14-Year-Old Lithuanian Tajus Juska Blazes 50.01 100 Free

2023 Greek Winter Championships

Lithuanian sprinter Tajus Juska, who was a revelation at the European Junior Championships this past summer, continued his rise over the weekend as he nearly broke one of the most coveted barriers in age group swimming.

At the age of 14, Juska put up a time of 50.01 in the LCM 100 freestyle during the Greek Winter Championships in Athens, lowering his previous best and Lithuanian Age Record of 50.52 set at Euro Juniors in July.

Already the third-fastest 14 & under swimmer of all-time, Juska was just shy of joining Romanian world record holder David Popovici (49.82) and England’s Jacob Whittle (49.97) as the only swimmers to crack 50 seconds before turning 15.

Juska produced that time in the preliminary heats, following up with a time of 50.14 in the final (splits currently unavailable) to finish fourth.

The victory went to Greek veteran Apostolos Christou (49.59), while 19-year-old Lithuanian Tomas Lukminas was the runner-up in 49.62 and Greece’s Panagiotis Bolanos (50.01) rounded out the podium.

Juska also put up blistering best times of 1:50.85 in the 200 free, 24.63 in the 50 fly and 54.25 in the 100 fly during the meet, taking out his previous best times and 14-year-old Lithuanian Age Records of 1:53.53, 24.79 and 54.83, respectively.

Specifically looking at the 200 free, only Switzerland’s Antonio Djakovic (1:50.05), Australian Ian Thorpe (1:50.07), American Luka Mijatovic (1:50.40) and Dane Nicholas Castella (1:50.44) have been faster than Juska’s new PB.

At the 2023 European Junior Championships in July, Juska was 12th in the 50 free (23.18), 10th in the 100 free (50.64), 21st in the 50 fly (25.11) and 16th in the 100 fly (55.13), and he also reeled off a pair of sub-50 relay legs for Lithuania in the boys’ 4×100 free prelims (49.98) and final (49.78).

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Itsthesuits
1 year ago

Thorpe was a 1:50.07 as a 14 year old

Marc P
Reply to  Itsthesuits
1 year ago

And in briefs!

Yoram
Reply to  Itsthesuits
11 months ago

which is 8.07 seconds away from the WR. So 50.01 which is 3.15 away from the WR is better

swimmer in the milky way
Reply to  Itsthesuits
9 months ago

I don’t even know who this “Juska” dude is

nuotofan
1 year ago

Among the Lithuanian contingent which swam at these Champs, good results also for 16 year-old backstroker Mantas Kauspedas who won the 50 back in 25.07 and swam 55.41 in the 100 back, both PBs.

nuotofan
1 year ago

Juska’s meteoric rise continues. A few data: at the end of 2022 his PB in the 100 free was 53.81 and now is 50.01, but what’s really impressive are his improvements in the 200 free where he swam for the first time under 2′ in February 2023 (1.59.39) and then he was 1.55.2 in June and 1.53.5 in October. Now Juska’s PB is 1.50.85.

BeardedSwammer
1 year ago

Half a second off Michael Andrew’s PB should he go pro now?

Too soon?

Marc P
Reply to  BeardedSwammer
1 year ago

Only in USA where swimming has amateur and pro status.

Thankfully Tajus is a Lithuanian.

Khachaturian
1 year ago

Bro what are these moms feeding their children

Swimfam
Reply to  Khachaturian
1 year ago

Love and happiness: They’re the secret ingredients to every mom’s recipe

About James Sutherland

James Sutherland

James swam five years at Laurentian University in Sudbury, Ontario, specializing in the 200 free, back and IM. He finished up his collegiate swimming career in 2018, graduating with a bachelor's degree in economics. In 2019 he completed his graduate degree in sports journalism. Prior to going to Laurentian, James swam …

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