Ayden Tan Breaks 2 More National Age Group Records: 50 Fly and 200 IM

2025 DACA Short Course CBA Meet

• July 19-20, 2025
• Saratoga, California
• Short Course Yards (25 yards), Timed Finals
• Full Meet Results (HTML)

12-year-old phenom Ayden Tan has broken two more National Age Group Records swimming at a small local meet in Saratoga, California last weekend, just south of San Jose.

Tan added new marks in the 50 yard fly and 200 yard IM, in addition to adding a new best time in the 100 yard free to his register.

In the 50 fly, Tan swam 22.85 to break the old record of 22.87 that was set by Thomas Heilman in 2019. Heilman’s swim was a huge half-second leap from the prior record, and he went on to qualify for the Paris 2024 Olympic Team at just 17 years old.

Tan also swam a 1:54.79 in the 200 IM, knocking almost two seconds off his best time (and almost five over the calendar year). That swam crushed the old National Age Group Record by almost a second: it was previously Josh Zuchowski’s 1:55.75 done in 2017, which in turn took almost a second off Chas Morton‘s 1984 record of 1:56.61.

Tan won the race by more than 29 seconds; Zuchowski in his record-setting swim also dominated the field he was in, winning by roughly 11 seconds.

Splits for Tan’s 200 IM were not available as of time of publishing.

Tan also added a new personal best of 48.76 in the 100 yard freestyle. That knocked .17 seconds off his previous best time done in April and moves him up to 11th place all-time in the age group. Heilman still holds that record at 47.15.

Tan, who swims for San Ramon Valley Aquatics, has been on a record-breaking streak this summer. He also broke the 100 yard IM record in Rohnert Park, California in mid-June, the 200 meter IM record in early July, and the 100 meter free record two weeks ago in Santa Rosa.

While he didn’t break any national records at Sectionals last weekend in Novato, he did go a best time in the 200 meter back (2:12.39). He has now raced in six of the last seven weekends.

Tan ages up in September.

Other Highlights from the Meet:

• Violet Rutter from the Santa Clara Swim Club won the 200 yard fly in 2:03.40. The rising high school sophomore improved her best time by half-a-second with that swim.
• 15-year-old Anna Chuang from the Santa Clara Swim Club won the 400 IM in 4:31.65, which was a best time for her by two seconds.