2023 U.S. NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS
- June 27 – July 1, 2023
- Indianapolis, IN
- Indiana University Natatorium
- LCM (50m)
- Meet Central
- Psych Sheet (updated version, 6/26)
- Live Results
- SwimSwam Preview Index
- How To Watch
- Day 1 Prelims Live Recap | Distance Session
The boys’ 13-14 1500 freestyle National Age Group record has stood since 1976, when Jesse Vassallo swam 15:31.03. It’s the oldest NAG on the books. And during Day 1’s distance freestyle session, 14-year-old Luka Mijatovic clocked 15:32.18, touching just over a second off the legendary record.
Mijatovic, who swims for the Pleasanton Seahawks, has been shattering NAGs right and left this season. He broke the boys’ 13-14 800 free NAG record (8:07.96) and the 400 freestyle NAG twice (3:56.36).
This 1500 freestyle swim in Indianapolis is a 15 second drop for Mijatovic, bettering the 15:47.19 he swam at the George Haines Invitational this spring. That swim earlier this spring had him sitting eleventh on the all-time list in his age group, but 15:32.18 launches him all the way up to second fastest.
U.S. Boys 13-14 1500 Freestyle All-Time Rankings
- Jesse Vassallo — 15:31.03 (1976)
- Luke Mijatovic — 15:32.18 (2023)
- Lleyton Plattel — 15:35.36 (2017
- Andrew Abruzzo — 15:36.03 (2014)
- Michael Phelps — 15:39.08 (2000)
Mijatovic will be in the age group for the rest of the summer, giving him plenty more opportunities to break the record. Given how much time he’s been dropping this season seemingly every time he dives in the pool, the record feels well within his reach. He’s also entered in the 400 and 800 freestyles at U.S. Trials, where he’ll get a chance to lower his own records.
Great swim!
Was Vassalo even using goggles?
Doubtful, but he sure as hell didn’t have a tech suit
In the 1970’s, there was a sense of pride and honor in being a distance swimmer. 50’s and sprint relays were reserved for neighborhood swim teams, and most of the training was geared towards the 400, 1500, and 200’s of strokes. Combine this mentality with the rare talent that a swimmer like Jesse Vassalo had, and you get a 14-year old swimming in the finals at OT 20 seconds faster than the Olympic-winning time from 4 years earlier.
Nowadays, distance swimming is relegated to those who were “born for it,” with many wishing to become sprinters at some point so that they can be valued more by coaches, earn scholarships, and get the recognition for being on relays that last… Read more »
Sir this is a Wendy’s.
Bruh a tiktok is like 20 seconds. U think imma watch paint dry for 15m? Devil’s in the details and the margins of error in the sprints are what makes it cool. I’d rather watch a good 50 race or 2 free relay with multiple angles at different speeds for 15 minutes than KL lapping other “elite” distance swimmers.
Distance swimming has never been sexy. The biggest name in swimming in the ’70s was a sprinter named Mark Spitz. In 76, Jim Montgomery was king for his earth-shattering 100 free (despite the many other WRs), and Gary Hall, Sr. (100 fly) was the USA’s flag bearer. Jesse Vassalo’s story is amazing. You cheapen it by saying distance was the focus, when really, Vassalo had to overcome being dogged by people wanting him to be the next Spitz.
Wow! That is just a mind-boggingly old record. I imagine there are swimmers right now who have grandparents who might have been swimming in that era.
I’m both impressed that it was nearly broken today and can only fathom how quick that swim must have been in 1976
I dont want to be that guy, but how did vassalo do that time so long ago? Its so fast it almost seems unbelievable. Every event has seen significant progression since then except this event. How??
I’ve heard a lot of smart people discuss the changing physiology and how that’s impacted young distance swimmers. There’s a theory that you have certain aerobic capacities that you can absolutely torch before puberty, but that the calculus changes after puberty, and that because puberty is happening so much earlier now, you can’t load kids up with the same workload as you used to be able to.
Of course, the top end senior times are faster than they were then, so it’s not like that was a *better* system, it’s just a theory as to why these age group records that require 15000m/day training at 13 years old are so fast.
Is puberty really happening earlier now? Any scientific data? Im mid 20s and still barely have chest hair and I’m not the only one. I always thought kids in the 70s/80s all had full chest hair at 15 and ate nails for breakfast.
https://www.nytimes.com/2022/05/19/science/early-puberty-medical-reason.html
A guy who is bashing distance swimming above and doesn’t have chest hair in his mid 20s? Jeez, what a great example of the softies nowadays.
It was a special time for distance swimming. Vassalo trained at Mission Viejo along with Brian Goodell, et al. Great article from 1978 here: THEY’RE POOLING THEIR TALENT – Sports Illustrated Vault | SI.com
and i always thought this picture from that article was awesome: July 10, 1978 – Sports Illustrated Vault | SI.com
I love how phelps just pops into top 5 or 10 NAG lists in like every event.
Breaking this record was a Phelps/Bowman goal in the early years.