Watch above as Penn Charter Aquatic Club 14-year old Reece Whitley breaks Michael Andrew’s National Age Group Record in the 100 meter breaststroke.
Watching Whitley’s swim leaves us salivating for his 200. He wasn’t really blowing anyone away at the 50 meter touch, but with a fantastic pullout off of the turn, and a seemingly un-changeable rhythm to his technique, Whitley cruises by the field, including Michael Andrew to his right, on the back-half. There’s so much to love about Whitley’s stroke – he’s not quite as flat as Michael Andrew’s trademark low-to-the-water technique, but there’s still not much in the way of wasted energy. Great flexibility allows him to get his massive 6’7″+ frame back into a streamlined position in time to take advantage of a fantastic, sharply-cornered kick.
This video is from the B-Final at the 2014 U.S. Junior National Championships. Whitley is in the second lane from the top of your screen, and Michael Andrew is above him.
Full breaststroke results: here.
Lane 8 – Michael Andrew
Lane 7 – Reece Whitley
Lane 6 – Joe Kmak
Lane 5 – Ian Finnerty
Lane 4 – Tommy Brewer
Lane 3 – Devon Nowicki
Lane 2 – Nick Silverthorn
Lane 1 – Corey Lau
He is 6’7 fourteen year old? Wow.
Mr Whitley is ready for a crazy fast 200 breast.
First time Michael Andrew looks small behind the blocks. 🙂
he has good very good legs power to do what he did on the second half ! Very well done .
You guys are doing an amazing job covering Jr Nat’s, thank you! I’m very grateful, as a swim geek, because many of these swimmers may be important to know in 2016.
I’ve read that Whitley is 6’7″+. That seems unusually tall for a breaststroker, but I’ll bet the added reach will help at the end of tight races, as it does for Grevers. I wonder how tall Michael Andrew is now, because Reese makes him look short (6’5″?)?
I was happy to see Michael get a best time in the breast, because it may give him confidence to put up a great 200 IM time. I’m excited to see what he can do!
Finally, I love that Reese says, “Hi,… Read more »
That’s a medal ceremony video…
Hulk Swim – try again. Not sure what happened, right after publishing I checked and it was working. Odd.
Im not getting the video
never mind got it now