2023 WORLD JUNIOR SWIMMING CHAMPIONSHIPS
- September 4 – 9, 2023
- Netanya, Israel
- Wingate Institute
- LCM (50m)
- Meet Central
- How To Watch
- Psych Sheets
- Live Results
- Day 1 Prelims Live Recap / Day 1 Finals Live Recap
- Day 1 Finals Heat Sheet
Leah Hayes kicked off her World Junior Championship campaign in style on Monday, roaring to the gold medal and a new meet record in the girls’ 400 IM with a significant best time.
Hayes battled toe-to-toe with Ella Jansen through the first 200 meters, but managed to create a 1.5-second gap on the breaststroke leg and then held off the Canadian down the stretch to touch first in a time of 4:36.84.
Hayes, who will turn 18 next month, breaks the Championship Record of 4:37.78, set by Japan’s Mio Narita just last year, and also takes down her previous PB of 4:38.45 set at U.S. Nationals in late June.
Split Comparison
| Narita, 2023 | Hayes, 2023 | Jansen, 2023 |
| 29.33 | 29.09 | 28.98 |
| 1:02.37 | 1:02.56 (33.47) | 1:02.36 (33.38) |
| 1:38.07 (35.70) | 1:38.02 (35.46) | 1:37.90 (35.54) |
| 2:13.54 (35.47) | 2:13.49 (35.47) | 2:13.37 (35.47) |
| 2:52.16 (38.62) | 2:52.42 (38.93) | 2:53.35 (39.98) |
| 3:33.13 (40.97) | 3:32.44 (40.02) | 3:33.99 (40.64) |
| 4:05.90 (32.77) | 4:04.59 (32.15) | 4:05.86 (31.87) |
| 4:37.78 (31.88) | 4:36.84 (32.25) | 4:37.35 (31.49) |
Behind Hayes and Jansen, Canadian Julie Brousseau (4:38.45) rounded out the podium in 3rd, while American Lilla Bognar took 4th in 4:42.83. Bognar owns a PB of 4:40.97, set at U.S. Nationals in late June.
In dropping 1.61 seconds off her best time, Hayes jumps up from 9th to 6th all-time in the girls’ 17-18 age group in the U.S., overtaking the likes of Becca Mann, Janet Evans and Maya DiRado.
All-Time U.S. Rankings, Girls’ 17-18 400 IM (LCM)
- Katie Grimes, 4:31.41 – 2023 World Championships
- Elizabeth Beisel, 4:31.78 – 2011 World Championships
- Katie Hoff, 4:32.89 – 2007 World Championships
- Emma Weyant, 4:35.47 – 2019 U.S. Summer Nationals
- Dagny Knutson, 4:36.02 – 2009 Pro Swim – Santa Clara
- Leah Hayes, 4:36.84 – 2023 World Junior Championships
- Becca Mann, 4:37.04 – 2015 Pro Series – Minneapolis
- Janet Evans, 4:37.76 – 1988 Olympic Games
- Maya DiRado, 4:37.88 – 2011 U.S. Summer Nationals
- Caitlin Leverenz, 4:38.54 – 2008 U.S. Olympic Trials
Relative to her previous PB from Nationals, Hayes was much more conservative on fly, quicker on backstroker, and held on better over the last 50 meters of freestyle.
Split Comparison
| Hayes, 2023 U.S. Nationals | Hayes, 2023 World Juniors |
| 28.32 | 29.09 |
| 1:01.08 (32.76) | 1:02.56 (33.47) |
| 1:37.34 (36.26) | 1:38.02 (35.46) |
| 2:13.44 (36.10) | 2:13.49 (35.47) |
| 2:52.25 (38.81) | 2:52.42 (38.93) |
| 3:32.62 (40.37) | 3:32.44 (40.02) |
| 4:05.26 (32.64) | 4:04.59 (32.15) |
| 4:38.45 (33.19) | 4:36.84 (32.25) |
Hayes will be a massive favorite to complete the medley sweep later in the week, coming in as the top seed in the girls’ 200 IM by nearly five seconds at 2:08.91, the time she produced to win bronze at the 2022 World Championships in Budapest.
The University of Virginia commit missed out on qualifying for the 2023 team after placing 3rd in the 400 IM and 4th in the 200 IM at U.S. Nationals early in the summer.
She’s also slated to race the 200 free individually this week in Netanya, an event she’s said she’s increased focus on, coming in as the #3 seed at 1:58.27.
At the conclusion of the session on Monday, Hayes split 1:57.86 to help the U.S. girls win gold in the 800 free relay by two-tenths over the Australians.
I assume quite a few female records will be broken as 18 year olds are now allowed at this meet.
Is that Ledecky in the background of that picture?
Looks like it is. It’s not a photo from this meet. It’s an archive photo.