2026 Speedo Sectionals – Roseville CA
- February 26-March 1, 2026
- Roseville Aquatics Complex, Roseville, California
- Short Course Yards (25 yards)
- Psych Sheets
- Meet Central
- Results – “2026 CA NV Speedo Sect @ CCA” Meet Mobile
When 16-year-old Luka Mijatovic posted one of the craziest age group swims in history on Saturday night in the 500 free, in the most swimming moment ever, no official results were available for hours after his final touch. That swim crushed his own National Age Group Record by almost three seconds.
Thanks to folks on the scene, we knew the time was 4:05.76, but we didn’t have a good sense of how he got there.
But now we do, and can break down his splits:
| 50Y Splits | 100Y Splits | 250y Splits | |
| 50 | 22.37 | ||
| 100 | 24.51 | 46.88 | |
| 150 | 24.94 | ||
| 200 | 25.3 | 50.24 | |
| 250 | 25.33 | 2:02.45 | |
| 300 | 24.95 | 50.28 | |
| 350 | 24.84 | ||
| 400 | 24.85 | 49.69 | |
| 450 | 24.6 | ||
| 500 | 24.07 | 48.67 | 2:03.31 |
While it’s clear that he’s moving further-and-further in the direction of middle distance racing, he hasn’t lost those rhythms that made him such a good distance swimmer. He very-nearly even split this race. His previous personal best of 4:08.57 was split 2:03.09/2:05.48: very similar in the first half, but a full two seconds slower in the second half.
Whenever these kind of paradigm-shifting swims go on the board, I ask our data team (the best in the business) to give me some ways to contextualize the swim. Here’s what they came up with:
- This swim would have ranked higher at men’s NCAAs last year (2nd) than any 17-18 National Age Group Record would have (many of those belong to swimmers who were in college). A few would have been 3rd, a few 4th, but no 17-18 record would have been 2nd. And he’s only 16.
- While the NCAA nuked “A” cuts, the only two 15-16 National Age Group Records that would have been under last year’s “A” cut both belong to Luka: the 500 free and the 1000 free (8:36.71). Heilman’s 100 fly is within .2 seconds of it.
- Two years ago, this would have been the fastest time ever by any swimmer at any age. When was the last time a 16-year-old American boy threw down a time of this level? Phelps? Ledecky on the girls’ side?
The amount by which he dropped this record is also considerably noteworthy. He took almost ten seconds off Drew Kibler‘s old 15-16 mark. Even before his latest drop, this was already the biggest gap from #1 to #2 in the 15-16 boys’ age group, and now that gap has grown even bigger.
15-16 Boys’ SCYs Events, #1 to #2 All-Time
| #1 Ever | #2 ever | Gap Percentage | |
| 50 free | 19.24 | 19.24 | 0.00% |
| 100 free | 41.96 | 42 | 0.10% |
| 200 free | 1:32.46 | 1:32.73 | 0.29% |
| 500 free | 4:05.76 | 4:15.36 | 3.76% |
| 1000 free | 8:36.71 | 8:45.11 | 1.60% |
| 1650 free | 14:30.01 | 14:37.86 | 0.89% |
| 100 back | 45.6 | 45.66 | 0.13% |
| 200 back | 1:40.58 | 1:40.88 | 0.30% |
| 100 breast | 51.75 | 52.51 | 1.45% |
| 200 breast | 1:52.37 | 1:54.27 | 1.66% |
| 100 fly | 44.67 | 45.59 | 2.02% |
| 200 fly | 1:40.73 | 1:40.91 | 0.18% |
| 200 IM | 1:41.41 | 1:42.07 | 0.65% |
| 400 IM | 3:39.83 | 3:40.96 | 0.51% |
To really hammer this home, remember when Katie Ledecky was 16 and went 4:28.71 and was rewriting how we think about the women’s 500 free? That was only five-and-a-half seconds faster than Katie Hoff‘s prior National Age Group Record of 4:34.21. That comes out to almost exactly 2% better.
And Mijatovic has put almost twice the gap on the field as Ledecky did.
