At their Annual Business Meeting in Denver two weeks ago, USA Swimming, among other things, added the 50 back, 50 breast, and 50 fly as recognized events in the 13-14 age group. Previously, those events were only recognized for most purposes through the 11-12 age group, and then again, tepidly, at the senior level, when they appear on the World Championship schedule.
There are a couple of practical implications for this addition. One is their addition to the Virtual Club Championship rankings that is one of two ways that the top age group programs in the country are recognized.
The other is by beginning to recognize National Age Group Record in the events in the 13-14 age group.
This means a set of 12 new National Age Group Records: 6 in long course, and 6 in short course. It will come as no surprise that the biggest beneficiary of this new recognition is America’s most prolific age group record breaker ever: Michael Andrew.
Andrew, now 25, is a U.S. Olympian, an Olympic gold medalist, and a World Record holder in the 400 medley relay. While his event lineups have shifted through the years, as an age grouper he was wildly-versatile, breaking records from 50s to 400s, and in all strokes and both courses.
Another noteworthy new holder is Levenia Sim, who was raised mostly in the United States and is a dual citizen (which Singapore allows her to hold until she’s 21). She now represents Singapore internationally, but was eligible for U.S. age group records when she was a 13-14 (she is currently 18).
Other familiar names include U.S. Olympian and NCAA Champion Phoebe Bacon, better known for her 200 backstrokes, and another prolific age group record breaker Claire Curzan.
Jack Alexy, a U.S. Olympian, also picks up a record. While he’s best-known as a sprint freestyler, he now holds the record in the 50 back.
With these events gaining greater recognition (especially the 50 breaststroke and 50 fly, which aren’t relay leadoff events like the 50 back is), these records could fall quickly – though the times and swimmers that hold them are in many cases among the best age groupers ever, so that’s not a given.
New Short Course Yards (25 Yards) Course Records
| Course | Event | Gender | Swimmer | Time | Year | Club |
| SCY | 50 back | Boys | Michael Andrew | 21.87 | 2014 | Indie Swimming |
| SCY | 50 breast | Boys | Michael Andrew | 24.74 | 2014 | Indie Swimming |
| SCY | 50 fly | Boys | Michael Andrew | 21.28 | 2014 | Indie Swimming |
| SCY | 50 back | Girls | Levenia Sim | 24.00 | 2021 | TNT Swimming |
| SCY | 50 breast | Girls | Zoe Skirboll | 27.99 | 2019 |
Racer X Aquatics
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| SCY | 50 fly | Girls | Levenia Sim | 23.98 | 2021 | TNT Swimming |
New Long Course Meters (50 Meters) Course Records
| Course | Event | Gender | Swimmer | Time | Year | Club |
| LCM | 50 back | Boys | Jack Alexy | 26.70 | 2017 | Greater Somerset YMCA |
| LCM | 50 breast | Boys | Wilson York | 28.92 | 2024 | Lakeside Swim Team (KY) |
| LCM | 50 fly | Boys | Brady Campbell | 25.26 | 2023 | Mason Manta Rays |
| LCM | 50 back | Girls | Phoebe Bacon | 28.57 | 2017 | NCAP |
| LCM | 50 breast | Girls | Olivia Anderson | 31.49 | 2013 | Aquajets |
| LCM | 50 fly | Girls | Claire Curzan | 26.18 | 2019 | TAC Titans |
This is useful in determining how much velocity a swimmer can maintain based on closer to his and her maximum velocity. You’ll notice many of the USRPT people falling off much more than Sandpipers, for example. And, on the other hand, it might remind people training swimmers that Creatine Phosphate is best developed with 10-12 second all out bouts with 4 to six times the rest as the all out effort. How many coaches systematically train 20x 25’s at the 1:30 or so? Seems at first like a waste of pool time. Until you realize your 200 swimmer isn’t gong to break 1:50 if he can’t break 13 in the 25. Showing 50 all out from a block is useful… Read more »
Now MA also holds the record for most NAG records beaten in a single day. Take that haters.
Bring on the 25’s !!!
Just what MA needs right now. More NAGs lol
SwimAus is also adding age records for stroke 50s and age records for SCM which strangely they never had until now.
They still won’t get a certificate lol
Man I’d pay to see how fast that those records would be.
MA relegated to age group competition
I feel like Hellman might have a faster 50 fly, even if it’s a 100 split
He split 21.59 on his 100 yard record of 45.81. Usually the biggest drop on his best swims were on the back-half. I didn’t check every one, but I spotchecked his best times and couldn’t find any. Scary close though, I’d bet if he had swum an individual 50 fly he’d have it.
Swimcloud has a lot of the first 50 splits, and the best they have marked down is 21.59 before his 15th birthday. Was out in 21.00 at Winter Juniors in 2022, though he was already 15.