Michael Andrew Record Breaking Coverage – as reported by Braden Keith / SwimSwam:
Michael Andrew has had no trouble turning his short course success into long course success in Austin, breaking the 13-14 boys’ National Age Group Record in his 3rd different event of the meet.
The latest swim on Sunday came in the 100 meter breaststroke, where Andrew split a 1:03.83. That creamed the old record of 1:04.74 set by Anthony Robinson back in 1994 (Robinson would go on to become the first high school swimmer under 20 seconds in the 50 yard freestyle).
Andrew split this race 30.28-33.55 to win the B Final, which is pretty similar to how his B-Final competitors, generally much older, spread their swims out. Andrew won that B-Final by just a hair over Nick Kostiuk (1:03.94).
Earlier in the meet, Andrew tied, then broke, his own 50 free National Age Group Record, and he also beat Benjamin Ho’s mark in the 100 back by .01 seconds. This was the most convincing of his record-breaking swims so far, though he’s still got two races to go on Sunday.
Goggadget:
Yes, it is clear that Andrews (sic) will run his course with his current coach and need to move on. I heard his team only has 2 swimmers – it will probably fold soon.
/sarcasm alert
Just to be clear, I’m not saying I think he will ever get 6-9 medals at elite level meets… just commenting on how that seems to be what they are planning and preparing for.
Which is a good thing. They seem to be aiming high and dreaming big. From what I understand, Phelps and Bowman were talking 8 golds long before anyone else was… it’s the job of the coach and athlete to go big.
Gentlemen, lets not get ahead of ourselves, he’s 14. Some kids hit puberty and are more developed than others at this early stage. Most who show great promise early on dwindle in development later on. He’ll be lucky if he doesn’t get hurt or burn out. Most NAG record holders early on were “no where to be found” later on. Is he one in a million? At the moment, he’s one in 300 million, but in 2020 he’ll be a completely different person/animal, hopefully, still in the sport and on the Olympic team.
GOGOGADGET, What is the chance for any swimmer to get hurt or burn out? He is only 14. You are really a mean person.
Michael Andrew is a very talented young swimmer, he has a better chance to be an elite swimmer than any others at his age. I wish him nothing but the best.
What is the chance of a swimmer getting hurt or burning out? With all due respect, that’s a pretty ignorant statement. Nothing hurtful was meant here, I’m supportive of him, but I’m just laying out some facts, none of which are my opinion. My opinion on the other hand is that its a real shame that gurus like Mike Bottom or Dave Durden will never truly invest themselves in coaching a swimmer they’ve got no collegiate use for. When Andrews runs his course with his current coach and looks for someone new to develop him in a few years, he’ll still be too young to physiologically work-out with post graduate swimmers like in Club Wolverine or Cal Aquatics. Its a… Read more »
He and Phelps are different animals entirely… The ‘first Andrew’ tag is appropriate. Assuming he does continue to progress and develop into a world class performer, he will be unique in that unlike most similarly tuned athletes (read: sprinters), he will likely compete in multiple strokes.
I can’t recall the last elite breaststroke who also competed in another single stroke… let alone 3 other strokes.
My theory is that a pie in the sky goal of theirs is that they want to someday (2020-2024) go to one of the bigger meets and swim the 50 free, 100 free, 100 fly, 100 back, 100 breast and 200 IM… plus the 3 relays.
They are really focusing on his ability to… Read more »
It is hard to keep up World Level (Medal level to be more precise) on multiple events with pure specialists all over them..
He may be the best considering overall but in most of those events there are some kids who are faster (Event being shorter) on some specific event.. and that event schedule is probably near impossible because of how tight the schedule will be,, and not being fresh on a freestyle dash is pretty impossible..
He will probably need to specialize
If we take a look on 2012 schedule
He would have on the first day the prelims and semis of 100 breast
on Second Day He would have prelims Semis of 100 back, 100 breast finals, and the freestyle relay (Prelims/Finals)
On the third day he would have a break.. 100 back finals only
Fourth Day 100 free prelims/semis
Fifth day 100 free finals and 200IM prelims/Semi (And 100 free not going 100% because being tired of 200 IM is better not to go at all)
On Day six he would probably have the worst day
50 free prelims/semis (He can´t take it easy on 50 free)
100 fly prelims/Semis
200 IM Finals
Yes it is fun to speculate. I think the 200 free would be a good event for him to focus on sometime (he has the 50). The 200 free can lead to 2 olympic medals down the road for him – 200 fr relay and potentially really boost his 200 IM.
This kid’s times are amazing, could he be the next Lochte/Phelps or am i overshooting it?
Not overshooting it, just too early to tell. He does have a wide variety that he can choose from and he is REALLY talented as a 14 year old. but its just that he is 14, need to see how his body develops.
Again, nobody will be the next Phelps. He’s unique and irreplaceable.
No need of comparisons.
He will be the first Andrew and that’s not too bad at all.
And I agree it’s too early to predict his future.
We watch him develop and it’s fun.
Too early to tell how many 14 yr old male nag record holders have gone to the Olympics???
Phelps, Peirsol, and Ricky Berens are all current 13-14 NAG record holders and they turned out okay, and I’m sure there have been plenty of others.
Andrew times are amazing, and in a range i dont know if we have a precedent.
1.03 and 23.19 in 50 free are fantastic for a 14years-old.
Cesar Cielo came to light in brazilian scene at sixteen(in 2003) when he made 23.29 in 50 free in Chico Piscina Trophy.The time(at the time) was a monster time, the second place was 24.04!
And Andrew still have 2.05 in 200IM…sick!
Mr Andrew is very interesting in interview.
He talks precisely about his training.
He looks very aware of his ranks in the world and is interested in the sport’s history.
1.03.83 in the 100 breast is, in my opinion, his best accomplishment in long course so far.
You are 3.01 seconds faster than our national record here in France for a 14-year-old boy.
And about Daniel Gyurta when he was 14, I have a 1.02.39 in April 2004 in the 100 breast and a 2.13.63 in June 2003 in the 200 breast.
So you still have much work to do if you want to break his 100 breast time.