Michael Andrew on sub 1:00 Breaststroke: I’m blown away (Video)

Reported by Braden Keith.

17-year old swimmer Michael Andrew has broken his own 17-18 National Age Group Record in the 100 long course meter breaststroke and become the youngest American swimmer in history to go faster than 1 minute in the event.Andrew won heat 13 of 14 during the first prelims session of the meet and swam 59.96. That improved upon his own 1:00.37, done in this same pool, 2 weeks ago at the Omaha Swim Cup.

Comparative splits:

  • Omaha Swim Cup – 28.27/32.10 = 1:00.37
  • Olympic Trials – 27.73/32.23 = 59.96

For Andrew, who’s pared his normally-crowded schedule down to just 5 events this week, that qualified him through 5th into the meet’s semi-finals, behind Kevin Cordes (59.05), Cody Miller (59.33), Andrew Wilson (59.76), and Josh Prenot (59.76).

Andrew has now broken the 100 breaststroke record 3 times in the last two weeks. The record had been a Cordes-held 1:00.47, which Andrew improved twice at the Omaha Cup, and then by a much bigger margin on Sunday morning.

Also going through to the semi-final is 16-year old Reece Whitley, who swam next to Andrew and wound up qualifying 13th. The two, who have become linked as the young future of American breaststroking, embraced in the water after their swims.

The race was announced as a Junior World Record in the event, though Chinese swimmer Wang Lizhuo swam a 59.64 earlier this year that hasn’t been acknowledged by FINA. FINA’s most recent acknowledged record is a 1:00.12 done by Russian Anton Chupkov in 2015, that has been listed as “awaiting ratification.”

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Bob
8 years ago

Imagine how much faster he would be if he did some proper training.

PVSFree
Reply to  Bob
8 years ago

Whatever he’s doing is obviously working, I don’t think we’re exactly in a position to criticize him for his training anymore

Glenn Gruber
Reply to  Bob
8 years ago

I’m guessing you have never done USRPT. There is no slow swimming in USRPT. No drills, no pulling, no kicking. There is only swimming at race speed and that is not easy.

Why is “proper training” what everyone else does but not so for those of us who do USRPT? If the training works, why disparage it? I no longer subscribe to traditional training, but if it works for you, then continue. In the meantime have some respect for those who have gone beyond what everyone else does and have found success with another method.

I would challenge you to read about USRPT and to actually try it for a few months. I think you will find that it… Read more »

Hmmm....
8 years ago

Well done, Gorp!

About Coleman Hodges

Coleman Hodges

Coleman started his journey in the water at age 1, and although he actually has no memory of that, something must have stuck. A Missouri native, he joined the Columbia Swim Club at age 9, where he is still remembered for his stylish dragon swim trunks. After giving up on …

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