2026 Sacramento Pro Series
- May 20-23, 2026
- Sacramento, CA
- LCM (50 meters)
- Psych Sheets
- Live Results also Available on Meet Mobile
Video captured by Ahmad Zeid, Big Friendly Swim Podcast.
The recently turned 17-year-old Luka Mijatovic had a statement swim last night in Sacramento. Coming in as the top seed of the 1500 free, Mijatovic defended that seed and swam a huge personal best, touching at 14:59.27, his first time under 15:00. After the race, however, the freestyle phenom said he thinks he can be even better the more he races the distance event.
HAVE the college/NCAA experience. .the team environment and excelling can only build onto his LCM World Champ meets. .heś just kinda done with HS/age group. He participated (regional age group meets) probably a bit longer in those than many expected. .he´s just ramping up to the next level. I expect to see MORE 4-IMs and 2-fly events in Texas. .he will be beast-mode ready once Bob gets hold. congrats on sub 15
Is the idea of potentially skipping NCAA there? With the talk of SC not being important and LC reps being focus, the mental leap isn’t too big of a one to imagine just jumping over NCAA’s.
I think he’s referring more to high school and age group short course competition, until he lands at Texas. Then maybe short course will become more relevant again.
I understand he is talking about the HS/Age group meets currently as he just skipped out on the California HS Champs. However, he is getting close to the level where it might be time to start considering alternative routes other than NCAA’s. We don’t see many athletes do it. Obviously Phelps and MA did. From the Track world you have someone like Noah Lyles who did it, and now Cooper Lutkenhaus.
The language as a seed is already there. And he might be good enough to do it.
Phelps had Bowman as a coach and trained at Michigan as a pro. With NIL money available now, isn’t Luka pursuing the same path more or less, with the bonus of pursuing a degree? It’s hard to compare Luka to any other swimmers, but Katie Ledecky is probably the closest comparison event wise, with the later maturing due to being a male athlete, and Katie didn’t skip NCAA
Ya, because skipping out on the NCAAs route has worked out so well for swimmers not named Michael Phelps…
Obviously it Phelps was a success. Obviously Michael Andrew is no Phelps but he did achieve a lot during his career. And because I’m not aware of any other swimmers who were at that level and skipped ncaa’s, I brought up a couple other athletes in another sport that is similar to swimming. Noah lyles skipped the NCAA and it worked out great for him. Now we have Cooper Lutkenhaus to watch who looks to be skipping the NCAA as well. Not to be fair. He’s already won an indoor world title while still in high school.
I’m not saying that Luca should skip the NCAA. I’m just pointing out that it’s going to be an interesting watch over the… Read more »
If you ask me, skipping NCAA’s had major repercussions for MP as well. Not necessarily of the performance type…but I would not consider him the most well adjusted person out there. Seems that he had major issues finding his identity outside of swimming. A typical college experience may have served to help in that department.
No team spirit – skip high school meet for personal gain. Whatever happened to TEAM
I think he’ll do a similar plan to Hubi (miss lots of college meets but deliver when it counts at NCs)
Doesnt hubi have a special major that allows for him to do that?
How do you guys fuel for a 1500m / 200m double? That’s really impressive to manage those energy requirements successfully.
Especially since he’s already going to Texas, he can switch the pro group
With all this positive momentum going into 2027 and 2028 he should consider holding off NCAA swimming for a year until after LA28, avoiding the big life changes until afterward. If it ain’t broke don’t fix it.
Going under 15 is so difficult, hats off to Luka!
Mid distance(and some distance – when the field is packed) is the only way to ever grow viewership interest around this sport(think Kentucky Derby). Meanwhile, swimming is adding a bunch of new 50’s? Congrats to Luka with this performance(in swimming’s toughest event).
Agreed but the field has to tight and there has to be storylines to be sold.
Why is mid distance the only way to grow viewership?
Because in the 2:00 that it takes for the races to happen, there can be multiple lead changes and exciting developments. 100s have this as well (maybe even better for the casual fan :45-1:00). 50s are too short to really understand what is happening.
I don‘t think Swimswam commenters have friends outside of people who swim
1:45 tonight?