The Michael Andrew train is on a roll, and good luck slowing it down. After breaking the 11-12 50 yard free National Age Group Record two weeks ago in Columbia, Missouri, he set three more this past weekend in Fishers, Indiana. This brings his total up to 9 National Age Group marks.
First to go down was the 50 free, where he swam a 21.85. That bested his 22.08 (before that, the record was a 22.17 from Andrew Jovanovic in 2007). This breaks a significant barrier, as he becomes the first 11-12 year old to ever go sub-22 seconds in the 50 free. For those eyeballing his next challenge, the 13-14 record is a 20.79.
First to go down was the 50 breaststroke record when he swam a 28.24 on Saturday. That betters the old mark set by Chris Miller all the way back in 1994 (remember that 12 & under records are much less tainted than those in older age groups, as the rubber suits were quickly banished by USA Swimming for the younger age groups).
As proof that this time wasn’t a fluke, he actually went the same 28.24 the evening before in a time trial.
And finally, he wrapped the meet up with a 24.04 in the 50 fly, which clears a record set by Andrew Snabes in 2003. Snabes was a monster of a 12-year old (he was rumored to have grown a full-blown beard by the time he was 13), though his development slowed down when he got to high school.
Ryan Thiel (co-author of our Swim Your Swim sub-blog) was at the meet, and sent me a text profesizing that there was no way that Andrew was done breaking records. Not only is he a big kid, but he was described as having phenomenal technique. That credit would go to his father, Peter Andrew, who coaches him in Lawrence, Kansas after a recent move from South Dakota.
There’s always concern that these younger records are broken by huge kids who fizzle out as others catch up in size, but to break a 50 free record by (so far) four-tenths of a second means that there’s is an incredibly strong stroke foundation behind these times.
The next-fastest 11-12 year old boy this season in the 50 free is Lliam Dolan of the Central Florida Marlins in 22.71.
We have videos of Andrews swims, and they will be uploaded sometime this evening. Check back soon.
My kids trained with Michael for a few years in South Dakota. I even raced him for the fun of it. At the start of our race he exploded off and hit the water before I even launched myself. After the race he said he listened for me to hit the water so he would know how far ahead he was. He has always been a joy to watch. His dad believed in perfect swimming all the time. I believe he will be swimming in the Olympics.
My daughter trains in the same pool that Michael Andrew trains in , I enjoy watching him train but swimmer fan may be talking about the wrong kid as I never see Michael doing more than 2500 yards in a practice . If this is all the olimpians are doing then my child is ready to be an Olympian .
His next stop is the Tom Dolan Invitational hosted by the Curl Burke Swim Club – this year being held at the University of Maryland.
I have seen him swim too and he is pretty legit. Heard a rumor though that he is moving to Australia.
Yes Michael Andrew is a beast and he will swim at the Tom Dolan Invitational. He’s good in all strokes. I studied NAG records and there are two possibilities for his future. He will be a swimmer like Michael Phelps who is the greatest swimmer of all time or he will be a swimmer like Chas Morton who was impressive in the youth ranks but has disappeared in the senior ranks. Can’t wait for the answer.
I know Michael Andrew personally from when he swam in South Dakota. The kid is a beast, no doubt about it. He has been training like an elite olympian since he was 9 years old though. He’s over 6 foot by now I suspect. He’s been a freak since the beginning so it will be interesting to see where he ends up. Maybe an early peaker, but we’ll see.
I honestly won’t be surprised if he beats some of Chas Morton’s records now, and if he’s a very technical swimmer, he won’t be going away very soon. I remember when Missy Franklin was 12, and she won high point at the 2008 NCSA Juniors. It seems like he is the same type of fast that she is, and he doesn’t turn 13 until the beginning of the 2012 long course season.