2022 Swammy Awards: Age Group Swimmer of the Year – 13-14

To see all of our 2022 Swammy Awards, click here.

2022 Honorees: Kayla Han and Baylor Stanton

Editor’s note: because of ongoing challenges with the USA Swimming results database, identifying all of the top candidates for this year’s age group awards in an objective way has been challenging. We’ve done our best to find them, but it’s possible that we missed someone obvious. If that’s the case, please let us know in the comments!

13-14 Girls

Kayla Han, La Mirada Armada (La Mirada, CA)

Kayla Han, who first made a name for herself as the youngest swimmer at U.S. Olympic Trials in June 2021, had a big year in 2022. She kicked off the year with PBs in the LCM 800 free (8:43.88), 1500 free (16:37.59), 200 fly (2:16.68), and 200 IM (2:17.98). Her 1500 time ranked her third in history among U.S. 13-year-olds and 22nd all-time in the age group. At the Phillips 66 International Team Trials in April, she placed 12th in the 400 free (4:13.22), 10th in the 800 free (8:41.02), 9th in the 1500 free (16:36.60), and 9th in the 400 IM (4:44.63), all best times. Selected to represent the United States at Junior Pan Pacific Championships, she earned a silver medal in the 400 IM, improving her PB to 4:43.60 and becoming only one of three U.S. 13-14 girls in history to break the 4:44 barrier

1. Becca Mann – 4:39.76 (2012)
2. Katie Hoff – 4:39.82 (2004)
3. Kayla Han – 4:43.60 (2022)

She also competed in the 400 free (19th in prelims), 800 free (9th with a PB of 8:35.85), and 1500 free (10th) at Junior Pan Pacs.

In November, swimming at the Kevin Perry Senior Invitational in her home pool, Han broke the National Age Group Record for 13-14 girls in the 400 IM, winning the event with 4:06.95. She took a second-and-a-half off Katie Hoff’s 2004 NAG (4:08.44).

Han finished the year with top-8 performances in the 500 free (6th), 1650 free (3rd), and 400 IM (3rd) at Winter Juniors West and improved her PB in the mile to 16:05.75. She produced the year’s top times among 13-14 girls in the SCY 200/500/1000/1650 free and 400 IM and the LCM 800 free and 400 IM.

Honorable Mention

Charlotte Crush – Lakeside Swim Team-KY: Crush broke Levenia Sim’s one-year-old National Age Group Record in the 100 back by .02 when she won the event at Winter Juniors East by half a second with 51.01. In addition, she was runner-up in the 200 back (1:52.75), 3rd in the 100 fly, 6th in the 50 free, and 9th in the 200 fly.

Crush wrapped up 2022 with the fastest times in the age group in the SCY 100/200 back and LCM 100/200 back and 100 fly.

• Kelsey Zhang – Palo Alto Stanford Aquatics-PC: Zhang turned in the most top-ten performances of any swimmer in the girls’ 13-14 age category in 2022. She led the nation in the SCY 100/200 fly and LCM 200 fly; was second in the LCM 400 free; and finished third in the LCM 100 fly, fourth in the LCM 200 IM, fifth in the SCY 400 IM and LCM 50/200/800 free, and tenth in the LCM 400 IM.

• Claire Weinstein – Sandpipers of Nevada-CA: Before aging into the 15-16s, Weinstein tied the NAG record for 13-14 girls in the LCM 200 free, going 1:58.53 in January at La Mirada’s “Road to 2022” long course meet. With that swim, she became the second 14-year-old in U.S. history to hit the NAG, tying Sippy Woodhead’s 1:58.53 from 1978. The next-fastest time belongs to Claire Tuggle, who swam a 1:58.58 at 2018 Junior Pan Pacs.

13-14 Boys

Baylor Stanton, Gwinnett Aquatics (Gwinnett, GA)

Baylor Stanton ruled the 13-14s throughout much of 2022, finishing the year atop the standings in eleven events and among the top-ten in eleven more. He began the year notching the top time, with new PBs, in every single event he entered (100/200/500/1000 free, 100/200 breast, 100/200 fly, and 100 IM) at the Georgia 14&U Short Course Championships. He went on to improve his PBs a month later at Cary Sectionals, adding lifetime bests in the 100/200 back and 200/400 IM, as well.

Still 14, he finaled in the 200 back (19th) and 200 IM (13th) at Speedo Junior Nationals in August, where he picked up new PBs in the LCM 100/200 back and 200/400 IM. Those times, as well as his SCY 50/100/200 free, 100/200 back, 200/400 IM, were the fastest in the age group for the year. He also ranked #2 in the SCY 1000/1650 free and LCM 100 free; #3 SCY 500 free and 100 fly and the LCM 200 free; #4 in the SCY 200 fly; #5 in the LCM 50 free; #7 in the LCM 400 free; #8 in the LCM 1500 free; and #9 in the LCM 800 free.

After aging into the 15-16s, Stanton dropped another half-second in the 200 free at the Georgia Short Course Championships, where he finished third. At Winter Juniors East, he improved his 100 back time by .8, his 200 back by 2.5, his 200 IM by 2.5, and his 400 IM by 3.9. The 15-year-old placed third in the 400 IM, sixth in the 200 back, tenth in the 200 IM, and 15th in the 100 back.

Runner-Up

Luka Mijatovic – Pleasanton Seahawks (Pleasanton, CA)

Our 11-12 Swimmer of the Year burst onto the 13-14 scene in mid-spring 2022 and immediately established himself as one of the fastest 13-year-old boys in history. At Winter Juniors West in December, he logged the second-fastest 200 IM (behind Michael Andrew) and 400 IM (behind Josh Zuchowski) times ever for a 13-year-old. Two weeks later, he broke the National Age Group Record in the 500 free at California/Nevada Sectionals, going 4:24.72 to undercut PLS teammate’s Lleyton Plattel’s mark from 2017 by .07. In addition to the 500 free, Mijatovic had the fastest time among all 13-14 boys for the year in the 1000 free (9:06.13).

The 13-year-old Mijatovic finished the year with a pair of top-ten rankings for 13-14 boys in the 500 free and 1000 free. He was #2 in the SCY 200 free and 400 IM; #3 in the SCY 1650 free; #4 in the SCY 200 IM; and #10 in the LCM 400/800 free.

Honorable Mention

• Sean Green – Long Island Aquatic Club-MR: Green broke the 13-14 boys’ National Age Group Record in the 1650 free with 15:05.83 at 2022 NCSA Spring Championships in March. Green came to the wall third, behind two 17-year-olds who both broke 15 minutes. Green’s time took a giant 8.3-second bit out of the previous age group mark of 15:14.17, set by Arthur Frayler in December 2008. It was the oldest record on the books.

• Sam Marsteiner – New Wave Swim Team-NC: Marsteiner rose to the top of the age group over the second half of the year. He had an outstanding meet at Speedo Junior Nationals, earning the age group’s top in the LCM 800 free (in competition) and 200 fly (in time trials). He finished the year ranked #2 in the SCY 500 free and LCM 200 free; #3 in the LCM 400 free and 200 back; #4 in the SCY 200 free and LCM 1500 free; #7 in the LCM 100 free; #8 in the LCM 100 fly; and #10 in the LCM 100 back.

Past Winners