2025 U.S. Nationals: 16-year-old swimmer Luka Mijatovic sets two new records with historic 400m freestyle
Luka Mijatovic continues to turn heads at the U.S. Nationals. A few days after breaking a record previously set by Michael Phelps, the 16-year-old Mijatovic was at it again Friday.
This time around, Mijatovic decided to break his own record in the 400m freestyle. Mijatovic turned in a 3:45.89 performance, beating his previous record — which he set in March — by three seconds.
That time not only set a new record for the 15-16 age group, but also broke a record for the 17-18 age group. Larsen Jensen previously held the record in the 17-18 age group with a 3:46.08 that he set in 2004.
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Mijatovic accomplished the same feat Wednesday in the 200m freestyle. He swam the event in 1:45.92, breaking the record in the 15-16 age group. That figure also broke the record in the 17-18 age group, which was previously held by Phelps.
The sky appears to be the limit for Mijatovic, who is considered the top high-school swimmer in California. Mijatovic was already a name to watch for the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles. His performance at the U.S. Nationals — which began Tuesday — further solidified his status as an Olympic-hopeful.
The 2025 U.S. Swimming Championships will run through Saturday at the Indiana University Natatorium. A number of Americans, including Katie Ledecky and Bobby Finke, have turned in fantastic performances at the event.
Winners of individual events will qualify for the World Championships in July and August.
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