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)
- Thursday night heat sheet
- Day 2 finals live recap
14-year old Thomas Heilman has re-broken his own National Age Group Record in the 50 meter freestyle. Heilman finished 7th in the A-Final of the U.S. Open on Thursday evening, clocking in at 22.95.
That swim broke his own record of 22.99 from prelims, which in turn broke Michael Andrew’s record of 23.19 from 2014.
Heilman was born in 2007. Not only was he the youngest entrant in the 50 free field by two years, but he is also the youngest male swimmer entered in the meet in any race.
The next-youngest swimmer to finish ahead of him in the 50 free was Adam Chaney, a sophomore at the University of Florida, who was born in March 2002. Chaney finished 2nd in the race in 22.37, .01 seconds behind the Olympic bronze medalist Bruno Fratus. Fratus, the oldest swimmer in the field, is 32.
Heilman trains with Cavalier Aquatics in Charlottesville, Virginia. That club, which was previously a club representation for University of Virginia swimmers, merged with Heilman’s club CYAC late last year.
He currently trains primarily under Gary Taylor, the club’s new head coach. Taylor was previously the head coach at Auburn for 3 years until he and the program “mutually agreed to part ways” after 3 years.
Taylor’s biggest successes came as the distance coach at NC State, where he coached, among others, Anton Ipsen to the 2018 NCAA Championship in the 1650 free. Coaching Heilman, who has broken national age group records throughout his rise through the age groups, to a sprint record shows off that Taylor can coach more than just distance, however.
Heilman is scheduled to race the 100 fly, 100 free, 200 free, and 200 fly later in the meet.
Heilman now holds 11 National Age Group Records in the 10 & under, 11-12, and 13-14 age groups. In the long course 13-14 age group record book, he already holds the 100 free (51.20) and 100 fly (54.45) records, so those records are in danger later in the meet as well.
Already ties him for 61st in the 17-18 all time times
Few things how fast was David Popovici in the 50 at 14? We’ll see how it goes in the next few days but if thomas has really worked on his last 50, he could potentially become one of the youngest ever under 50 along with David and whittle.
23.03 at the same meet he went 49.82
bruh I thought the guy in the photo was late-teens, he’s FOURTEEN???
And it’s an “archive” photo… from how long ago and what does he look like today?
This photo is from this meet!
The photo is either from this meet or from futures this summer I think.
fwiw, his face looks exactly like a 14 year olds. not younger, not older
He quite clearly looks lot older than 14. We all said the same about Chalmers and it didn’t stop him improving well in to his 20s so it doesn’t necessarily mean anything, but he does look like he could be an early maturer.
maximus williamsons 200fr NAG he set is in danger lol
“Born in 2007”
“22.95”
👁👄👁
Woof, I saw that and thought the exact same thing. Time flies