2023 WORLD JUNIOR SWIMMING CHAMPIONSHIPS
- September 4 – 9, 2023
- Netanya, Israel
- Wingate Institute
- LCM (50m)
- Meet Central
- How To Watch
- Psych Sheets
- Live Results
- Day 1 Prelims Live Recap | Day 1 Finals Live Recap
- Day 2 Prelims Live Recap| Day 2 Finals Live Recap
- Day 3 Prelims Live Recap | Day 3 Finals Live Recap
- Day 4 Prelims Live Recap | Day 4 Finals Live Recap
- Day 5 Prelims Live Recap | Day 5 Finals Live Recap
- Day 6 Prelims Live Recap | Day 6 Finals Live Recap
- Day 6 Finals Heat Sheet (Start List)
Maximus Williamson secured his fifth gold medal at the 2023 World Championships in record-breaking fashion on Saturday.
The recently turned 17-year-old from Texas stamped a new U.S. boys’ 17-18 national age group (NAG) record in the 100-meter freestyle with a 48.45 to win the world junior crown. Williamson snuck under the previous NAG record of 48.47 set by Jonny Kulow at U.S. Nationals in June by just a couple hundredths of a second.
It actually wasn’t a personal-best time for Williamson, who blazed a 48.38 leadoff on the mixed 400 free relay earlier this week to become the fastest 18-and-under U.S. swimmer ever, but USA Swimming rules don’t allow mixed relay leadoffs to count as NAG records.
Williamson shaved almost half a second off his previous-best 48.84 from Summer Juniors. He had clocked a 49.38 in Friday night’s semifinal to earn the top seed for the final.
Splits Comparison:
| MAXIMUS WILLIAMSON, 2023 WJC MIXED FREE RELAY LEADOFF | MAXIMUS WILLIAMSON, 2023 WJC 100 FREE | MAXIMUS WILLIAMSON, 2023 SUMMER JUNIORS | |
| 50m | 23.48 | 23.35 | 23.70 |
| 100m | 24.90 | 25.10 | 25.14 |
| Total | 48.38 | 48.45 | 48.84 |
Williamson took out his 100 free faster than previous attempts, reaching the midway point of the race in just 23.35 before coming home in 25.10.
Williamson has been on fire in the 100 free this week, also posting a pair of sub-48 relay splits on the boys’ 4×100 free relay (47.78) and mixed 400 medley relay (47.74). He also became the fastest 17-year-old ever in the 200 IM with a winning time of 1:57.29 on Tuesday.
BOYS 100 FREESTYLE – FINAL
- World Junior Record: 46.86 – David Popovici (ROU), 2022
- Championship Record: 47.07 – David Popovici (ROU), 2022
- 2024 Olympic ‘A’ Standard: 48.34
- ‘B’ Standard: 48.58
- Time for 8th at 2022 World Jr Champs: 50.40
RESULTS:
- Maximus Williamson (USA) — 48.45
- Lorenzo Ballarati (ITA) — 49.05
- Edward Sommerville (AUS) — 49.16
- Davide Passafaro (ITA) — 49.42
- Vlaho Nenadic (CRO) — 49.50
- Nikoli Matthew Harold Blackman (TTO) — 49.54
- Pedro Sansone (BRA) — 49.67
- Filip Senc-Samardzic (CAN) — 50.09
Williamson won the race by more than a half second and was the only swimmer under 49 seconds. Italy’s Lorenzo Ballarati swam a big personal best for silver, dropping seven-tenths from the 49.75 he swam at European Juniors.
Edward Sommerville, who helped Australia to a world junior record in the mixed 4×100 free relay, made it 3-for-3 best times on the podium. Sommerville clocked 49.16 to easily snag the final spot on the podium. That undercuts the 49.53 he swam in semifinals for a new PB.
great job maximus
Him fast!!!!!
He’s a contender to make the team in 3 events next summer
He didn’t miss a beat from the first night to the last!
Predictions are always sketchy, but perhaps a ‘generational’ swimmer here?
Yes, and he will put the nail in the coffin on Michael Andrew’s 200IM ambitions at OTs with that freestyle closing speed.
Don’t count out September Shane
I was hoping to see a showdown against Flynn Southam but that didn’t eventuate .. wonder what happened to Flynn this week .. just didn’t turn up unlike Maximus !!
If you recall, Southam DID show up but also showed rather remarkable inconsistency. Reason, unknown. He anchored the Aussie 4×100 Men Free relay in :48.47, not great for Flynn, whose flat start PB is :47.77, but still the 2nd fastest leg of the event, trailing only the :47.7 from Williamson. He entered the 200 free with the top seed at 1:46.25; then was again not that good in prelims going 1:48.83 to qualify 5th, before turning it around for a dominant Gold swim at 1:46.57, just 0.32 off PB and winning by 0.71. He was seeded first into the 50 free at :22.32 and qualified first with a solid prelim at :22.48; he followed that with a PB and still… Read more »
bro is HIM
Lol that’s insane! Congratulations to the new speedy guy in town
very impressive huh!!!!!!