Luca Urlando Takes Down Phelps’ 17-18 200 Fly NAG Record in 1:53.84

Kristof Milak

2019 CLOVIS PRO SWIM SERIES

17-year-old Luca Urlando broke his first 17-18 National Age Group (NAG) Record tonight at the Clovis stop of the Pro Swim Series. Swimming his signature event, the 200 butterfly, Urlando put up a time of 1:53.84 to skate past Michael Phelps‘ 1:53.93 NAG Record, set in the semifinals of the 200 fly at the 2003 World Championships in Barcelona.

When Phelps swam his 1:53.93 in Barcelona, the time was both a NAG Record and a World Record, which Phelps himself did not surpass for another three years. It was not until the 2006 Pan Pacific Championships in Victoria that Phelps, then 21-years-old, swam a 1:53.80 for a new best time and World Record. Urlando, who just turned 17 on March 16th, is still young for the 17-18 age group, whereas Phelps set the former NAG Record nearly one month after his 18th birthday.

Urlando’s time tonight makes him the third-fastest American all-time in the 200 LCM butterfly, as well as the 11th-fastest performer all-time in the 200 LCM butterfly. In terms of U.S. talent, Urlando sits behind only Michael Phelps who holds the current World Record of 1:51.51, and Tyler Clary, who put up a 1:53.64 at the 2009 U.S. National Championships.

Top U.S. Performers

  1. Michael Phelps, 1:51.51, 2009
  2. Tyler Clary, 1:53.64, 2009
  3. Luca Urlando, 1:53.84, 2019
  4. Gil Stovall, 1:53.86, 2008
  5. Davis Tarwarter, 1:54.46, 2008
  6. Jack Conger, 1:54.47, 2017
  7. Pace Clark, 1:54.58, 2017
  8. Justin Wright, 1:54.63, 2018
  9. Chase Kalisz, 1:54.79, 2017
  10. Tom Malchow, 1:55.03, 2001

Before tonight, Urlando was ranked third in the world, and he maintains that position with his performance tonight, improving upon his recent personal best from the Mel Zajac Jr. International Meet just a few weeks ago in Vancouver. A comparison of Urlando’s splits tonight versus Mel Zajac, as well as versus Phelps’ from 2003, is detailed below:

URLANDO – CLOVIS URLANDO – MEL ZAJAC PHELPS – BARCELONA 2003
1st 50 26.08 26.05 25.95
2nd 50 (100) 28.74 (54.82) 28.45 (54.50) 28.94 (54.89)
3rd 50 (150) 29.09 (1:23.91) 29.43 (1:23.93) 29.39 (1:24.28)
4th 50 29.93 30.42 29.65
FINAL TIME 1:53.84* NAG Record 1:54.35 1:53.93

In the world this year, Urlando currently ranks third behind Hungarian phenom Kristof Milak and his countryman, 2016 Olympic Bronze medalist in the 200 butterfly, Tamas Kenderesi.

2018-2019 LCM MEN 200 FLY

KristofHUN
MILAK
03/24
1.50.73 *WR
2Tamas
KENDERESI
HUN1.53.4203/27
3Gianluca
URLANDO
USA1.53.8406/14
4Daiya
SETO
JPN1.53.8607/24
5Chad
LE CLOS
RSA1.54.1507/24
View Top 26»

On the all-time performers’ list, Urlando now ranks 11th:

Rank Fastest Performers All-Time Time Nationality Competition
1 Michael Phelps 1:51.51 USA 2009 World Championships
2 Laszlo Cseh 1:52.70 HUN 2008 Olympic Games
3 Kristof Milak 1:52.71 HUN 2018 Hungarian Championships
4 Chad le Clos 1:52.96 RSA 2012 Olympic Games
5 Takeshi Matsuda 1:52.97 JPN 2008 Olympic Games
6 Pawel Korzeniowski 1:53.23 POL 2009 World Championships
7 Masato Sakai 1:53.40 JPN 2016 Olympic Games
8 Tamas Kenderesi 1:53.42 HUN 2019 Hungarian Nationals
9 Tyler Clary 1:53.64 USA 2009 USA Swimming National Championships
10 Nao Horomura 1:53.79 JPN 2018 Japan Swim
11 Luca Urlando* 1:53.84 USA 2019 Clovis PSS

 

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Mr piano
4 years ago

He’s going to break the 1:51 barrier and set a new WR at JR Worlds in Budapest. No question of a doubt. Faster pool, end of the season, tapered, and shaved.

Beach Jason 343
4 years ago

More I see things in Phelps old events the more I wish he fully trained between 2009-2012. We never really got to see what he was fully capable off. Even the 151.51 200 fly and the 49.82 100 fly in 2009 worlds was after over 6 month break after 2008 Olympics and little training before trials for worlds and for worlds itself šŸ™ again as the swim world knows itā€™s very detailed how Phelps did not train hard for a very good portion of the time period between 2009-2012

Awsi Dooger
Reply to  Beach Jason 343
4 years ago

Newsflash: The next guy who wins 8 gold medals (or equivalent) will be mentally and physically exhausted, and take the same necessary break.

If Phelps had been sick or injured in 2008 then he would have been energized and vengeful during the peak of the suit era.

There’s only so much these guys can give. It reminds me of posters on golf forums who wanted Tiger Woods to win 30+ majors.

ERVINFORTHEWIN
4 years ago

Milak has suddenly a real opponent for the near future ….Ohh YESSS

Philip Johnson
4 years ago

Ok, this dude is the real deal now. That’s serious.

Olā€™ Gator
4 years ago

Georgia 2 fly training group will be šŸ”„

Swimmer A
4 years ago

He’s so fast on the last 15m of every lap. It’s deceptive, cause he doesn’t increase tempo, but if you watch a lot of his races he pulls away from people in the last bit of each lap. Even against people like Kalisz, great closers.

Science Geek
4 years ago

Wow! Can he be stopped?! I seriously doubt it but this summer is his competitors only shot. After that he’s gone…. Glad I’m not next to him

Science Geek
Reply to  Science Geek
4 years ago

Oh yeah he can’t swim this summer. Ooops. I guess he can’t be stopped after all

GoGophers
4 years ago

Canā€™t believe I voted for Foster for number 1 recruit for 2020, smh.

About Reid Carlson

Reid Carlson

Reid CarlsonĀ originally hails from Clay Center, Kansas, where he began swimming at age six.Ā  At age 14 he began swimming club year-round and later with his high school team, making state all four years.Ā  He was fortunate enough to draw the attention of Kalamazoo College where he went on to ā€¦

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