Luka Mijatovic runs the fastest 1500m freestyle ever for a 15-year-old American at the JPP with a time of 15:15.95

Pan Pacific Junior Championships 2024

BOYS 1500 FREESTYLE – EARLY HEATS

• Junior world record: 14:41.22 – Kuzey Tuncelli, TUR (2024)
• Competition record: 15:05.29 – Bobby Finke, USA (2016)
• All-Comers Record: 14:39.59 – Mack Horton, AUS (2016)

RESULTS:

1. Luka Mijatovic (USA) – 15:15.95
2. Aiden Hammer (USA) – 15:40.60
3. Aiden Kirk (Canada) – 15:47.56
4. Lucas Fackerell (Australia) – 15:48.11
5. Ignacio Stambuk (Argentina) – 15:49.43
6. Russel Pang (Singapore) – 16:11.21
7. Wei Sheng Ian Leong (Singapore) – 16:25.70
8. Nicholas James Tan (Singapore) – 16:38.79
9. Jose Gramajo (Argentina) – 16:41.18

Fifteen-year-old Luka Mojatovic finished his Junior Pan Pacs 2024 competition in style by outpacing the field in the first heats of the boys’ 1500m freestyle. Mitajovic will still have a chance to medal in the event, depending on the results of the fastest heat to be held during the final session tonight. Either way, the teenager’s performance this morning was historic.

Mijatovic, who swims for the Pleasanton Seahawks in Pleasanton, California, broke his personal best in the mile this morning, clocking 10.78 seconds. With the performance, Mijatovic becomes the fastest 15-year-old American in the history of the event, a honor previously held by Evan Pinion, who swam a time of 15:17.09 at the 2010 Junior Pan Pacs.

US 15 year old boys 1500 Free Top 5:

1. Luka Mijatovic – 15:15.95 (2024)
2. Evan Pinion – 15:17.09 (2010)
3. Nathan Szobota – 15:18.13 (2023)
4. Sean Grieshop – 15:29.87 (2014)
5. Arthur Frayler – 15:30.63 (2009)

In addition, Mijatovic is now No. 6 all-time among Americans in the 15-16 year-old boys age group.

US 15-16 Boys 1500 Freestyle Top 6:

1. Bobby Hackett – 15:03.91 (1976)
2. Larsen Jensen – 15:04.83 (2002)
3. Bobby Finke – 15:05.29 (2016)
4. Arthur Frayler – 15:07.37 (2010)
5. Evan Pinion – 15:11.03 (2011)
6. Luka Mijatovic – 15:15.95 (2024)

Given this performance, it now seems plausible that Mijatovic could be the swimmer to break Bobby Hackett’s legendary national age group record of 15:03.91, which has stood since 1976. Larsen Jensen is the only swimmer to come within one second of this record, doing so in 2002. Hackett’s NAG in this discipline is the oldest NAG currently recorded.

Here is a recap of Mijatovic’s other appearances at Junior Pan Pacs this week:

• 200 m freestyle – 1:47.96 (Fastest 15-year-old in the USA of all time, No. 3 15-16)
• 400 free – 3:49.24 (15-16 NAG)
• 800 m freestyle – 7:56.91 (fastest 15-year-old in the USA of all time)
• 100 m freestyle – 52.62 (personal best)