video captured by Jack Spitser.
After becoming the youngest US male to ever break 8:00 in the 800 free, SwimSwam caught up with distance star Luka Mijatovic at Summer Jrs. Luka credits his consistent time drops this whole summer to his hard training, revealing the hardest sets he can remember from this season. It is 13×300, descending 1-10 with 3 ez 300s in the set throughout.
I don’t think Luka or his group does doubles. Someone correct me if I’m wrong here, but looking at Pleasanton’s site it looks like the senior group only has practice every afternoon Monday – Friday and a Saturday morning…
Wrong. Senior group is not the top group, senior elite is. Senior elite has 9-10 practices a week, with 3-4 double days depending on the week.
Thanks for clarifying. So the kid is going to be a freshman in high school next year and based on his 7:59 800 he just put up, I think many agree he has a chance to make the Paris Olympic team next year. Not many people, let alone a 15 year old can claim they have that outside chance to make the team so I hope he decides to focus his training on OTs and go for it!! Join your high school swimming team sophomore year and take your Freshman year off and stick to your club program. Could really pay off!
Most states don’t force you to practice with hs teams like Indiana
I hope they don’t burn him out with over-training. I would mix in some USRPT like Michael Andrew does so that he has longevity in the sport.
I’m sure Luka will be okay. he actually knows how to close a race ☠️
Ouch
(I love mandrew btw)
Luka needs conditioning to race beyond 50m
Work works, why change what’s working.
Nice to see a classic freestyle set still working on the youngins
Descend 1-4
5 backoff
Continue descend 6-8
9 backoff
Continue descend 10-11
12 backoff
13 Blastoff
I was expecting it to be way
more brutal than that surprising
Way to go Luka!
Depends on the intervals
I remember seeing this kid at 10 years old when he raced for Santa Clara at Far Westerns. He had a wonderful coach who was supremely positive with him before his races. Just awesome seeing the follow thru to now
Thank you. It was always a pleasure to work with the kids, including Luka.
I’ve been told by multiple coaches in the bay area (from competing teams with SCSC/Quicksilver) that Mark is one of the best Age Group coaches in the nation.
I can’t believe this kid was born in 2009. That’s disgusting