Luka Mijatovic Lowers 15-16 NAG Records in 500 Free, 1000 Free
Luka Mijatovic last week decided his college future. His present looks ever brighter.
The 16-year-old new Texas commit set a slew of best times over the weekend at the Pleasanton Seahawks Senior Championships. Among them was twice lowering his national age-group record in the boys 15-16 500 freestyle and taking his mark in the 1,000 free below the 17-18 mark.
Mijatovic started the meet Friday by going 8:37.01 in the 1,000. That is more than five seconds quicker than his previous 15-16 NAG of 8:42.45. It also way undercuts the 17-18 mark set this year by Ethan Ekk at 8:24.25. (Mijatovic is familiar with that phenomenon: His long-course meters NAGs in both the 200 free and 400 free are quicker than their 17-18 counterparts, including a 200 free time that is already .07 better than Michael Phelps’ best as an 18-year-old.)
Mijatovic trimmed his mark in the 500 free in from 4:10.96 to 4:10.38 in prelims on Sunday. He skipped 4:09 altogether by winning the event in 4:08.57 in finals. That time is nearly quicker than the 17-18 record, set in 2022 by Luke Hobson at 4:08.42.
In addition to his records, Mijatovic set a best time in the 200 individual medley at 1:44.28, nearly 1.4 seconds quicker than his best. His 100 fly time in prelims of 47.54 was a best time by nearly a full second. It came in three consecutive events in prelims, with the 200 free next. Mijatovic also won the 200 free, though his time of 1:33.74 was just shy of his best of 1:33.52. (Thomas Heilman owns that NAG at 1:32.46).
On Sunday, he followed the 500 free by winning the 200 fly in 1:43.70, a tenth off his best time. He actually fell shy of the win in the 100 back, his time of 48.40 in finals a second back of teammate Songrui Wu (though a best time for Mijatovic).
Mijatovic aged out of 13-14 competition as the owner of nine NAGs in both courses. In addition to the LCM 15-16 200 and 400 free, he owns the 15-16 NAGs in short-course yards for the 500/1,000/1,650 free.
Mijatovic won the 200 free and 400 free at the 2024 Junior Pan Pacific Championships last year. He made the step into senior competition by earning a place on Team USA for the 2025 World Aquatics Championships in Singapore in the 400 free, though he was among the most effected by an illness in the team. He finished 36th in Singapore, his time of 3:59.68 some 14 seconds off his best.
