Matheny’s 1:52.1 200 Breast Sets Meet Record, Cracks Top 5 in 17-18 Age Group

by Robert Gibbs 1

December 14th, 2019 National, News

2019 SPEEDO WINTER JUNIOR CHAMPIONSHIPS – EAST

17 year-old Josh Matheny of Pittsburgh Elite Aquatics hasn’t wasted much time moving up the all-time rankings in the 17-18 age group. Tonight, in the finals of the last day of the 2019 Speedo Winter Junior Championships, Matheny knocked over four seconds off his prelims time, and nearly three seconds off his previous lifetime best, to win the 200 breast in 1:52.12.

Even though he only recently joined the 17-18 age group, that time already moves Matheny to #5 all-time in that age group, according to the USA Swimming database.

Top Five Performers 17-18 Age Group

  • Reece Whitley – 1:51.43
  • Andrew Seliskar – 1:51.57
  • Daniel Roy – 1:51.69
  • Kevin Cordes – 1:51.97
  • Josh Matheny – 1:52.12

While he’s already been among the top swimmers his age — he set 15-16 NAG records in both the 100 and 200 breast in long course this summer — Matheny continues to show serious improvement. His previous best time of 1:55.03 came from this past spring’s NCSA championships. Matheny, only a high school junior, was ranked #4 in our first round of rankings for the high school boys class of 2021, and has verbally committed to Indiana, where he’ll join a team known for pumping out some of the top breaststrokers in the country.

Earlier this week, Matheny finished 26th in the 200 IM, 17th in the 400 IM, and then won the 100 breast with a time of 52.56 (just off his personal best) not too long after he won the C-final of the 400 IM.

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Jay Ryan
4 years ago

Max Reich 3rd in that race also committed to IU.

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