2023 GEORGE F. HAINES INTERNATIONAL SWIM MEET
- Thursday, June 8 – Sunday, June 11, 2023
- San Jose, CA
- Frank Fiscalini International Swim Center
- LCM (50 meters)
- Meet Central
- Psych Sheets
- Day 1 Recap
- Day 2 Recap
- Day 3 Prelims Recap
After putting a scare into the U.S. boys’ 13-14 national age group (NAG) record in the 400-meter freestyle on Saturday morning with a 3:58.85 in prelims, Pleasanton Seahawks 14-year-old Luka Mijatovic did not disappoint in the final during the 2023 George F. Haines International Swim Meet in San Jose, California.
Mijatovic scorched a new NAG record with his runner-up finish in 3:56.36, taking over a second off the previous mark that Evan Pinion set back in 2009. By shaving over two seconds off his previous best from prelims — which marked a new Pacific Swimming 13-14 LSC record — Mijatovic also leapfrogged the legendary Michael Phelps (3:58.80 from 2000) in the NAG rankings.
U.S. BOYS’ 13-14 NAG RANKINGS
- Luka Mijatovic – 3:56.36 (2023)
- Evan Pinion – 3:57.61 (2009)
- Michael Phelps – 3:58.80 (2000)
- Dare Rose – 3:59.02 (2017)
- Nick Silverthorn – 3:59.24 (2010)
- Trey Freeman – 3:59.64 (2015)
- Andrew Abruzzo – 4:00.16 (2014)
- Braeden Haughey – 4:00.46 (2018)
- Maximus Williamson – 4:00.52 (2021)
- Sean Green – 4:00.85 (2021)
It’s Mijatovic’s first NAG record in meters after taking down three yards standards (500 free, 1000 free, and 1650 free) in the past six months.
Mijatovic’s new lifetime best also ranks faster a few tenths faster than the Canadian age group record (3:56.79) recently set by 14-year-old Laon Kim at the 2023 Canadian Trials.
At just 14 years old, Mijatovic is already the 14th-fastest American in the event this year.
Mijatovic’s best time heading into this weekend was a 4:02.14 from April. Before then, his personal best was a 4:07.64 from last July.
Notably, he saved his best for last to secure the NAG record. He split 26.96, 29.54, 29.80, 30.29, 30.32, 30.49, and 29.87 before coming home in a blazing 29.09.
Mijatovic placed second behind 22-year-old Belgian Lucas Henveaux (3:50.67), who was about four seconds slower than his best time (3:46.59) from April’s Belgian Championships.
Impressively, Mijatovic posted his new NAG record on the back half of a double featuring the 200 back, where he placed third in 2:10.31. He dropped more than half a second off his previous-best 2:10.98 from prelims. Before this weekend, his lifetime best in the event was a 2:13.40 from April.
On Friday, Mijatovic placed fourth in the 200 free in 1:51.70, crushing his previous best by more than three seconds and moving him up to second all-time in his age group behind only Thomas Heilman (1:51.27). On Thursday, Mijatovic kicked off the meet by shaving almost a minute off his best time in the 1500-meter freestyle with a 15:47.19, just about 16 seconds away from Jesse Vassallo’s legendary 13-14 NAG record of 15:31.03 from way back in 1976.
And he’s not done yet. Mijatovic entered in the 100 free and 800 free, meaning Pinion could see more than one of his NAG records fall on the same weekend. Back in April, Mijatovic threw down an 8:10.30 at 13 years old, within two seconds of Pinion’s NAG record of 8:08.75 from 2009.
Will he be going into his freshmen year of highschool this fall?
What a great swim!
Didn’t think the Canadian record would be bested by the US one so soon!
Luka is also a year younger having juuuust turned 14 while Laon turned 15 right after the trials meet he set it at.
How big is this kid?
Big and older-looking. I like the nickname construction worker for a distance guy like him
Have you even seen the kid? He’s almost 6foot 3 And thin and other than being tall looks and acts like a 14 year old but is motivation for swimming is insane. As a parent on the Seahawks who knows him as a kid and swimmer it pains me to see comments like this. He’s the most dedicated hardworking kid. The construction worker comment makes absolutely no sense to me.
How big are the parents? I’m just wondering if he’s gonna be built like Nikolai Jokic or he’s an early developer whose hitting his maximum height earlier than others.
Tbh he seems like a great kid. I remember him as a chubby 10 year old breaking records at Far Westerns and he had a wonderful attitude even at that age.
Going from 10 year old swimming superstar to a senior level superstar is about as rare a feat there is in swimming.
7’9
Dude gonna be 148/349 by the time trials rolls around
The next Thorpe
Wonder if he’s in a position to make the Jr national team this summer. Seems like he could get on it based on what he could do this summer.
Having just turned 14 he’ll have numerous chances to drop this record further.