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Kaii Winkler Blasts 41.96 100 FR To Become First 15-16 Year-Old To Break 42 Seconds

2023 FLORIDA GOLD COAST SCY SENIOR CHAMPIONSHIPS

  • March 16 to 19, 2023
  • SCY (25 yards)
  • Academic Village, Pembroke Pines, Florida
  • Full results under “2023 FG SCY Senior Championships on MeetMobile”

On the last night of the 2023 Florida Gold Coast Senior Championships, 16-year-old Kaii Winkler threw down the first sub-42 100 freestyle done by a 15-16 year-old. Winkler lowered his own National Age Group (NAG) record by two-tenths to clock a final time of 41.96.

All-Time Top Performers, Boys’ 100 Free, U.S. 15-16 Age Group

  1. Kaii Winkler – 41.96 (2023)
  2. Maximus Williamson – 42.49 (2022)
  3. Thomas Heilman – 42.61 (2023)
  4. Ryan Hoffer – 42.67 (2014)
  5. Jack Alexy – 42.87 (2019)

Winkler’s previous best time stood at 42.21, which he swam at Winter Juniors – East this past December. He initially broke Ryan Hoffer‘s record in November at the 2022 Florida High School State Championships, where he clocked a 42.52 to take three tenths off Hoffer’s time. His racing strategy between December and now hasn’t really changed, as both his opening and closing 50 splits were faster than they were in December.

Split Comparison:

Kaii Winkler, 2023 Florida Gold Coast SCY Senior Championships Kaii Winkler, 2022 Speedo Winter Juniors – East Kaii Winkler, 2022 Florida 1A High School State
50 20.10 20.22 20.57
100 41.96 (21.86) 42.21 (21.99) 42.52 (21.95)

This race caps off a highly successful weekend for Winkler. In addition to the 100 free, Winkler recorded personal best times in the 200 free (1:33.28), 100 fly (46.94), 50 free (19.44), and 500 free (4:23.85). His 200 freestyle time moved him to #2 all-time in the 15-16 age group, while his 50 free puts him at 3rd. His 500 was notably a 16-second drop, with his previous best time standing at 4;40.18 from 2021.

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Fun is First in SI
1 year ago

This long & lean body type always seems to make people comment about how much improvement will happen when weight training starts. Suggesting that the bulkier Nathan Adrian body type is the ideal. I’m beginning to wonder if this leanness is a few talented individuals or the new norm?

Nick
Reply to  Fun is First in SI
1 year ago

this is his potential. Thin and tall, already swimming so fast, adding strength will only make it faster
of course need add strength smart.

Last edited 1 year ago by Nick
Swimken
1 year ago

Performances like this or why I continue the love affair I have had with swimming over the past 46 years. Go Kaii!

Last edited 1 year ago by Swimken
Geo
1 year ago

Future Cal Bear?

Nick
Reply to  Geo
1 year ago

2024 super star Daniel Diehl and kaii winkler Neither of them made a commitment to which school to go to

Swimmer
Reply to  Nick
1 year ago

Diehl will go pro. IU pro group is probably the destination.

bobthebuilderrocks
Reply to  Swimmer
1 year ago

IU has a pro group?

oxyswim
Reply to  bobthebuilderrocks
1 year ago

They’ve got a couple of breaststrokers and a masters swimmer who makes vlogs. Only places with considerable number of pros these days are Florida and ASU.

nojus
Reply to  Nick
1 year ago

diehl going to nc state lol

Boxall's Railing
1 year ago

How tall is he?

VFL
1 year ago

Gosh—Winkler, Williamson, and Heilman are gonna have some epic battles over the next 5-10 years. American swimming is in good hands!!

Swim2win
Reply to  VFL
1 year ago

And that’s not even counting the 17-18 YOs like Buff and Mcfadden and Diehl

BOBFROMTHEISLAND
1 year ago

He’s been dropping a lot of time this year in both long course and short course. Got to think a relay spot on the national team this summer could be possible.

Stephen Strange
Reply to  BOBFROMTHEISLAND
1 year ago

Olympics gold in Paris, at the same age as Chalmers was in Rio.

bubo
Reply to  Stephen Strange
1 year ago

Me when popovici ceases to exist

BOBFROMTHEISLAND
Reply to  Stephen Strange
1 year ago

Lol I think Popovici has that gold more than secure next year but 2028 could be a battle between these two although this is wayyy too early for that prediction.

emma
Reply to  Stephen Strange
1 year ago

maybe on the relay but probably not individually

Vinay
Reply to  BOBFROMTHEISLAND
1 year ago

He will come in handy on relays

Swim2win
1 year ago

Slim Reaper strikes again

PFA
Reply to  Swim2win
1 year ago

Imagine this:

the Slim Reaper vs the Skinny Legend. Might be one sided now but in the not too far away future it could be a battle between the two.

Andrew
1 year ago

41.23 doesn’t seem so far out of reach now…

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Braden Keith

Braden Keith is the Editor-in-Chief and a co-founder/co-owner of SwimSwam.com. He first got his feet wet by building The Swimmers' Circle beginning in January 2010, and now comes to SwimSwam to use that experience and help build a new leader in the sport of swimming. Aside from his life on the InterWet, …

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