Weinstein Dominates U.S. 5K By 41 Seconds, Denigan Qualifies For Worlds After Missing 10K Spot

2025 Open Water National/Junior National Championships

The 2025 Open Water National and Junior Championships wrapped up today in Sarasota, Florida. On the schedule was the women’s 5k race, with competitors swimming three loops around the red-marked course, as shown below.

Last year, Ichika Kajimoto of Japan won the 5k by 14 seconds, but this year, American Claire Weinstein had other plans. Best known for her speed in the 200, 400, and 800 freestyle pool events, Weinstein dominated the final lap to win by an impressive 41 seconds. She touched the pad with a time of 1:01:33, the only competitor to finish under the 1-hour, 2-minute mark.

Since Weinstein finished 2nd in the 10k on Friday, she has now qualified for the World Championships in both open water distances, which gave her the option to compete in one or both in Singapore this July. Weinstein has decided to compete only in the 10k, and as a result, Brinkleigh Hansen, the 10k winner, has been allotted Weinstein’s vacated spot on the 5k roster. Hansen opted not to race in today’s 5k race.

While Weinstein may not have as much international open water experience as some others, she dominated the 2023 World Cup stop in Funchal, winning the 10k by more than a minute and defeating then-defending World Champion Leonie Beck of Germany.

Weinstein trains with the Sandpipers of Nevada under the guidance of coach Ron Aitken. In September of 2023, she committed to continue her swimming career at Cal, where she is expected to join the Bears in the fall of 2025.

Kajimoto adds a silver medal to her gold from last year, finishing 2nd in a time of 1:02:14, narrowly edging out American Mariah Denigan, who clocked in at 1:02:15. Denigan, who trains with Indiana University, secured a spot at the World Championships in Singapore this summer with her 3rd-place finish, as she was the second-highest American finisher.

Denigan just missed out on qualifying for the 10k on Friday, finishing 3rd behind Hansen and Weinstein, only five seconds short of a Worlds berth in that event.

Denigan, unlike Weinstein, has been a clear open water specialist for some time. She finished 8th in the 10k at the 2023 World Championships in Fukuoka, 6th in Doha, and 16th at the Paris Olympics. She also placed 15th in the 10k at the 2022 Worlds in Budapest. In the 5k, which is not an Olympic event, she was 18th in 2023 and 12th in 2024, and race it in 2022.

Notably, three-time 10K national champion Katie Grimes, who began her collegiate career with the Virginia Cavaliers in January, did not compete again today.

Open water swimming at the 2025 World Championships will take place from July 14 to 19, with pool swimming beginning on the 26th.

Top 16 Finishers:

  1. Claire Weinstein (Sandpipers Of Nevada) – 1:01:33
  2. Ichika Kajimoto (Japanese Swimming) – 1:02:14
  3. Mariah Denigan (Indiana University) – 1:02:15 (Qualified For U.S. World Championship Team)
  4. Brooke Travis (TAC Titans) – 1:02:16
  5. Misa Okuzono (Japanese Swimming) – 1:02:33
  6. Abby Dunford (Unattached Canada) – 1:03:28
  7. Becca Mann (TAC Titans) – 1:04:16
  8. Laila Oravsky (Barrie Trojan Swim Club) – 1:04:17
  9. Claire Stuhlmacher (Indiana University) – 1:04:17
  10. Bella Tramontana (Sandpipers Of Nevada) – 1:04:23
  11. Izzy Wilson (South Florida Aquatic Club) – 1:05:34
  12. Karly Boles (Germantown Academy Aquatic Club) – 1:05:35
  13. Paige Reilly (Unattached) – 1:05:36
  14. Marlene Blanke (Villanova) – 1:05:37
  15. Andrea Dworak (Rockville Montgomery Swim Club) – 1:05:39
  16. Kai Flanagan (Unattached) – 1:06:02

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Sherry Smit
4 hours ago

Correct me if I am wrong, but did Brooke Travis qualify for the team in the Team event/3km knockout sprint? Per priority #4, if there are any vacant spots on the team, the next best 10km open water swimmer will take a spot to fill the remaining spot as a team event athlete.

