At the MSS Summer Splash, just outside of Madison in McFarland, Wisconsin. 10-year-old Gabriel Brown of Fishers Area Swimming Tigers managed to take down the 10&Under National Age Group Record in the 200-yard freestyle, touching in 1:56.12, downing the more than nine-year-old record time of 1:56.41 from Kaii Winkler from 2017.
Brown came into this meet as the 3rd fastest performer ever in the event for 10&Unders in 1:56.78, just over three tenths off of the NAG mark, which he swam in April at the 2026 FL ISCA East Coast Elite Showcase.
Brown’s father, Devon, reached out to SwimSwam, describing the exciting moment that Gabriel set his first NAG record.
“We made the six-hour drive just to see if we could find magic. [It was the] last event, last heat of an exhausting and frustrating weekend.” Brown’s father told SwimSwam. “[He] was visibly nervous before… he locked in and emptied the tank… so cool as a dad to have him run over and jump in my arms.”
Boys 10 & Under NAG 200 Free SCY All-Time Performers:
- Gabriel Brown – 1:56.12 (2026)
- Kaii Winkler – 1:56.41 (2017)
- Trevan Valena – 1:56.63 (2017)
- Ayden Tan – 1:57.49 (2023)
- Mitchell Stoehr – 1:57.94 (2003)
Brown’s father hopes that this first NAG mark could kickstart a domino effect for the rest of his time in the 10&Under age group, especially after tip-toeing around the 200 free mark for several months.
“It’s been a hard 4-5 months after he started to get really close. I imagine this is a case of the first one is the hardest,, and hope to see several more fall before he ages up in August.”
Congrats, Gabe! It has been fun to watch you work for this. Enjoy this super cool moment! Thank you for taking the time to support your teammates while you chase your own goals. You’re an easy kid to get behind!
Goal set and goal reached. On to the next thing!
Congrats w/ the record, but I hope he’s able to love the sport throughout his age group years. Always breaks my heart to see talented athletes burn out and begin to hate the sport because of pressure from their parents…
It might seem like support, but it seems like the dad is excited to lead his son’s career
This is sickening in so many ways. A hashtag for “road to Indy”? Why on earth would you put pressure on your son to start thinking about Olympic Trials at his age?
Pop, please chill out. Whose journey is this? Yours or your son’s? What is going to happen when he asks you in a couple of years to take a break from the sport?
I am going to use you as an example for my start-of-the-year parents’ meeting in August as “this is how NOT to be a good swim team parent”. Hope you are happy.
Puberty starts about 4 years earlier than it did 100 years ago.
I wish we would stop with records and “all stars” for 12unders in all sports.
Anyone else remember when Mitchell Stoehr had like every little kid age group record?
Mitchell received a B.A. in Economics and a B.S. in Mathematical and Computational Science from Stanford University where he was a member of the Stanford Men’s Swimming Team. Mitchell also received an M.B.A. with High Honors from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business with concentrations in analytic finance and economics, graduating as the Finance Valedictorian out of a 500-person class.
Dear Devon,
Please don’t put pressure on your son or his coaches when Gabe adds time. That’s all I ask. I can tell by the pictures that Gabe loves swimming and if he can keep a good attitude as he gets older, the sky is the limit.
Sincerely,
SCCOACH
Yep exactly-the dad is over the top. Ripe to injure or burn this kiddo out. Recently there was a magazine popularity contest for voting for “best young athlete” or similar he relentlessly spammed swim parent groups asking for votes. Like constantly for months. It was nuts.
Would love NightSwim take on this. Dax and Elvis are you in the room with us???
Who swims yards meets in late June anyway
Lol most 10 year old swimmers do.
Maybe for summer league…. Not a yards meet with 200s
Maybe in their rec league…I don’t have time to throw a bathtub meet on the schedule while the real swim season is going on.
real swim season <eye roll>.
Yeah if only we had more 10 year olds swimming ‘real swim season’ and less of them doing summer league.
That’s going to really turn swimming around, I tells ya.
That’s why I’m a huge supporter of rec and summer league swimming, especially for 10 and unders. But I have neither the desire nor the capacity to bother with short course USA meets during the long course season.
If your kid wants to swim short course, they have plenty of opportunities with their summer league team.
ones whose sole goal is to get a 10U NAG.
Ones whose dad is thriving to find SCY meets within 500miles. I am sure if he didn’t get the NAG at this meet, he will be showing up at more SCY meets later this summer
It happens…Irvine Novaquatics will be doing their July Intersquad meet as an SCY meet next weekend at a nearby high school due to construction of the stadium seating for Pan Pacs at Woollett Aquatics Center.