18), 200 breast (2:14.95) and 200 IM (1:54.59), the latter of which ranks him fourth among 13-14s this season.

On the girls’ side, Crow Canyon Country Club Sharks swimmers Emily Scheberies, 17, and Ellie Butler, 15, had strong showings, highlighted by a new best for Scheberies in the 100 back (55.80) and for Butler in the 200 fly (2:02.48).