Imagine being just a hair's breadth away from shattering a national record. That's the nail-biting reality 16-year-old Luka Mijatovic faced at the CA/NV Sectionals, and the swim world is buzzing! He didn't just swim fast; he swam historically fast. But here's where it gets controversial... was it fast enough, and what does this near-miss mean for his future? Let's dive in.
2025 CA/NV December Sectionals: A Meet to Remember
The 2025 CA/NV December Sectionals, held in Walnut, California, from December 19-22, 2025, were a hotbed of talent and record attempts. The short course yards (SCY) format provided the perfect stage for swimmers like Mijatovic to push their limits. If you wanted to follow the action live, Meet Mobile had live results under the event name “2025 CA-NV December Sectionals At BREA – cop”.
Luka Mijatovic, representing the Pleasanton Seahawks, entered the meet fresh off a National Age Group (NAG) Record in the 1650-yard freestyle (a mind-boggling 14:30.01!). That performance alone signaled he was ready for something special, and Saturday's 200 freestyle didn't disappoint.
Mijatovic blazed through the 200 free, touching the wall in a blistering 1:32.73. And this is the part most people miss... that time wasn't just fast; it was agonizingly close to Thomas Heilman's 15-16 NAG record of 1:32.46. Less than three-tenths of a second separated Mijatovic from claiming another record! Was it a perfect swim? Absolutely not, but it was a testament to his raw talent and dedication.
Splitting Hairs: Mijatovic vs. Heilman
Let's break down the splits to see where Mijatovic gained ground and where he fell just short:
| Split | Luka Mijatovic (Previous PB) | Luka Mijatovic (New PB) | Thomas Heilman (15-16 NAG Record) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 50y | 21.86 | 21.38 | 21.26 |
| 100y | 23.61 | 23.36 | 23.33 |
| 150y | 24.02 | 23.91 | 23.81 |
| 200y | 24.03 | 24.08 | 24.06 |
| Total Time | 1:33.52 | 1:32.73 | 1:32.46 |
His previous personal best time was 1:33.52, achieved at the California High School State Championship while representing Pleasanton-Foothill High School. He shaved almost a full second off his best time!
Interestingly, while Mijatovic's record-breaking mile showcased his incredible endurance, it was his front-end speed that made the biggest difference in the 200 free. He attacked the first 100 yards with ferocious intensity, setting himself up for the near-record performance. This raises a fascinating point: are we seeing a shift in Mijatovic's racing strategy?
With this swim, Mijatovic etched his name in the record books as only the second 15-16 year old male to break the 1:33 barrier in the 200-yard freestyle.
Top 5 All-Time Performers, Boys’ 15-16 200 yard free:
- Thomas Heilman, 1:32.46 – 2023
- Luka Mijatovic, 1:32.73 – 2025
- Maximus Williamson, 1:33.07 – 2022
- Kaii Winkler, 1:33.28 – 2023
- Drew Kibler, 1:33.30 – 2017
But Mijatovic's success wasn't limited to the 200 free. He also posted a blazing 14:30.01 in the 1650 free, even after shifting his focus to middle-distance events, obliterating his own record by over 7 seconds. On Friday, he split 19.79 on the second leg of the Pleasanton Seahawks' 2nd-place 200 free relay, led off the winning 800 free relay in 1:34.23, anchored the victorious 400 medley relay with a 43.43 split, and clinched victory in the 400 IM with a personal best of 3:40.96 on Saturday.
Speaking of the 400 IM, that time ranks as the second-best in age group history, trailing only his future University of Texas teammate, Maximus Williamson, who clocked a 3:39.83 in 2022. Mijatovic previously held the #2 spot with a 3:41.75 from April, showcasing his consistent improvement.
With his 17th birthday not until April 22nd, Mijatovic has a window of opportunity at the 2026 Far Western Championships to make one last attempt at yards-course records before aging up. Will he seize the moment?
These Sectionals came hot on the heels of the long course U.S. Open, where Mijatovic achieved personal bests in the 50, 100, 400, and 800 freestyles, as well as the 400 IM. However, he fell short of his best time in the 200 free by more than two seconds at the U.S. Open. This begs the question: what adjustments did he make in the short turnaround to achieve such a dramatic improvement at Sectionals?
Other Day 2 Highlights:
- Alyssa Ton: The 16-year-old from Novaquatics secured victory in the 200 free with a time of 1:45.18, propelling her into the top 40 in age group history. She outpaced National Teamer Kayla Han, who finished second in 1:45.37 after a late surge. It's also worth noting that this swim was a personal best for Han, who opted out of this event at Winter Juniors the previous week.
- Bianca Nwaizu: Another 16-year-old Novaquatics swimmer, Nwaizu, triumphed in the 100 breaststroke with a time of 59.80. She had previously recorded a best time of 59.05 at Winter Juniors West a week earlier. Nwaizu had previously committed to the University of Texas earlier in the fall.
- Veteran Presence: The breaststroke events showcased the enduring talent of veteran swimmers. Gabby Rose, aged 48, secured second place in the women’s 100 breaststroke with a time of 1:00.14. In the men’s race, 36-year-old Brandon Fischer claimed victory in 52.47.
- Miles Blackson-Dunbar: Blackson-Dunbar, a future Tennessee Volunteer, won the 50 backstroke in 21.33, a time comparable to the top Tennessee performers this fall season. 13-year-old Ayden Tan took third place in 23.35.
- Brooke Bennett: Pleasanton Seahawks' Brooke Bennett secured first place in the 400 IM with a time of 4:15.43. However, it was 14-year-old Haylee Pramono who stole the spotlight with a second-place finish in 4:16.38. This represented a remarkable four-and-a-half second improvement, placing her among the top 70 in the history of her age group.
- Gabi Brito: Gabi Brito, representing the newly-merged Beach Cities Alpha Swimming and a standout performer at Winter Juniors the previous week, followed a slightly unconventional schedule. After participating solely in relays on Friday, she finished tenth in the 100 breaststroke on Saturday with a time of 1:02.64. She also led off her team's victorious medley relay with a split of 52.41. Joining her on the winning relay were Penny Chiu (1:05.08 – breast), Eryn Arnold (54.21 – fly), and Andi Taylor (50.07).
So, what do you think? Will Luka Mijatovic break Heilman's record before he ages up? And how impressive are these other performances from the CA/NV Sectionals? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below! Let's get the conversation started!
