At this weekend’s SwimPink fundraiser meet in Iowa City, Iowa, hosted by Lane Four Aquatics at the University of Iowa, a pair of National Age Group Record holders were in action. 11-year old Regan Smith from Minnesota came down for the event, and 14-year old professional swimmer Michael Andrew was back at the same pool where three weeks ago he broke his first 13-14 NAG Record in the 50 free.
The meet raises money to help cover the costs of being involved in swimming for children and families affected by cancer.
This is Andrew’s first meet as a professional swimmer, and with his newfound endorsement came spectacular results. He started the long course meter’s meet with a 4:43.12 in the 400 IM, which is a best time by 15 seconds for him.
He would follow that up with age-group wins in the 100 breast (1:06.13), 200 IM (2:07.85), 100 free (52.98), 100 fly (56.36), 100 back (1:00.25), and finally the 50 free (23.64). Those were all personal bests aside from the 100 back and the 50 free. The 100 free time moved him up to 15th on the all-time list for 13-14’s in the U.S, and the 100 fly time moved him up to 6th (half-a-second shy of Phelps, and another full second to Justin Lynch’s record).
Andrew’s next meet will be next weekend in a rare summer-season yards-course race in Indiana.
Smith, who broke many records as a 10 & under (predominantly in the backstroke races), is now 11. While in the United States there are no official records for 11-year olds, if there were she may have broken one.
The young Minnesotan, who trains with the South Metro Storm, swam a 1:07.14 in the 100 backstroke, which as far as we can tell is the fastest ever by a swimmer in the bottom-half of this age bracket. She put up the two fastest times by an 11-12 nationally in that event.
To it she added a 31.54 in the 50 back, a 30.47 in the 50 fly, and a 1:08.45 in the 100 fly, all of which make her the fastest 11-year old in the country this year.
Other times that ranked highly among 11-12’s included a 2:35.30 in the 200 IM, a 1:02.77 in the 100 free, a 2:19.95 in the 200 free, and a 4:52.81 in the 400 free. Lately, the young swimmer has been training a little more distance, and the expectation is that her 200 and 400 freestyle times will see big improvements this summer.
Other standout swimmers at the meet include 17-year old Academy Bullets swimmer Mary Schneider. She was a 57.7 in the 100 meter free, and a 26.88 in the 50 free. That 50 free result saw her behind just a pair of Iowa Hawkeyes: Emily Hovren in 26.64 and Olivia Kabacinski in 26.86.
Another Iowa swimmer, and Canadian national-level swimmer, Lindsay Seemann picked up several wins as well. Her best results came in the 200 back (2:16.86), the 200 IM (2:19.92), and the 200 free (2:03.64).
On the men’s side of the meet, Iowa sophomore-to-be Quillan Oak had impressive performances in his primary breaststroke events. He just missed a lifetime best with a 1:05.34 in the 100 breaststroke, and added to that a massive victory of 2:20.97 in the 200 breaststroke. He’s equally good in yards in both distances, but that 200 is a half-second lifetime best, showing that he’s working headed into his second season at Iowa.
Smith’s 12-year old teammate Andrew Trepanier had a strong meet himself, winning the 100 fly by four seconds in 1:03.15, the 100 back in 1:05.31, and the 50 free in 26.08.
Wow! Very good times. Michael Andrew is definitely an all-around swimmer and not just a sprinter. I hope he will swim at the US junior nationals in August.
Regan Smith also deserves recognition. She’s a very very very talented girl. A backstroke star in the making. One more in USA!
Here’s an article with a video about Miss Smith
http://www.myfoxtwincities.com/story/20597937/lakeville-10-year-old-can-swim-really-fast
Andrew’s time very good for a June meet in Iowa… Looking forward to his performances against major competition in August…
Wow, I was a bit worried about his transition even to the 100s from his crazy 50 speed, but this looks impressive. Any info if he’s going to US Opens?
I agree. Those are really excellent times for a 14 yo
His time are great across a range of events.. but he may need to focus.. I know he still has a whole year.. but except his 50 free.. on his other events there are faster guys out there and not so tall. But nevertheless impressive.. we will have to wait and see when he stops growing how he will react to if.. I still can´t agree with turning Pro without being a world class swimmer already..
Wow, his breastroke and IM times are amazing. That breastroke time is only just off the aus age record as too his IM.
Solid times across the board for his age. As for his sprint times … great swims … but across the Pacific Ocean there’s a young 14 year old named Chalmers.
KeithM – Chalmers is actually 15, almost a full year older than Andrew.
OK he must have turned 15 recently. But he was by far the fastest 14 year old ever. Over the last year while still 14 Chalmers swam a 50.86 in the 100 and 23.17 in the 50. Chalmers had been 52.29 as a 13 year old!
Chalmers was also 54.79 in the 100 fly at the Australian Age group championships earlier this year, still aged 14.
Andrew just turned 14 and has the opportunity to improve and knock down some more age group marks. But I hope people keep things in perspective. He’s gotten coverage in Sports Illustrated already!
What impresses me is that he’s within 1.5 seconds of 4 NAGs:
100M Fly NAG – 54.80 Andrew – 56.36
100M Breast NAG – 1:04.74 Andrew – 1:06.13
100M Free NAG – 51.59 Andrew – 52.98
200M IM NAG – 2:06.50 Andrew – 2:07.85
For an age grouper in the 13-14 division 1.5 seconds is well within reach for having another 9 months to go and he’s been improving at a steady pace this spring/summer. As for the 400IM I don’t think it’s in the cards with that type of training. Phelps holds the NAG in the 400IM at 4:24.77 so Andrew is plenty off at 4:43.12 whereas Phelps holds the NAG in the 200IM at 2:06.50… Read more »
“That kind of training” (ie. short, intense interval repeats at race pace) helped Kieran Perkins become the 1500m world record holder in the early 1990s…just saying. 😛
*that type of training (sorry for misquoting).
On the US Top times for 13-14, the 100 Breast shows David Mercado as 1:03.46. Can someone clear this up?
I agree. The 400 LCM doesn’t seem to be in the cards for Michael Andrew. Almost 20 seconds slower than Phelps in the 400 LCM IM at 14 but only a second off his 200 LCM IM at 14. That shows you something is not working when it comes to endurance for Michael Andrew. Then again not everyone can be 400 IMers. He can still do a lot of other events. I like to see that his LCM times, except for the 400 IM are becoming on par with his SCY times.
I have little intuitive feel for sprint times, but, now that Mr. Andrew has entered the Greatest Race Of All Time, I am impressed. I wonder how good that 4:43 could become?
Patrick – more info:
Splits: 29:43, 33:41, 36:36, 35:17, 40:16, 40:74, (1:07.85 for last 100). They were pretty pleased with those splits.
Maybe a little more aerobic training and his brings that free home as fast as he took his fly out?
He still needs to build some endurance.. Brandonn Piery when 14 went 4:36, now at 16 he is 4:24..
Andrew times are impressive, even more because of the number of events.. but he still needs to prove himself like most age groups of the world…
Pretty impressive i must say ….