2021 SPEEDO WINTER JUNIOR CHAMPIONSHIPS WEST
- December 8-11, 2021
- Jamail Texas Swim Center, Austin, Texas
- Short Course Yards (25 yards), Prelims/Finals
- Prelims: 9 am (ET)
- Finals: 5 pm (ET) – Wed. relays at 6 pm
- Meet Central
- Live Results
- Psych Sheets
- Live Stream
We’re running out of ways to say there’s been a lot of fast age group swimming the past few days…but there’s been a lot of fast age group swimming.
Tonight in Austin, TX, 15 year-old Maximus Williamson rattled a 19 year-old Michael Phelps National Age Group record, throwing down an incredible 3:42.22 in finals of the Speedo Winter Junior Championships – West.
Phelps set the existing 15-16 record back in March of 2002, when he went 3:42.08 just a few months before turning 17 and aging up. The GOAT’s fastest recorded time as a 15 year-old was 3:50.20, which he hit on two separate occasions. Granted, Phelps was already an Olympian and more focused on long course by that point, but it still shows just how fast Williamson’ time tonight was.
Just two months ago, Williamson’s best time in this event was just a 4:09.81. He then went 3:58.65 and 3:52.07 at a meet in early November before knocking another chunk of time off his lifetime best in this morning’s prelims, when he went 3:47.33.
Tonight, though, the North Texas Nadodore took things to a whole new level, lowering his best by yet another five seconds en route to a resounding victory. Williamson is now the fastest 15 year-old ever in the event, and he moves to #2 all-time in the 15-16 age group, almost two seconds faster than anyone else besides Phelps.
Top Performers, Boys 15-16
- Michael Phelps (NBAC), 2002 – 3:42.08
- Maximus Williamson (NTN), 2021 – 3:42.22
- Matt Fallon (GSCY), 2019 – 3:44.08
- Carson Foster (RAYS), 2017 – 3:44.16
- Sean Grieshop (NTRO), 2015 – 3:44.45
Plenty of swimmers would be content to cool down and call it a night after a 3:42 400 IM, but Williamson was just getting started. He swam in the A-final of the 200 free, finishing 6th with a 1:36.15, and then in the A-final of the 100 back, where he finished 6th again with a 48.14.
Neither one of those other times tonight was a personal best, but he’s already the fastest 15 year-old ever in the 200 free thanks to his leadoff swim Wednesday night, and he hit a lifetime best of 47.62 in prelims of the 100 back. So, it’s pretty understandable that he was about half a second off of his lifetime best, but still registering his 2nd-best time ever, in his 6th swim of the day.
Oh wait, he still wasn’t quite done. He actually closed out tonight with a 20.77 leadoff on the Nadadores’ 200 free relay, good for his 3rd-fastest swim ever.
Yesterday, Williamson swam the fastest time ever by a 15 year-old in the 200 IM. He’s entered in both the 200 back and the 100 free tomorrow.
Ah yes, as a masters swimmer I too routinely drop 27 seconds in my longer events over the course of 2 months, nothing to see here!
ARE YOU NOT ENTERTAINED?!?!
this mf wayy too fast
When he drops almost 30 seconds in 2 months but you haven’t dropped in 2 yrs 🙂
Maximus, Maximus!
Age groupers are just something else this weekend
…you’re telling us. 🙂 It’s been wild.