And all of this is happening 18 months before he goes to train with the most successful 500 free coach who ever lived, Bob Bowman. Prior to Mijatovic’s outburst on Saturday, the three fastest 500 yard freestylers in history, and four of the fastest five, all trained with Bowman.
All that’s left is for Luka to break the overall record (which feels inevitable) and get those middle two splits down and become the first swimmer to ever go sub-50 on every 100 of a 500 free (which feels important).
Race Video
FULL RACE VIDEO, courtesy of Kevin Virnig, head coach of Arroyo Grande Aquatic Club.
Luka Mijatovic (photo: Jack Spitser)
Great swim. Many of you might remember me saying that breaking 4 is simply a function of convincing as many sub 44 100 freestylers as possible they are not just drop dead sprinters and as many coaches as possible that though USRPT training has positive value, it’s insufficient to full train athletes. If Hafnauoi hadn’t left Indiana to train with Mark and the rest of us at The Swim Team, I believe he would have push or pulled Marchand and himself under 4 and maybe even Hobson. IN an interview I did with Ray, he agreed. What he didn’t agree with was my vision that someday the top 8 and NCAA’s will all be under 4 in the 5. Even… Read more »
Anyone know where to find the video
https://swimswam.com/breaking-down-the-splits-on-luka-mijatovics-history-making-500-free/
He did it… at 16… 8:32… what has this world come to…
47.81
51.27 (1:39.08)
51.94 (2:31.02)
51.64 (3:22.66)
52.08 (4:14.74)
51.79 (5:06.53)
51.90 (5:58.43)
52.21 (6:50.64)
52.06 (7:42.70)
50.13 (8:32.83)
8:32.83. He’s done it. Clark Smith is off the record book 😭
omg wow just insane just stupid just crazy just omg just out of this world just otherworldly just outstanding just mind boggling just texas
Please, I suggest you take some deep breaths
lukas first american record and theres many to come
Technically a first “world record” if you count the fact that it’s US Open, which factors in foreign athletes. But this is still only half valid. Still though.
Oh my god is that true??
Pleasanton Seahawks put it on their instagram. THANKFULLY
yes on the seahawks insta story
I can’t anymore. I mean I knew it could down. But the fact that id did – I’m speechless.
Good lord. I thought 34-35. First men’s yards American record from a 16 year old in how long? Absolutely ridiculous.
When was the last time an American male set an American record in either short course longer? Was MP the last one?
if you mean age grouper then yes MP is the last one across the IMs/Fly/Free in the early 2000s.
Yeah I meant age group male across SCY or LCM.
The last one to get close prior to Luka was I believe Dressel who went a 18.67 when Adrian’s record was 18.66. Murphy also close to Lochtes American record in 200 back 1:37.3 when the record was 1:36:7
Edit – for better context both were in the verge of aging up from 18 to 19 lol.
I think Kevin Cordes got close too. NAGs in the fall of his freshman year and then American record at NCAAs later that spring
Yes! But key point being they were all nearly 19 🫣to get someone this young even being a contender…MP is the only one.
He’s our next star. No question about it.
Wow. The fact that Luka is only 16 just makes that more impressive!
Phelps is probably the only one younger. I think Spitz was older when he started breaking American records.
Kevin! We need your assistance again!
Anyone know about the 1000?
8:32
Sub 4:00 was a pipe dream just a 10 years ago. Now it seems inevitable.
you’re living in the past. sub 3 minutes is all i care about
Lol what is that :36 / 100??
Over under record by 2100… 3:53
upvote yes downvote no.
Men’s middle distance is the most exiting area for the US right now because we haven’t had much success recently, and we have a few guys with huge potential. Add to the mix Erisman, Carlsen & Mulgrew. Let’s go!
Don’t forget David Johnston. He’s better than most know. In a disorganized event at La Mirada — no lap counter, and announcer who was clueless and before the bulk of the meet started, and after we did some stroke work in warmup, Mark and I were the backup timers just in case and David missed the American record in the 1000 by .2. He still needs stroke work like Luke Hobson, but he’s not done either. Mark and reminded David, Will, Hafnaoui, etc. one morning after a vid session that the Aussies wake up every morning with one thing on their minds — to beat us!! It’s time for all of us coaches, and swimmers to wake up with the… Read more »