16-Year-Old Luke Vatev Goes 1:50-Point in the 200 Meter Free After a Fast World Trials Meet

2025 Great American Splash

• June 27-29, 2025
• FMC Natatorium, Westmont, Illinois
• Long Course Meters (50 meters), Prelims/Finals
• Meet Results on Meet Mobile

Luke Vatev of the Hornet Swim Club in Hindsdale, Illinois is on a huge tear this season, and after swimming a number of lifetime bests at the World Championship Trials in June, he has posted two more big drops in his follow-up meet last weekend in Westmont.

Vatev swam 1:50.88 in the 200 meter free, which is a 1.63 second drop, and a 4:02.39 in the 400 meter free, which is a 1.03 second drop.

He didn’t swim either event at the World Championship Trials.

Still only 16 heading into his junior year of high school, Vatev now ranks tied-for-37th all-time in the 200 free in the 15-16 age group. That puts him in the same range as some big name swimmers of eras past, including Jack Dolan (#34), Reed Malone (#35), Grant House (#36), and Jake Mitchell (#39).

It has been a banner season for Vatev. At the US World Championship Trials, he finished 25th in the 50 back (26.23), winning the Juniors final; 27th in the 100 back (56.11), and 28th in the 100 free (50.02). Those swims qualified him for the World Junior Championship roster. That meet is August 19-24 in Romania.

In the spring at the NCSA Junior National Championships, he won the 200 yard back (1:42.72) and finished 2nd in the 100 back in an Illinois Swimming LSC Record (46.76). He was the Illinois High School State Champion in both the 100 back (46.95) and 100 free (43.57) in February as just a sophomore, and at Winter Juniors West in December he had A-final finishes in both the 100 yard back (47.09) and 50 free (19.95).

Vatev also swam 58.43 in the 100 back, 51.88 in the 100 free, and 23.49 in the 50 free last weekend, marking five total wins at the meet.

Other Meet Highlights

• Robbie Rosenbaum of the Barrington Swim Club posted a monumental 4.30 second drop in the 100 back to chase Vatev to a 2nd place finish, touching in 58.84. This was a big breakthrough meet for the rising high school sophomore, also adding best times in the 50 free (25.16), 100 free (55.00), and 200 back (2:09.16). That 200 back swim was a win.
• Grant Freeze from Ozaukee Aquatics in Wisconsin had a big meet with several best times as well, including notably a 4:02.52 in the 400 free to finish just behind Vatev. That’s a three-and-a-half second improvement over his previous lifetime best.
• There were a lot of great results from the youngest swimmers on the girls’ side, including a 32.18 in the 50 back from Collins Brock, a 1:14.69 in the 100 breast from Isla Rapcan, and a 27.74 50 free from Olivia Linduska, none of whom have started high school yet.