Lorne Wigginton Sets Second Canadian NAG Record In As Many Days With 1:59.44 200 IM

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 Finals Live Recap / Day 2 Finals Live Recap

After an impressive start to the World Junior Championships on Monday, Canadian Lorne Wigginton carried that momentum through into Day 2 with a monstrous performance in the 200 IM.

Wigginton, 17, clocked 1:59.44 in the event to win bronze and set a new Canadian National Age Group Record in the boys’ 15-17 age group, lowering the decade-old mark of 2:00.31 set by Evan White in 2013 (also at World Juniors).

Wigginton’s performance came on the heels of a fourth-place finish on the opening day of competition in the 400 freestyle, where his time of 3:49.05 marked a new 15-17 NAG record and also moved him into #3 all-time in Canada.

In the 200 IM, the University of Calgary Swim Club product entered the week with a lifetime best of 2:01.43, set at the Canadian Trials in late March, and nearly lowered it in the prelims (2:01.53) before knocking two seconds off of it in the final.

Wigginton has always been able to close well, which is no surprise given his ability in the 400 free, but the real difference-maker in Tuesday’s final was his aggression over the first 100 meters.

Split Comparison – Wigginton

Compared to the previous record, Wigginton’s freestyle ability was what pushed him past White to take hold of the NAG mark.

Split Comparison – White vs Wigginton

And just like the 400 free, Wigginton now ranks #3 all-time in Canada, rocketing up 14 places after ranking 17th with his previous best time.

All-Time Canadian Performers, Men’s 200 IM (LCM)

1. Finlay Knox, 1:57.26 – 2023 Canadian Trials
2. Keith Beavers, 1:59.19 – 2008 Olympic Games
3. Lorne Wigginton, 1:59.44 – 2023 World Junior Championships
4. Brian Johns, 1:59.45 – 2007 World Championships
5. Evan White, 1:59.84 – 2014 Canadian Trials
6. Andrew Ford, 2:00.03 – 2013 Canadian Trials
7. Ilya Kharun, 2:00.04 – 2023 Canadian Trials
8. Collyn Gagne, 2:00.37 –2022 Canadian Trials
9. Curtis Myden, 2:00.38 – 1998 Goodwill Games
10. Cole Pratt, 2:00.49 – 2021 Canadian Olympic Trials

Wigginton, who will turn 18 in late October, won bronze behind the American duo of Maximus Williamson (1:57.29) and Daniel Diehl (1:58.62), with the former setting a new Championship Record.

A Michigan commit for the fall of 2024, Wigginton also broke his own Alberta Provincial Record with the performance.

After a blistering start to the meet, Wigginton will have a few sessions off of individual racing before taking on the 400 IM and 1500 free over the final two days of competition, notably entering as the #2 seed in the medley event.