2023 Monster Splash Invite
- October 6-8, 2023
- Fishers High School Aquatic Center, Fishers, Indiana
- 25 Yards (Short Course Yards)
- Results on Meet Mobile: “2023 IN FAST Monster Splash Closed Invite”
Luke Whitlock became the first Florida Gator to break 15 minutes in the mile this season – except that he’s still a year away from joining his teammates in Gainesville.
The Noblesville High School senior swam a new best time of 14:55.52 on Friday night at the Monster Splash Invite hosted by his club team the Fishers Area Swimming Tigers. That’s a new lifetime best by 6 seconds for the swimmer who was already the fastest miler in the high school class of 2024.
The time also breaks the Indiana LSC Record for 17-18s. That record was previously a 14:57.92 set by Carmel’s Jake Mitchell in 2019. Mitchell would go on to qualify for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, and after spending two years at Michigan, he is a current junior at the University of Florida.
Including Mitchell, defending Olympic Champion in the men’s 800 and 1500 Bobby Finke, and the greatest women’s distance swimmer of all-time Katie Ledecky, the University of Florida is one of the top distance training programs in the world right now under Olympic head coach Anthony Nesty.
Whitlock’s time now ranks him 54th all-time among American 17-18s.
Splits Comparison
Whitlock was much more aggressive in his opening on Friday than he was in his previous personal best done at the Indiana Senior SCY Championships in March. He was more than two seconds ahead of pace at the 500 and almost six seconds ahead on the 1000.
He did pay at the end – he was about a second slower on Friday over the last 250 yards than he was in his previous personal best – but the margin was so big at that point that it didn’t matter.
| New PB | Former PB | |
| 100y | 51.29 | 51.92 |
| 200y | 53.73 | 54.03 |
| 300y | 54.05 | 54.39 |
| 400y | 54.03 | 54.62 |
| 500y | 54.37 | 54.74 |
| 600y | 54.33 | 55.05 |
| 700y | 54.27 | 55.11 |
| 800y | 54.5 | 55.17 |
| 900y | 54.39 | 55.04 |
| 1000y | 54.54 | 55.27 |
| 1100y | 54.62 | 55.23 |
| 1200y | 54.65 | 55.29 |
| 1300y | 54.99 | 55.18 |
| 1400y | 55.31 | 54.99 |
| 1500y | 55.26 | 55.06 |
| 1600y | 55.02 | 54.73 |
| Last 50 | 26.17 | 25.97 |
| 14:55.52 | 15:01.79 |
Whilock finished 5th in both the 400 meter (3:50.46) and 800 meter (7:55.00) freestyles at the World Junior Championships a month ago. He was also the runner-up in both the 400 and 1500 freest at Junior Nationals in July.
Whitlock is scheduled to swim the 200 free, 500 free, 100 fly, 100 breast, and 200 IM this weekend at the timed finals affair.
That’s crazy fast!
At that Indiana Senior State in March, he would have been faster. There was an issue with the timing system and they held his heat behind the blocks for 15 minutes. And he’s not even tapered for this meet.
Keep this kid on your radar, folks. Between distance swimming in the pool and open water, he’s going to be fun to watch!
Love when Mom’s say “not even tapered”
Well, I’m not his mom. But I am familiar with his training and Luke does taper for larger meets.
Have a nice day!