Ryan Hoffer from the Scottsdale Aquatic Club has broken his own National Age Group Record in the men’s 50 yard freestyle on the first full day of the 2014 Winter Junior National Championships.
Hoffer is still only 16-year old, and his 19.45 breaks the 19.53 that he did earlier this season at the Arizona High School State Championship meet.
Unlike many top male sprinters, Hoffer takes full advantage of his underwaters. He was impressive off the blocks and impressive underwater on both turns, where he was nearly to the 15 meter mark off of each wall.
Hoffer now has the 9 fastest swims ever done by a 15-16 50 yard freestyler. The next closest swimmer is Caeleb Dressel in 19.82. He’s been under 20 seconds an even 10 times in his career, which is twice as many times as everyone else in the history of the 15-16 age group has done it.
Chunky RagÚ was probably the greatest of my generation. That comparison is slightly absurd.
The young superstar reminds me a lot of the late great Chunky Ragu.
“Unlike many top male sprinters, Hoffer takes full advantage of his underwaters. He was impressive off the blocks and impressive underwater on both turns, where he was nearly to the 15 meter mark off of each wall.”
Sounds like a SCY specialist to me.
Last time I checked, Florent Manadou popped out right on the 15m mark when he won the gold medal at the Olympics. Hoffer is only 15. He will figure it out. 2020 is going to be awesome for US sprint events!
Haha are there really negative comments here?!? He is 16 and went 19.4! Also it was prelims. He still has finals and maybe a relay lead off to go. And if he “only” drops a tenth a year he will have the American record by age 24. I think he’s doing alright…
16 years old and he has been a 19.4 and 43.1. Let’s relax a little guys, it’s not like he needs a lifeguard on duty because he is not water safe on the surface. He’ll figure the long course 50 and 100 meters out. He reminds me a lot of a young Chris Jacob. It went ok for Jacob last I checked.
😆
Jacob in my book is one of the best 50 AND 100 freestyler Usa has ever had . So that promises ….
.10 in one year is not impressive and @MCMFLYGUY when Ryan Hoffer transfers his SCY to LCM I will start smiling
So are you saying 2 secs drop from 23 to 21 is more impressive than 19.5 to 19.4? Going 19 at this age is VERY IMPRESSIVE to begin with.
19.45 in SCY is very impressive for a 16-year-old kid. No doubt.
His great underwaters help him a lot.
But the fact is he hasn’t still shown the same abilities in long course so far. When you swim 19.45 and 43.13 in yards, you must be able to swim much faster than 23.35 and 51.20 in long course. Long course is a different sport. And unlike Caeleb Dressel he still has everything to prove in the big pool where international glory is made. Perhaps next summer. I wish him the best for the future.
I would much rather go with James Jones. 19.9 and 43.9 short course but already 22.8 and 50.8 in long course.
Most places in the US focus on yards until you graduate from college. It makes sense that his SCY times are much more impressive than his LCM times. The long course times will come with experience. No reason to denounce him just yet.
I know that most of American kids swim a lot more in yards.
And I haven’t denounced anybody. Some of you are so sensitive. 😯
this makes me smile when I think of the USA becoming even better sprint freestylers!