National Junior Team swimmer ‘aukai Lileikis dominated his final short course Hawaiian Age Group Championship meet last weekend by picking up 13 wins in 15 events for the 17-18 age group, including a sweep of the relays with his Aulea Swim Club teammates.
Lileikis is a versatile IM’er, and so unsurprisingly his perfect weekend of competition (the only three races he didn’t win, he didn’t enter) included wins across every stroke, and 6 new personal best times.
The highlights of the weekend came in the freestyles, where he dropped half-a-second in the 100 to a 43.63, and over half-a-second in the 200 to a 1:34.96. He also dipped under the 20-second barrier in the 50 free for the first time.
Lileikis’ full weekend’s worth of results (* – lifetime best):
- 50 free – 19.95*
- 100 free – 43.63*
- 200 free – 1:34.96*
- 500 free – 4:31.55
- 100 back – 49.94*
- 100 breast – 56.34
- 100 fly – 48.36*
- 200 IM – 1:47.33*
Lileikis is a senior in high school and this time is just four-tenths of a second away from Grant Shoults’ National Independent High School Record in the 200 yard free. Shoults is also a senior, and both swimmers reside in states where the high school championship season comes in the spring semester, although Shoults will run into championship season in California late enough in the season that he will have to make some choice about his approach to the pending U.S. Olympic Trials in early July.
The California championship season falls in May, whereas Hawaii’s championship will be from February 12th-13th.
Full meet results available here.
‘Aukai just completed his 4th yr of polo in Nov. Factor that in.
Dadsmate,
Always interesting to get feedback from somebody that actaually knows the young athlete. So, if I can get this correct, ‘Aakai was competing on his school water polo team in Nov, which implies less time for pure swimming training. Was he fully rested for the championship, and/or do you believe he can better his times in the high school championship meet later this spring
If you know, does ‘Aakai see himself as a free sprinter (50/100) or does he believe his best college events will be in his “longer” events, eg 200 free and 200 IM?
I can tell you that college swim fans in Norcal are looking forward to seeing how the young man competes and develops over… Read more »
Dude ‘Aukai is such a boss. Makes you look like a fool in the water, but will treat everyone the same out of the pool whether your the fastest, slowest, youngest, or oldest swimmer there. Huge respect out to this big boy, I know there are huge things in store for him
Braden,
Thanks for keeping us posted on the nation’s best prep swimmers.
By my very rough calculations mainly using data published in Swim Swam’s “TOP 20 SWIMMING RECRUITS IN THE BOYS HIGH SCHOOL CLASS OF 2016” article back in July, ‘Aukai Lileikis’ recent times may place him top 3 or 4 in the 50/100/200 freestyle, and possibly a top 5 in the 200 IM for the 2016 class. This depends or course, upon improved times from other swimmers as well.
‘Aukai Lileikis was not mentioned in Jared’s original top 20 list for good reason, as ‘Aukai Lileikis’ Dec 24th times were almost lifetime bests across the board. But based on these times where roughly do you think the Cal recruit… Read more »
H20 lover – it’s really hard to say, because there are still many swimmers who won’t have had their taper meet in yards (or who may not have one at all because of Trials) during their senior year. He’s certainly quite versatile, which increases his value to teams with many different needs, and a sub-20 sprinter is always fantastic. I would say this would probably put him in the low top 10 range, when compared apples-to-apples with the rest of the class when they’re done, but he’ll still have his hs state championship to make another run at big times.
Braden,
Thanks for your prompt and informed response. After I wrote the original question I did go back and tried to get caught up with various Dec meets and Lileikis remains in the top 4/5 for the 2016 class in the 50/100/200 and 200 IM so my guess was he would be in the 8-15 range which makes him a pretty nice recruit for Cal. I also noticed how well a couple of Michigan recruits performed in Dec meets, including Jacob Montague and Jeremy Babinet.
I am looking forward to your ranking of 2016 recruiting classes, although I know it will be mid-August before you get to the top squads. For the men, Cal, Michigan and Stanford look to… Read more »
Any relation to Duke Kahanamoku?
Awesome. Go bears.