2021 US OPEN CHAMPIONSHIPS
- Wednesday, December 1 – Saturday, December 4, 2021
- Greensboro Aquatic Center, Greensboro, NC
- LCM (50m)
- Meet Info
- Meet Central
- Psych Sheets
- Live stream
- Live Results (Omega)
- Day 3 Prelims Live Recap
For the 2nd time in about 30 minutes, 14-year old Thomas Heilman of Cavalier Aquatics has broken a National Age Group Record.
The latest came in the 200 free, where he swam 1:51.27. Unlike previous records this week in the 100 fly (53.43 earlier in the session) and 50 free (22.95 in Thursday final, 22.99 in Thursday prelims), Heilman wasn’t the previous holder of this record.
Instead, the old record holder was Maximus Williamson of the North Texas Nadadores, who swam 1:53.04 over the summer at the West Fargo Futures Championships.
Splits Comparison:
| Thomas Heilman | Maximus Williamson | ||
| New 13-14 Record | Old 13-14 Record | Previous PB | |
| 50m | 26.28 | 25.47 | 26.44 |
| 100m | 28.09 | 28.51 | 29.30 |
| 150m | 28.99 | 29.61 | 29.15 |
| 200m | 27.91 | 29.45 | 28.65 |
| Final Time | 1:51.27 | 1:53.04 | 1:53.54 |
In sticking with the theme from his 100 fly earlier in the session, Heilman’s opening speed is as good as it has always been, but he’s really showing big progress in the closing portions of his swims.
For comparison to the ‘gold standard’ of young middle distance freestylers, former World Record holder Ian Thorpe swam 1:50.07 at the 1997 Australian Championships and 1:51.46 at the 1997 Pan Pac Championships, both when he was 14.
Heilman now holds 12 National Age Group Records in the 10 & under, 11-12, and 13-14 age groups. He’s also scheduled to swim the 100 free later this meet, where he holds the current record in 51.20, and the 200 fly, where Michael Phelps holds the current record in 1:59.02. His best time in the 200 fly is 2:02.25.
I could see him taking another half second at least off the 200 tonight. I think he only had about 10 mins in between swims. It will be another quick turnaround tonight but hopefully will get closer to 20 mins.
i saw Maximus swim this NAG… now seeing it broken by almost 2 seconds in insane
hes too fast….
I’ve LITERALLY not heard “swims too fast” in swimming context, since hearing a girl from my club team talk about the EEast Germans she swam against when we were at Foxcatcher, and she swam at the USA womens international in early ’80, just before boycott rumors began. He’s not TOO fast. Other’s just aren’t as physiologically gifted as he is.
I’ll agree to this if you do. But to understand, you need to fully know of and appreciate just how far ahead of everyone else was including the East Germans. Mary T meagher’s200 fly WR in 81- she had NO competition, as 2nd place was 6 or 7 seconds behind. Lasted for almost 20 years. Sports Illustrated listed that swim as their 5th greatest individual athletic performance of the last century. The current 200 fly womens WR at 2:01; not only too fast, but very dubious to say the least.
Absolutely Insane swims. 53.4 in the 100 flyl and 1:51.2 in the 200 free are unreal. Can’t wait to see what he does at the Olympic trials in 2024.
Also massive respect to Thorpe, 1:50.0 in a brief when he was 14? What the hell?
and also at 14, in the 97 Australian World champs trials, his 400 free that got him on that team to Perth where he became the youngest male swimming world champ- he was just above a 3:50 in early ’97, not sure what he did at trials, but was it 3:46 400 free when he just out touched teammate Hackett?
The next Michael Andrew!
I have a feeling this kid could bring his 2im home under 30
Agreed! I think it was when I first heard Matt Biondi and Spitz comparison’s leading up to Seoul, and when asked in an interview if he was going to be the next Mark Spitz, he said I want to be the first Matt Biondi. Can be hard to see it this way, but comparisons can be seen as both a negative towards the person being compared to (Spitz) and undue pressure on the one being asked that question and unfair to not acknowledge that using the the “next….”phrase can potentially be an affront to someone trying to be better whether in a different way or in winning more golds. Matt was specifically quoted as saying his goal leaving Seoul was… Read more »