In his final swim of this year’s Speedo Junior National Championships, age group phenom Michael Andrew took over the National Age Group record in the 15-16 50 meter freestyle, posting a 22.34.
The old record, 22.39, previously belonged to Caeleb Dressel, who currently swims for the University of Florida.
Andrew’s time rockets him into the top 50 swims in the world this year in the event. It also moves him up 11 slots in U.S. rankings, knocking Jimmy Feigen out of the 15th spot.
Andrew came back from a slow start at the beginning of the race. His reaction time, .84, was slower than any other male swimmer in the event finals. His initial underwater breakout made up for lost hundredths by rocketing him ahead of the competition.
He hit the wall .65 ahead of his next-closest competitor, Maxime Rooney, who came in with a 22.99.
As far as LCM events, Andrew now holds records for the 15-16 100m fly, the 100m breast, and the 50m free, alongside his 11-12 records in the 50m free and 50m fly and his 13-14 records in the 50m free, 100m free, 100m back, 100m fly, and 200m IM.
In his other swim earlier tonight, Andrew moved up to 2nd in the all-time age group rankings in the 200 IM, beating out Michael Phelps’s 2:00.86 with a 2:00.59. In that event and age group, Andrew’s time is only slower than Andrew Seliskar’s 1:59.84.
The 16-year-old pro signed with Adidas Swim earlier this year.
Come on naysayers! Whatd’ya got? Could it be that your mouths are too full of crow comment??
What an incredible swim. I didn’t think this NAG would go down until later at nats or jr worlds. I’m pumped for Nationals. Michael Andrew is my favorite swimmer.
What event will he be the closest to making the Olympics, or what event will he make the Olympics by the widest margin? It might be 100 free even though it is one of his worst events.
MA is incredible. His progress makes one feel comfortable extrapolating constant improvement. At this rate it looks like he is going to Rio and the old guard will have to move over.
RACE VIDEO
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0yk3M7_TIkE
I think that Michael Andrew will have the best chances at extreme success with the 50 free and the 100 fly. 200 IM, I am not 100% sure about yet. I would have liked to see him go 1:59 by now.
When I say “extreme success” I am talking about the 2016 Olympics. The 50 free and the 100 fly are his best chances.
Feigen….got beat yet again.