Maximus Williamson Rips 1:33.07 200 Freestyle, Breaks Boys’ 15-16 NAG Record

SPEEDO WINTER JUNIOR CHAMPIONSHIPS – WEST

• December 7-10, 2022
• Lee & Joe Jamail Texas Swimming Center, Austin, Texas
• Short Course Yards (25 yards), Prelims/Finals
• Prelims @10:00AM ET, Finals at 6:00 PM ET (except for day 1 timed finals)
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It’s the firs session of the 2022 Winter Juniors – West meet, but swimmers wasted no time getting off to a fast start. Leading off Lakeside Aquatic Club’s boys’ 800 freestyle relay, 16-year old Maximus Williamson set a new 15-16 National Age Group record in the 200 freestyle.

Williamson, who recently switched teams from the North Texas Natadores and joined Lakeside, ripped 1:33.07, clipping Drew Kibler‘s record of 1:33.10, which had stood since 2017. Coming into the day, Williamson’s lifetime best was 1:34.97, meaning he chopped 1.9 seconds off his time with this swim.

At this meet last year, Williamson hit a personal best leading off the 1:35.70. That means that in a year, he’s cut 2.63 seconds off his lifetime best.

His splits from these three key races during the last year highlight how much Williamson has improved in a short time span. That’s especially evident on his final 50. At 2022 Winter Juniors, he split 23.88 on his last 50, compared to the 25.25 he split at this time last year. That makes a 1.37 second improvement in his final 50 yards alone.

This is Wiliamson’s first 15-16 NAG in yards. In long course meters, he owns the 200 IM 15-16 NAG in 1:59.01, which he set earlier this year. Williamson has recently turned 16; this summer, he joined Michael Phelps as the only 15-year-old American boy to break 4:20 in the 400 IM. 

The boys’ freestyle races, particularly the sprints, already looked like some of the most exciting races on paper heading into the meet. Williamson’s new record only heightens that potential. We were on NAG watch for him in the IMs, but this makes the individual 200 freestyle race between him, Nate Germonprez, and Rex Maurer even more exciting. On the 800 freestyle relay this session, Maurer split 1:33.42.