Mijatovic’s NAG Record, Marre Gattnar’s 4 Wins, Finish Pleasanton Senior Open

2023 PLEASANTON SEAHAWKS SHORT COURSE SENIOR OPEN

• November 3-5, 2023
• Pleasanton, California
• Short Course Yards (25y), Prelims/Finals
• Results on Meet Mobile: “Pleasanton Seahawks SC Senior Open”
• Day 1 Recap | Day 2 Recap

Luka Mijatovic struck paydirt on Sunday evening, shattering his own 13-14 National Age Group Record in the 500 yard freestyle, but that wasn’t his only best time in the last session of racing at the Pleasanton Seahawks Senior Open.

Mijatovic won the 500 free in 4:17.07, taking 5.43 seconds off his old record from March. That was his second national age group record of the meet, having previously broken the 1000 free on Friday.

Later in the session, he swam 1:49.25 to finish 2nd in the 200 fly as well. That knocked 1.48 seconds off his previous personal bests, and made him 6-for-6 in best times in events that he raced through to finals.

• 1000 free – 8:55.41 (Previously: 8:59.29)
• 200 back – 1:48.74 (Previously: 1:50.79)
• 200 IM – 1:49.08 (Previously: 1:49.93)
• 200 free – 1:37.57 (Previously: 1:38.21)
• 500 free – 4:17.07 (Previously: 4:22.50)
• 200 fly – 1:49.25 (Previously: 1:52.73)

Besides Mijatovic, others who had strong meets in the boys’ racing include his teammate Songrui (Tim) Wu, who won three races, and Northbay Aquatics’ Marre Gattnar, who had four.

Wu picked up wins in the 100 fly (47.50), 200 fly (1:48.85), and 400 IM (3:55.43). That 100 fly time was a new personal best, as were his swims in the 100 free (44.94), 200 free (1:38.98), and 500 free (4:24.09), where he was 2nd to Mijatovic.

His previous best time in the 100 fly was a 47.56 done to place 5th at last year’s California High School State Championship Meet. Only a sophomore now, Wu is part of the same nucleus of talent at Pleasanton as Mijatovic.

Gattnar, meanwhile, finished his meet with a fourth win, this time in the 100 back in 48.02. The Harvard commit, who is the defending California State Champion in this event, was within half-a-second of his personal best in that event from Winter Juniors last year.

That added to previous wins in the 50 free (19.85), 100 free (43.34), and 200 free (1:36.51), all of which were new personal bests.

Other Day 3 Highlights:

• Zoe Childers of Quicksilver Swimming picked up her fourth lifetime best, and first win, of the meet on Sunday, taking the 200 fly in 2:00.85. That marks her first Winter Juniors cut for 2023 about a month out from the meet. In context of her best time in the 200 breast (2:22.31) earlier in the meet, Childers is due for a big drop in the 400 IM as well.
• Orinda’s Fedor Igoshin, 12, didn’t make any finals this week, but finished his racing with seven lifetime best swims, including a 4:15.96 that ranks him 14th all-time in the age group.