Splash-Worthy Swimming Phenom: Luka Mijatovic Takes the Plunge
Luka Mijatovic, teenage aquatic prodigy, crushes Michael Phelps' previous record.
Luka Mijatovic, a 16-year-old prodigy hailing from sunny Pleasanton, California, is making waves (pun intended) in the competitive swimming world. Reason being? He recently broke a record set by the legendary Michael Phelps at the 2025 US National Championships—a mind-blowing feat for the teen sensation!
Phelps, a 39-year-old athletic titan, is synonymous with swimming glory, having snagged a whopping 28 medals during his Olympic career, a staggering 23 of which were gilded. Fast forward to now, and Luka's displaying remarkable promise for Team USA, with a glint of Olympic gold appearing on Los Angeles' horizon by 2028 if all goes well.
Let's dive into the details, shall we? Luka made history in the 200m freestyle, clocking a astonishing time of 1:45.92 during his heat. This incinerated the previous best of 1:47.29 by nearly two seconds, and even nosed out Phelps' record for the 17-18 age-group by seven hundredths of a second. Now, that's some close call!
Luka's rapid escalation is undeniable. He currently ranks as the No 1 high school swimmer in his home state, California, and stands second nationwide. This year alone, he's locked down victories in both the 500-yard freestyle and 200-yard freestyle at the California State Championship[1]. As for his 400m freestyle performance, Luka managed to set a new record in the 15-16 age group, racking up a time of 3:45.89 in the prelims at the 2025 USA Swimming Championships[2].
The 2028 Olympics—here we come!
But fame and success do not come without challenge. Phelps, a five-time Olympic veteran, started his journey in Sydney 2000 with zero Olympic medals and emerged with an unparalleled legacy, winning nine gold medals and more than double the next most successful Olympians[3]. Underdog or not, Luka's Olympic dreams will require years of dedicated training and fierce competition[4].
Speaking of rivalry, Phelps' fellow swimmer Katie Ledecky is yet another phenomenal athlete who's garnered nine gold medals. Could the stage be set for an exciting showdown between these two swimming titans? We'll have to wait and see!
[1] California State Championship Results[2] 2025 USA Swimming Championships Results[3] Olympic Medal Count[4] Luka Mijatovic's Profile[5] Luka Mijatovic's 400m Freestyle Breakthrough
In the world of swimming, news of Luka Mijatovic's record-breaking performance continue to make headlines, even eclipsing the achievements of sports legends like Michael Phelps. Recently, Luka breached Phelps' record in the 17-18 age-group 200m freestyle event, setting a new best time of 1:45.92.
With such incredible performances, Luka's name is a constant topic of conversation in both sports news and sports discussions, as spectators eagerly anticipate his potential Olympic victories in the coming years.
