Mila Nikanorov Swims 16:17 in 1650 Free – At 5,300 Feet of Altitude

2024 Colorado Senior Meet

• February 16-18, 2024
• University of Denver, Denver, Colorado
• Short Course Yards (25 yards)
• Results on Meet Mobile: “2024 CO CSI Senior Meet”

A 16:17.41 in the 1650 free by an 18-year-old high school swimmer wouldn’t normally shift the earth. It’s a good swim on route to bigger things, but is about seven seconds outside of the top 100 all-time for swimmers in that age group.

But when that time is done at about 5,300 feet of altitude, it becomes a huge ‘wow’ moment.

18-year-old Mila Nikanorov won the women’s mile at the Colorado LSC Senior Meet on Friday evening by 55 seconds at the University of Denver in the mile-high city. Her time of 16:17.41 was a new best time by almost 13 seconds, improving on a time she did at Sectionals in Austin, at about 500 feet of altitude, in 2022.

In the most-aerobic of pool races, the USA Swimming altitude conversions award 23 seconds of benefit for the 1650 free. That would put Nikanorov’s time at 15:54.41, which moves her into the top 25 all-time in the age group.

While altitude conversions don’t count for things like records or all-time rankings, they do count for things like qualification standards, and Nikanorov has now qualified for every USA Swimming meet that has yards standards with that result.

The LSC Record is a 16:02 that was done by Bonnie Brandon – a Missy Franklin peer – in 2011 at sea level in Federal Way. The LSC doesn’t keep “all-comers” records of the fastest miles done within the state, but Nikanorov would rank high on that list.

Evidence of that is in the University of Denver El Pomar Natatorium record book.

Not only did she crush Kate Sanderson’s Pool Record of 16:37.62 in the mile, set in 2018, she also crushed Sanderson’s 1000 free record of 10:02.69 en route. Nikanorov split 9:52.50 at the 1000 yard mark.

Sanderson’s records were likewise set in the same swim at this same meet in 2018.

Nikanorov is committed to swim at Ohio State in the fall. The Buckeyes are led this season by senior Maya Geringer (15:56.28) and junior Gwen Woodbury (15:58.37). That means the Buckeyes are ready for reinforcements in the group.

The inexact science of altitude conversions puts Nikanorov under Geringer’s time, but regardless, she has a textbook stroke that should allow for continued growth in Columbus.

The boys’ race was won by Ian Noffsinger in 16:13.21. He’s targeting a later meet – his best time in the event is 15:57.