cheese
11 hours ago

This is such an impressive run for Claire and of course the comments are mostly about Luka. Can’t wait to see the level Claire brings this summer. Her ceiling seems quite high at the moment.

sam
11 hours ago

never mind

Last edited 11 hours ago by sam
Deez
13 hours ago

Can anyone post Luka’s race video

PFA
13 hours ago

At the age of 15 Luka Mijatovic just swam a 4:10.96 in the 500 freestyle…he’s 4 seconds faster than anyone else in his age group ever. Would have been 11th at NCAA’s that’s so wild. I am now certain he will make at least 2 finals this summer has an outside shot at making the worlds team this year but I don’t think it is his time yet unless he drops a few more seconds in his 400 which he could but I say he’s 1 year away from making his first senior international team.

But:
47.98
51.44 (1:39.42)
Half way split was 2:05.11
51.19
50.88
49.47!

Last edited 13 hours ago by PFA
Swimfanjacoby
Reply to  PFA
13 hours ago

I don’t think aaron shackell will be an issue for young mijatovic I think mijatovic goes 3:46 and makes the team behind maurer who goes a 3:44

PFA
Reply to  Swimfanjacoby
13 hours ago

It’s more that Kieran smith can draft really well whoever he’s next to domestically as well as Bobby Finke I mean I wouldn’t be shocked if he were to go that fast but he’s gotta get by those 2 specifically

PFA
Reply to  PFA
13 hours ago

I didn’t even mention Carson i don’t fully know if that conflicts with anything at worlds or trials but if not he could swim the event too

Swimfanjacoby
Reply to  PFA
12 hours ago

Forgot about carson in my mind I think he would be the biggest threat, I think kieran’s time is over on the international stage

Swimfanjacoby
13 hours ago

We need a mijatovic article asap please

doe
13 hours ago

Enjoy it while it lasts…

No Sandpiper can do long distance at their best while in college.

Last 15 Meters
Reply to  doe
13 hours ago

If I may slightly modify your claim: No Sandpiper can do long distance at their best while in college at UVA 🤭

At least Bella was in the same neighborhood as her personal bests. Katie Grimes fell into an entirely different galaxy from her personal bests. 😔

Vaswammer
Reply to  Last 15 Meters
13 hours ago

🤡🤡🤡🤡

I miss the ISL (Go dawgs)
Reply to  Last 15 Meters
12 hours ago

Bella going a 4:38 at NCAA’s is “the same neighborhood” as a 4:28, her personal best?

Last 15 Meters
Reply to  I miss the ISL (Go dawgs)
12 hours ago

Bella’s HS vs college PBs
200 free: 140.78 vs 140.90 (and a 139 split)
500 free: 428.64 vs 431.06
400 IM: 356.59 vs 400.44
PBs in off events like 100 back, 200 back, 200 im, 100 free

Katie’s HS vs college PBs
500 Free: 428.27 vs 432.19 (and got slower every time she swam it)
1650 Free: 1526.17 vs 1553.40 (and got slower every time she swam it)
400 IM: 357.02 vs 359.02 (and got slower every time she swam it)
No PBs in any off events and got slower every meet she swam

Let’s be clear: they both regressed — but certainly not at the same rate or magnitude. Charlottesville just has something special in the water ✨

doe
Reply to  Last 15 Meters
12 hours ago

Bella Sims hasn’t been a best time in an event longer than 200 yards/meters since 2022 – except for one time 2 years ago where she dropped a little in her 400 free.

47.84
14 hours ago

Mijatovic 4:10.9 500 free

swimfan27
Reply to  47.84
14 hours ago

That is utterly ridiculous

Bobthebuilderrocks
Reply to  swimfan27
13 hours ago

I dropped my phone looking at the 4:10 on meet mobile

Last edited 13 hours ago by Bobthebuilderrocks
jeff
Reply to  47.84
13 hours ago

what is that, like 5 seconds faster than anyone else in that age group?

47.84
Reply to  jeff
13 hours ago

Yes Kibler previously set nag at 4:15 at the tail end of his 16YO season

Swimfanjacoby
Reply to  47.84
13 hours ago

And mijatovic is 15