At the 2025 U.S. Swimming Championships on Wednesday, Luka Mijatovic, a 16-year-old swimmer, made history by breaking the record previously held by Michael Phelps in the 200-meter freestyle event. His time of 1:45.92 not only surpassed the 15-16 age group standard of 1:47.29 but also the 17-18 age group record set by Phelps at 1:45.99. This remarkable achievement has placed Mijatovic in the spotlight as a potential contender for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, which are scheduled three years from now.
Phelps, with his 28 Olympic medals, remains one of the most decorated athletes in history. However, Mijatovic’s performance highlights the emergence of a new generation of talent in swimming. The 2025 Championships in Indianapolis have drawn a mix of promising young athletes alongside established stars like Torri Huske, Bobby Finke, and Katie Ledecky. These athletes are aiming to secure spots in the World Championships in Singapore later this year, which are a key step toward the Olympic Games, set for Los Angeles in 2028.
Mijatovic’s success is not an isolated event; he has already demonstrated his prowess in the California Interscholastic Federation State Championships in May, where he finished first in both the 500-yard freestyle and 200-yard freestyle. His dominance in these events has established him as one of the top-ranked high school swimmers in California. Competing against elite athletes at the national level underscores his potential for future international competitions, and his performance is a testament to the rigorous training and talent required to excel at the highest levels of swimming.
As the swimming world watches closely, Mijatovic’s record-breaking swim at the 2025 Championships sets the stage for a new era of young stars in the sport. This moment marks not only a personal milestone for the 16-year-old but also a significant development in the global swimming community as the next generation of athletes prepares to take the spotlight on the world stage.