2023 WORLD JUNIOR SWIMMING CHAMPIONSHIPS
- September 4 – 9, 2023
- Netanya, Israel
- Wingate Institute
- LCM (50m)
- Meet Central
- How To Watch
- Psych Sheets
- Live Results
- Day 1 Finals Live Recap
On the first day of the 2023 World Junior Championships, 17-year-old Lorne Wigginton took down the 15-17 Canadian NAG twice. In prelims, Wigginton swam 3:50.72, breaking Jeremy Bagshaw‘s record of 3:52.03 that had stood since 2009.
Then in finals, Wigginton cracked the 3:50 barrier for the first time in his career, lowering the NAG record again to 3:49.05. Wigginton finished 4th, just off the podium by .32 seconds.
In addition to being a new NAG record, his finals swim ranks Wigginton #3 all-time in Canadian history.
Top 5 Canadians All-Time, Men’s 400 Free
- Ryan Cochrane — 3:43.46 (2014)
- Jeremy Bagshaw — 3:448.82 (2017)
- Lorne Wigginton — 3:49.05 (2023)
- Andrew Hurd — 3:49.08 (2006)
- Peter Brothers — 3:49.35 (2021)
It’s been a year of improvement for Wigginton, who is committed to Michigan for fall 2024. He represented Canada internationally for the first time at this summer’s World Championships. In Fukuoka, Wigginton finished 9th in the 400 IM, swimming a personal best and Canadian NAG 4:13.75.
Back in the 400 freestyle, Wigginton took 5.27 seconds off his personal best time today. Prior to diving in during prelims, Wigginton’s personal best was a 3:54.32 from March’s Canadian Trials. Before that, his best was a 3:56.32 from 2022 Junior Pan Pacs, meaning that in just over 12 months, Wigginton has dropped 7.27 seconds.
| Wigginton – 2023 World Juniors Finals | Wigginton – 2023 World Juniors Prelims | Bagshaw – 2009 CA North American Challenge | Wigginton – 2023 Canadian Trials | |
| 100 | 55.23 | 55.11 | 55.69 | 56.55 |
| 200 | 1:53.34 (58.11) | 1:54.27 (59.16) | 1:54.89 (59.20) | 1:55.97 (59.42) |
| 300 | 2:51.73 (58.39) | 2:53.21 (58.94) | 2:54.20 (59.31) | 2:56.42 (1:00.45) |
| 400 | 3:49.05 (57.32) | 3:50.72 (57.51) | 3:52.03 (57.83) | 3:54.32 (57.90) |
Compared to his prelims pace, Wigginton’s second 100 was the big difference maker. In finals, he was almost a second faster than he was in prelims, keeping himself sub-59 seconds. And, he was still able to outsplit himself on the back two 100s as well. In both his prelims and finals swims, the difference between Wigginton and Bagshaw was his middle 200, where he was able to avoid two 50-splits.
Wigginton’s swim kicked off a stellar night for the Canadian world junior team. Ella Jansen and Julie Brousseau went 2-3 in the girls 400 IM, and Canada earned bronze in both the boys’ 4×100 free and girls’ 4×200 free relays.
🎉🦖