16-Year-Old Luka Mijatovic Makes Waves with a 1:32.73 Victory in the 200 Free at the CA/NV Sectionals
The excitement at the 2025 CA/NV December Sectionals is palpable, especially after the remarkable achievements of 16-year-old Luka Mijatovic. Set to take place from December 19 to 22, 2025, in Walnut, California, this event showcases some of the best talents in competitive swimming. And here’s where it gets truly fascinating: Mijatovic, fresh off a stunning performance where he shattered a National Age Group Record in the 1650-yard freestyle, nearly captured another record on Saturday.
With a time of 1:32.73 in the 200-yard freestyle, Mijatovic came within a hair's breadth of breaking Thomas Heilman's record of 1:32.46 that stands for his age group. Just three-tenths of a second separated him from etching his name further into the record books.
A Closer Look at His Performance:
To understand Mijatovic's impressive swim, let’s break down his splits:
- 50 yards: 21.86 (previous best) vs. 21.38 (new best)
- 100 yards: 23.61 vs. 23.36
- 150 yards: 24.02 vs. 23.91
- 200 yards: 24.03 vs. 24.08
- Total Time: 1:33.52 (previous best) vs. 1:32.73 (current time) vs. 1:32.46 (record)
Previously, Mijatovic had clocked a winning time of 1:33.52 at the California High School State Championship last year while representing Pleasanton-Foothill High School. Interestingly, while his endurance was on full display during his record-breaking mile, it was his explosive speed at the start of the race that propelled him to this new personal best. Most of his improvement came within the first 100 yards of this event.
By achieving this remarkable time, Mijatovic has now become only the second 15-16 year-old male swimmer to dip below the 1:33 mark in this event. Here’s a look at the top five all-time performers for the Boys’ 15-16 200-yard freestyle:
1. Thomas Heilman: 1:32.46 – 2023
2. Luka Mijatovic: 1:32.73 – 2025
3. Maximus Williamson: 1:33.07 – 2022
4. Kaii Winkler: 1:33.28 – 2023
5. Drew Kibler: 1:33.30 – 2017
Mijatovic’s earlier performance included an impressive 14:30.01 in the 1650 freestyle, where he broke his own record by over seven seconds. Additionally, he showcased his versatility by contributing to his team’s success in various relay events, including a 19.79 split in the 200 free relay and an anchor leg of 43.43 in the 400 medley relay. Notably, he also secured a lifetime best in the 400 IM, finishing in 3:40.96 on Saturday, marking the second-fastest time in age group history, just behind future Texas teammate Maximus Williamson, who recorded 3:39.83 in 2022.
As Mijatovic doesn’t turn 17 until April 22, 2026, he may have one last opportunity at the Far Western Championships to pursue records in yards before reaching this milestone age.
This competition follows the recent long course U.S. Open, where he achieved personal bests in several events, although he fell short of his best time in the 200 free by over two seconds.
Highlights from Day 2:
- Alyssa Ton, another talented 16-year-old from Novaquatics, clinched victory in the 200 free with a time of 1:45.18, placing her among the top 40 in age group history. She narrowly edged out National Team member Kayla Han, who finished second in 1:45.37, marking a personal best for herself as well.
- Bianca Nwaizu, also 16 and from Nova, triumphed in the 100 breaststroke with a time of 59.80, a notable achievement following her recent best of 59.05.
- Veteran swimmers also made an impact, with Gabby Rose, 48, taking second in the women’s breaststroke at 1:00.14, while Brandon Fischer, 36, won the men’s event in 52.47.
- Miles Blackson-Dunbar, who has committed to Tennessee, claimed victory in the 50 back with a time of 21.33. This performance nearly matches the top times recorded by Tennessee’s athletes this fall. Notably, 13-year-old Ayden Tan finished third in 23.35.
- In the 400 IM, Brooke Bennett from Pleasanton Seahawks achieved victory with a time of 4:15.43, closely followed by 14-year-old Haylee Pramono, who dropped her personal best to 4:16.38, entering the top 70 in age group history.
- Gabi Brito from Beach Cities Alpha Swimming, who shone at Winter Juniors, took a different approach this week. After participating only in relays on Friday, she finished 10th in the 100 breast on Saturday (1:02.64) and led her medley relay team with a split of 52.41.
The competition continues to highlight the incredible talent and dedication present in the swimming community, prompting us to ask: What do you think about the rising stars like Mijatovic and their impact on the sport? Do you believe they can continue to break records as they mature? Share your thoughts in the comments!
