Luka Mijatovic, a 17-year-old Californian, put up a time that drew comparisons to superstar Ian Thorpe while winning the 400-meter freestyle at the U.S. Swimming Championships in Irvine, Calif., on Friday.
Mijatovic prevailed in 3 minutes, 43.45 seconds. According to NBC Sports, the only swimmer ever to better that time at age 18 or younger was Thorpe. The Australian captured Olympic gold in 2000 at age 17 in 3:40.59, and he put up similar times before reaching 18. Thorpe ultimately amassed nine Olympic medals, five of them gold.
Mijatovic’s mark was the best ever by a U.S. teen.
Another U.S. youngster, 19-year-old Ryan Erisman, was runner-up to Mijatovic in 3:44.39. William Mulgrew came in third at 3:47.88.
Madi Mintenko knocked more than three seconds off her personal best while capturing the championship in the women’s 400 freestyle. She touched in 4:04.54, well ahead of her prior personal mark of 4:08.06.
Kate Hurst (4:06.45) and Cavan Gormsen (4:07.81) rounded out the top three.
Isabelle Stadden capped her perfect week of backstroke competition, adding the 100-meter title to her championships in the 50 and the 200. Her time of 58.06 left her far ahead of Maggie Wanezek (58.76) and Claire Curzen (58.83).
McKenzie Siroky outdueled five-time Olympic medalist Kate Douglass to prevail in a tight women’s 100 breaststroke final. Siroky finished in 1:05.64, two-100s of a second faster than Douglass. Emma Weber wound up in third place at 1:06.92.
The men’s 100 breaststroke wasn’t nearly as hotly contested. Alexei Avakov came in first at 58.87 seconds. Nate Germonprez (59.51) and Watson Nguyen (59.79) finished second and third, respectively.
Owen McDonald topped the field in the men’s 100 backstroke at 53.43 seconds. Ulises Saravia (53.70) and Jack Wilkening (53.78) were McDonald’s closest pursuers.
The meet concludes Saturday.
–Field Level Media
