2023 SPEEDO WINTER JUNIOR CHAMPIONSHIPS – EAST
- December 6-9, 2023
- McCorkle Aquatic Pavilion, Columbus, OH
- Prelims: 9:00 am (EST)/ Finals: 5:00 pm (EST)
- Wednesday finals (relays only): 6:00 pm (EST)
- SCY (25 yards)
- Meet Central (USA Swimming)
- How To Watch
- Psych Sheet
- Live Results (Also available on MeetMobile)
- Day 1 Finals Live Recap
- Day 2 Prelims Live Recap
Another day, another national age group (NAG) record for 16-year-old phenom Thomas Heilman.
The Cavalier Aquatics standout dominated the 200-yard IM by more than two seconds with a winning time of 1:41.41 at the Winter Junior Championships – East meet on Thursday night in Columbus, Ohio. In the process, Heilman lowered his own U.S. boys’ 15-16 NAG record of 1:41.71 from last year’s Winter Juniors – East meet by three-tenths of a second.
Heilman was actually slower during the second half of his race tonight (30.21 breast/24.33 free), but he went out like a rocket on the first half (21.65 fly/25.22 back). His 50 butterfly leadoff of 21.65 was exactly half a second faster than his 22.15 from his previous record. He’s coming off a huge summer highlighted by a 4th-place finish in the 200-meter fly at the 2023 World Championships in Fukuoka, Japan — his first major international meet at the senior level with two years of high school remaining.
| HEILMAN NEW RECORD: | HEILMAN OLD RECORD: |
| 21.65 | 22.15 |
| 46.87 (25.22) | 47.64 (25.49) |
| 1:17.08 (30.21) | 1:17.83 (30.19) |
| 1:41.41 (24.33) | 1:41.71 (23.88) |
Before Heilman became the owner of the NAG record last December at 15 years old, Michael Andrew was the fastest 15-16 American boy ever at 1:42.77 from 2015.
Heilman is a University of Virginia commit in the Cavaliers’ stacked class of 2025 featuring fellow 200 IMer Maximus Williamson, who broke the 17-18 NAG record with a 1:41.18 on Thursday night in Westmont, Illinois. Their times would rank 4th and 3rd in the NCAA this season with another year and a half left before arriving on campus in Charlottesville.
Heilman also broke the 200 free NAG record on Wednesday night with a 800 free leadoff split of 1:32.46, shaving more than a second and a half off his previous-best 1:34.10 and erasing Williamson’s previous NAG record of 1:33.07 from Winter Juniors – West last year.
Day 2 Finals Livestream, Courtesy of USA Swimming:
BOYS 200 INDIVIDUAL MEDLEY – FINALS
Meet Record: 1:41.71, Thomas Heilman (2022)- 13-14 NAG Record: 1:45.29, Michael Andrew (2014)
15-16 NAG Record: 1:41.71, Thomas Heilman (2022)- 17-18 NAG Record: 1:41.39, David Nolan (2011)
Top 8:
- Thomas Heilman (CA-Y) – 1:41.41 **15-16 NAG & Meet Record**
- Drew Hitchcock (BAY) – 1:43.48
- Baylor Stanton (GA) – 1:44.04
- Thomas Mercer (LAK) – 1:44.05
- Gregg Enoch (CSC) – 1:44.37
- Spencer Nicholas (NAC) – 1:44.99
- Carter Lancaster (BSS) – 1:45.70
- Jake Wang (SSC) – 1:46.53
18-year-old Drew Hitchcock hit the wall in 2nd place, recording a time of 1:43.48 to slice nearly three seconds off his mark from prelims. His swim is a new personal best by 1.5 seconds, taking down his previous mark of 1:45.18 from March. Hitchcock has committed to swim at the University of Georgia next fall.
Baylor Stanton placed 3rd, out-touching Thomas Mercer by 0.01. They finished in times of 1:44.04 and 1:44.05, respectively.
It’s amazing how much progress there has been in the IM compared to the 2Fr records. Troy Dalbey at 1:33.3 back in the mid 80s. I don’t think the IM was under 1:47 back then
Separating Juniors to east and west is of course easier for travel and meet organisation but man I really wish him and Maximus were racing each other.
I mean I don’t really see how it’s easier for travel – west juniors is only ~1 small state closer and still nearly on the east coast. They may as well have combined the meets if they could find somewhere that could handle all of the athletes
It’s so awesome to see not only Heilman and Maximus swimming these insane times, but the 2-8th place times are great as well. Amazing.