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Kaii Winkler Optimistic About New Generation of US Male 200 Freestylers

2023 PRO SWIM SERIES – FORT LAUDERDALE

Kaii Winkler had a great weekend in Ft Lauderdale, swimming best times in many of his events, including his favorite, the 100 freestyle, where he clocked a new 15-16 National Age Group Record at 48.81. Winkler said this drop mirrored the hard training he has put in over this last season since the 2022 Jr Pan Pacific Championships. Winkler also mentions the progression of many of his Jr pan pac teammates, saying that with the likes of himself, Henry McFadden, and Aaron Shackell (all of whom are 1:33-mid to 1:32-high in the 200y freestyle), the next generation of US male 200 freestyles is going to be special.

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Gummy Shark
1 year ago

He will be a force to reckon with at Texas

Olsswim05
1 year ago

The concern I have here is the implication that 200yds can carry over to meters. Turns and underwaters play too great a roll in the shorter races to say much about fitness carry over in LCM. From Americans in the past few cycles, we have seen time and time again, aside from a few outliers, that the best 100m swimmers had great 200yds and the best 200m started our as great 500yds swimmers. Look at the rosters of US men going 145 mid and faster. MOST of them had been consistently 4:10 or faster. Yes they likely could swim a 1:32 or faster, but fitness required for a good 200m long course seems to be much closer to the fitness… Read more »

-_-
1 year ago

swimswam, I enjoy hearing what these crazy fast youngsters have to say about their performances. Their attitudes seemed to have changed just as much as the records.

Summer Mcintosh flat out saying rest doesn’t matter. Kaii brazenly calling himself a “morning guy” (see Carson too, here). In all cases it’s an absolute inability to do anything but shoot for a big PB every time.

snailSpace
Reply to  -_-
1 year ago

I think a really important factor which is usually overlooked is the one major advantage young swimmers (read: teenagers) have over older ones (read: non-junior): fast recovery. Rest doesn’t matter to Summer because she is 16 years old. Kaii Winkler can afford to be a “morning guy” because he is also 15-16. Popovici could partake in 4 major meets in 2022 because he was 17/18.
Athletes in general seem to be reaching their peak forms at much younger ages (see the last few Tour de France winners: all of them classified as “young riders (under 26 years of age)” in a sport where athletes usually peak at 27-33). It’s possible we will see a 1:43-1:44 200 free from Heilman… Read more »

Sub13
1 year ago

GB seems to have Paris locked for the 200 relay (barring any freak accidents or a DQ) but USA certainly looking dangerous after that

KeithM
Reply to  Sub13
1 year ago

The US went 7:00 flat at worlds last year. OK pencil in GB as favorites prescriptively…for now. But a lot can change quickly in this sport. It’s always fun to take a trip in the hindsight machine to look at many things that seemed “locked in” only to be turned on it’s head in short order. Very few events are *really* locked in…and the only relay that probably applies to is Australia in the women’s sprint relay.

Sub13
Reply to  KeithM
1 year ago

That’s still 1.5 seconds slower than GB in Tokyo. And Dean in Tokyo was literally 1.5 seconds slower than his flat start time.

I’m not saying it’s impossible for them to lose, I’m just saying that for them to lose it would take some big unexpected stuff ups… which certainly has happened.

Kevin
Reply to  Sub13
1 year ago

That’s fair but I think GB also has some real question marks with their 4×200, Duncan Scott has been struggling with some real health issues and James Guy is starting to get a little older. Whereas besides Kieran Smith the US is just a lot younger and should be on the rise. Definitely should be a great race

snailSpace
Reply to  Kevin
1 year ago

Well Richards and Whittle seem to have a lot of potential, and they are both really young still.

KeithM
Reply to  Sub13
1 year ago

This is the 800 relay. Not the 400 relay. 1.5 sec is not the margin you seem to imagine. One swimmer slightly off on one leg & one swimmer improving in the other direction on the other (+/- .75sec) can account for that. GB may be the favorites from our present vantage point. But certain things still need to fall into place for their anointed moment to become a reality. The Australian women’s team can still sustain their success if things go awry for one or even two of their main swimmers. That’s unlikely for team GB. So viewing them as “locked in” is definitely overstating it.

Maxhardie
Reply to  Sub13
1 year ago

How fast will Heilman, Winkler and Shackell swim next year at Trials? Seems that Smith has not improve since Tokyo…

PhillyMark
Reply to  Maxhardie
1 year ago

Plus the likes of Maximus and McFadden

chazoozle
Reply to  Sub13
1 year ago

seeing that there is no 200 relay i am going to downvote this

Dee
Reply to  Sub13
1 year ago

GB have to be a warm favourite, yes, but no relay is “locked”. I struggle to see the US having GBRs firepower by Paris, but you never know with youngsters.

RaCer
1 year ago

Hard to say who will be the next 1:42 200 freestyler. Look how many times we have seen 1:29-1:31 in yards and think this will be the guy(s).

John26
Reply to  RaCer
1 year ago

Based on the LC achievements of the guys who have gone 1:29, 1:42 LC is something like 1:27.

James
1 year ago

I would enjoy seeing another American get under 1:45 200 m free. Honestly for the incredible performances put out at the NCAA level in the yards, it feels like that time is long overdue

Last edited 1 year ago by James
Curious
Reply to  James
1 year ago

Really makes you think with how many 1:30 1:31 swimmers there are that 1:42 Phelps probably goes a 1:27 maybe even a 1:26

James
Reply to  Curious
1 year ago

I think Phelps went something like a 1:32.08 – which at the time was an American Record – in 2005. I think it’s hard to say exactly what he would have done if he was swimming yards in his 08-09 prime…I don’t honestly think Phelps cared one bit about yards swimming after he made his first Olympics at 15.

JimSwim22
Reply to  James
1 year ago

The yards record has lagged the meters for decades. Biondi went 1:33 flat when the meter record was 1:47. Only 3 1/2 second drop since then in yards but 5 1/2 in meters

Last edited 1 year ago by JimSwim22
Hank
Reply to  JimSwim22
1 year ago

We don’t really have the equivalent of Paul Biedermann in yards. Dean Farris?

Mr Piano
Reply to  James
1 year ago

Phelps put all his cards in for long course when he turned pro in 2001, but Marchand is proving that you can be exceptional at both.

uwk
Reply to  Mr Piano
1 year ago

He may indeed prove that. Hasn’t quite yet tho

Dee
1 year ago

Slightly off topic, but as he is a talented 200 freestyler I thought I’d ask here… Does anybody know if Aaron Shackell is related to Nick Shackell (former British 100 freestyle record holder)? Some real similarities.

Lab Counter
Reply to  Dee
1 year ago

His son

Dee
Reply to  Lab Counter
1 year ago

Ah, what a small world. Thanks!

Christopher
1 year ago

wait until he puts on some muscle. Look out

Lab Counter
Reply to  Christopher
1 year ago

People have said that about Popovici. Maybe this body type is more optimal?

draft chaser
Reply to  Lab Counter
1 year ago

fast comes in all sizes

About Coleman Hodges

Coleman Hodges

Coleman started his journey in the water at age 1, and although he actually has no memory of that, something must have stuck. A Missouri native, he joined the Columbia Swim Club at age 9, where he is still remembered for his stylish dragon swim trunks. After giving up on …

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