SwimSwam Pulse is a recurring feature tracking and analyzing the results of our periodic A3 Performance Polls. You can cast your vote in our newest poll on the SwimSwam homepage, about halfway down the page on the right side.
Our most recent poll asked SwimSwam readers which Luka Mijatovic swim was more impressive:
Question: Which Luka swim was most impressive last weekend?
RESULTS
- 500 free – 4:05.76 (15-16 NAG) – 59.4%
- 1000 free – 8:32.83 (U.S. Open, AR, NAG) – 40.0%
- 400 IM – 3:40.14 (#2 in 15-16 AG) – 0.6%
Age group phenom Luka Mijatovic continued to rewrite the record books at the Roseville Sectionals two weeks ago, and for the first time in his career, he became the fastest swimmer in history in an event.
The 16-year-old Pleasanton Seahawk put up a time of 8:32.83 in the 1000-yard freestyle, breaking former Texas Longhorn Clark Smith‘s American and U.S. Open Record of 8:33.93 set in 2015.
That swim came at the end of a what was a phenomenal meet for Mijatovic, who shattered his boys’ 15-16 National Age Group Record in the 500 free by nearly three seconds in a time of 4:05.76, and he also set a new best time of 3:40.14 in the 400 IM.
In the aftermath of Mijatovic’s record swim in the 1000 free, the question kept coming up: Which swim was more impressive, the 500 or the 1000?
Although the Texas commit became #1 all-time in the 1000, it’s not a Division I NCAA Championship event and is rarely contested by top collegiate swimmers tapered. Smith’s record had been on the books since 2015, while every other men’s NCAA Record, outside of Caeleb Dressel‘s 50 free and 100 fly marks, has been lowered at least once in the 2020s.
The 500 free, on the other hand, is an NCAA Championship event and has gotten incredibly faster over the last two years. As recently as February 2024, Mijatovic’s swim would have been the fastest time ever.
Leon Marchand took hold of the all-time record at the 2024 Pac-12 Championships in a time of 4:06.18, and then three weeks later, absolutely obliterated it at NCAAs in 4:02.31.
Current Texas junior Rex Maurer established a new American Record last season in a time of 4:04.45, but those are the only two swimmers who have been quicker than Mijatovic.
His 4:05.76 swim is also nearly three seconds faster than the current 17-18 NAG record, which stands at 4:08.42 from Luke Hobson in 2022.
All-Time Performers, Men’s 500 Freestyle (SCY)
- Leon Marchand, 4:02.31 –2024 NCAA Championships
- Rex Maurer, 4:04.45 –2024 Texas Hall of Fame Invite
- Luka Mijatovic, 4:05.76 –2026 Roseville Sectionals
- Carson Foster, 4:05.81 –2024 Texas Hall of Fame Invite
- Kieran Smith, 4:06.32 – 2020 SEC Championships
In our most recent poll, we asked SwimSwam readers which swim was more impressive, and it was the 500 free coming out on top with 59.4% of votes.
The 1000 free earned 40% of votes, and we also threw in his 3:40.14 400 IM, which maintains his place as #2 all-time in the 15-16 age group behind Maximus Williamson (3:39.83), and that picked up a few votes as well.
Given the competitiveness of the 500 free relative to the 1000, the poll results make sense. Mijatovic himself said he was shooting for a sub-8:30 swim in the 1000, and we don’t really know what the best of the best are capable of in the 1000 because we just haven’t seen it. Bobby Finke, for example, was 8:34.63 to the feet at the 1000 mark of his record-breaking 1650 free performance in 2020, presumably meaning he could’ve gone sub-8:30 six years ago.
Below, vote in our new A3 Performance Poll, which asks: Which race are you most excited for at Women’s NCAAs?
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ABOUT A3 PERFORMANCE
The A3 Performance Poll is courtesy of A3 Performance, a SwimSwam partner.
Would you say going 4:06 for 500 free , you should be able to out in 4:11-12 and back in 4:14-15.0 for sub 8:30..
Yes 500 free more impressive !
Accurate tbh.
That being said Luka’s opening 500 of that 1000 would be a non-Luka Nag in the 500
What an incredible weekend he had. Off topic I would love to see a list of the top 10 age group swimmers of all time (both boys and girls). Luka would certainly be on that list now
First three males that come to mind are:
Michael Phelps
Chas Morton
Michael Andrew
I feel like Foster, Williamson, and Heilman could be in that convo too. Piersol and Murphy too.
I think the standard for being an all time male age group swimmer is making the senior national team at Olympics or World Champs, breaking an American record or just being incredibly dominant (ie Chas Morton assault on the record book or Michael Andrew)
Michael Phelps
Mark Spitz
Aaron Piersol
Michael Andrew
Joe Hudepohl
Luka Mijatovic
Thomas Heilman
Chas Morton
I am on the fence about Murphy. He did have the World short course at 17, but didn’t really arrive until the next year.
Also on the fence about David Nolan with his 200IM swim, would have won NCAA that year so definitely honorable mention.
I don’t think Foster or Williamson make the… Read more »
Who is Joe Hudepohl?
I originally wrote Hudepohl and then forgot to add him back in. I’m embarrassed, I’m from Ohio. How could anyone forget him. Had the 50-100-200 HS national records for many years, and made then Olympics as a HS swimmer.
Yeah but Murph had to go up against Grevers + Thoman in the 100 and Clary + Lochte in the 200. 1-2 in the 100 and 1-3 in the 200 (1-2 if Lochte didn’t have the IM 30 mins before or whatever it used to be).
Legitimately he might fit the list in the 8 through 10 slots. I was just trying to leave some space in case there were any swimmers I was unaware of from the history books.
Jesse Vassallo. Didn’t he have WRs as an 18&under?
Oh he’s definitely top three with Phelps and Spitz.
Yes, 400 IM back in 1978 when he was about 17.
A lot of discussion about the men’s side, but I think the women’s side is possibly more interesting as I think the top 10 would be pretty damn restrictive as far as accomplishments.
I would not be surprised to find that one could fill out a top 10 list of age group swimmers entirely of Olympic medalists and world record holders.
Without putting too much thought into it:
Mary T Maegher
Katie Ledecky
Reagan Smith
Missy Franklin
Lydia Jacoby
Katie Hoff
Amanda Beard
Claire Curzan
Katie Grimes
Simone Manuel
This isn’t meant to be an exhaustive list as there’s definitely a recency bias. But all 10 of those names… Read more »
How are you not including Summer lmao
I’m keeping to swimmers who represented Team USA.
Diana Munz is another one.
The list might have to be restricted to individual medalists and world record holders.
Both results were extremely impressive. This young man is only 16 ! But go ahead, delete my comment…
well of course the 500 is more impressive – less people swim the 1000 – who knows what the record could be if it was an event at NCAAs each year
Agreed
Maybe they could add a fifth day to help that become a possibility. They do the same thing for DII, so…
I still don’t get why the NCAA won’t add the 1000. The Olympics added the 800/1500, so why can’t college swimming do it?
They just got rid of b finals and recently trimmed down rosters. I don’t foresee the 1000 getting at it in the current climate of NCAA swimming.
I mean realistically, there is an bargument that the stroke 50s could be added now that they’re in the Olympics. But because of the trimming down of b finals and rosters, I don’t foresee that happening either.