At last month’s U.S. Junior National Championships in Irvine, Gavin Keogh had a dominant performance in the boys’ backstroke events, sweeping all three distances in style.
The 17-year-old, who competes for the Flatiron Athletic Club out of Boulder, Colorado, and is joining NC State this fall, kicked the meet off in the 50 back, claiming the Junior National title in a personal best time of 25.19 on the opening day of competition.
Two nights later, he put on a dominant display in the final of the boys’ 200 back, clocking 1:57.88 to top runner-up Andy Roose (2:00.30) by nearly two and a half seconds while dipping under Josh Zuchowski‘s Junior National Championship Record of 1:58.42 set in 2022.
The performance also knocked three-tenths off Keogh’s previous best time of 1:58.19, set at the 2024 Junior Pan Pacific Championships where he won the silver medal, and moved him into 17th all-time in the boys’ 17-18 age group. It also made him the fourth-fastest 17-year-old in the United States in the last decade.
RACE VIDEO
Courtesy: USA Swimming on YouTube
Keogh completed his sweep of the backstroke events the following night in the 100 back, winning the title with another dominant showing and meet record of 53.86.
A few weeks later, he earned a pair of medals at the 2025 World Junior Swimming Championships in Otopeni, Romania, picking up a silver medal as the lead-off swimmer on the U.S. mixed medley relay team (54.07) and earning an individual bronze in the 100 back (54.06).
Keogh also placed 6th in the 50 back (25.27) and 200 back (1:58.71), and set new best times in the semis of the 50 back (25.16) and 100 back (53.52) to boot.
ABOUT FLUIDRA
At Fluidra, our mission is to create the perfect pool experience for all aquatic enthusiasts, from recreational swimmers to competitive athletes. We believe the perfect race starts with the perfect pool, which is why we provide superior, high-performance equipment and accessories. Whether for racing or relaxation, our leading brands — including S.R. Smith, Jandy, and Polaris and more — ensure an optimal aquatic environment, enhancing every swim experience.
SOCIAL
LINKEDIN: @Fluidra North America
FACEBOOK: @Fluidra North America
YOUTUBE: @FluidraNorthAmerica
INSTAGRAM @jandypool
FACEBOOK: @srsmithpools
INSTAGRAM: @srsmithpools
YOUTUBE: @srsmith
Fluidra is a SwimSwam Partner.
