WATCH: Kaii Winkler Lowers Caeleb Dressel’s 200 FR Record, Then Breaks 100 FR NAG Mark

2022 FHSAA 1A CHAMPIONSHIPS

  • Nov. 17-18
  • Sailfish Splashpark Aquatic Athletics Center
    • Stuart, Florida
  • SCY (25 yards)
  • Results on MeetMobile: “2022 FHSAA Swimming & Diving Championship-1A”

Come for Kaii Winkler‘s effortless freestyle stroke, stay for his splashy celebration after breaking the 15-16 National Age Group (NAG) record in the 100-yard freestyle earlier this month at the Florida 1A High School Championships.

The homeschooled 16-year-old began the finals session by throwing down an impressive 18.98 freestyle anchor split in the boys 200-yard medley relay. Winkler’s South Florida Heat squad placed second out of lane five (lane one is closest to the camera).

Then only about 10 minutes later, Winkler won the 200 freestyle with a time of 1:34.18, breaking Caeleb Dressel‘s Florida high school record of 1:34.69 from nine years ago. Swimming as the top seed out of lane four, he shaved over a second off his previous best 1:35.41 from March.

Winkler was just getting started. In the 100 free final, he clocked a 42.52 to reset the 15-16 NAG record set by Ryan Hoffer in 2014. In the process, he also broke a decade-old Florida high school record (42.95) belonging to Ryan Murphy. The record-breaking win was certainly deserving of a huge celebration afterward (lane four).

Winkler is now just a couple tenths away from the national high school record of 42.34 held by David Nolan since 2011. It was his first time sub-43 as he improved upon his previous best of 43.04 from March.

Winkler is continuing his momentum from the Junior Pan Pacs in August, when he brought home a silver medal in the 50-meter freestyle (22.50) and helped the 400 free relay team set a world junior record. He anchored the relay with a 48.95 to help the U.S. take down the previous mark by just one one-hundredth of a second.

Winkler, who competes at the club level for Eagle Aquatics, was ranked as the No. 3 recruit in SwimSwam’s way-too-early rankings for the class of 2024.

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ardy43
1 year ago

I will tell you this! This young man is built JUST like POPOVICI! Stream lined! Smooth silky freestyle stroke! This could be the US’ answer to POPOVICI in the near future! JMHO!

Andrew
1 year ago

Hoffer’s 41.23 doesn’t seem too far out of the realm… but I doubt it

Swimgeek
Reply to  Andrew
1 year ago

That’s such an epic record, but he’s got a LONG time to go as a 17-18. He remains 15-16 at least through March. I’m fairly certain he’s class of 2024 — which means he will still be 18 for freshman year conf champs meets – and perhaps for 2025 NCAAs also. Anyone know when his actual b-day is?

anonymous
Reply to  Swimgeek
1 year ago

The videos mentioned he was classified as a sophomore, which would mean high school class of 2025, but he is homeschooled, so who really knows when he’s going to graduate. So that high school lucked out in picking up Kaii as a homeschool athlete.

25Back
1 year ago

Anyone else notice that he straight-arms the first two strokes out of the breakout and then transitions to his normal technique? I’m sure that it works (he just broke a NAG record), I’ve just never seen it before (I guess Nathan Adrian straight-arms the last few strokes into the finish, but I’ve never seen it just out of the breakout).

Steve Nolan
Reply to  25Back
1 year ago

I was going to mention that, couldn’t tell if it was some weird angle or something he was actually doing.

Sunday Morning Grind
Reply to  25Back
1 year ago

Thorpe and Hackett experimented with it in the early 2000s. Some others whom I can’t recall from that era also tried a quicker 1-2 freestyle breakout that almost looked like a survival butterfly

Dude
1 year ago

This dude is the real deal.

Swimgeek
1 year ago

“Chlorine baby” – growing up fast

Andrew
1 year ago

This kid is insane

BOBFROMTHEISLAND
1 year ago

Is this US Government’s response to the Romanian superweapon?

Obviously still too early to say, but he’s a very promising prospect.

R&R
Reply to  BOBFROMTHEISLAND
1 year ago

I think the US government ought to throw some money at the project. 😉

Hank
Reply to  BOBFROMTHEISLAND
1 year ago

There’s similarities in the stroke technique perhaps. Hard to tell anything conclusive from this video.

Bayliss
Reply to  BOBFROMTHEISLAND
1 year ago

Kaii Winkler- the big K, the big Potassium. Will he be able to neutralize the Chlorine Daddy somewhere down the road? Time will tell.

Last edited 1 year ago by Bayliss
NONA
Reply to  BOBFROMTHEISLAND
1 year ago

Will he compete representing USA? I know he has competed at some German national championships.

coachymccoachface
Reply to  NONA
1 year ago

I mean he was at Pan Pacs this summer?

NONA
Reply to  coachymccoachface
1 year ago

Thanks I missed that

Swimmer Gal
1 year ago

So similar to David’s stroke and same body build too!!

Demarrit Steenbergen
Reply to  Swimmer Gal
1 year ago

Except probably 2 inches taller. Seems to be same hight as kibler. Chlorine father is 6’3”

About Riley Overend

Riley is an associate editor interested in the stories taking place outside of the pool just as much as the drama between the lane lines. A 2019 graduate of Boston College, he arrived at SwimSwam in April of 2022 after three years as a sports reporter and sports editor at newspapers …

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