2025 U.S. Nationals: 16-year-old swimmer Luka Mijatovic breaks 200m freestyle record held by Michael Phelps
There's still three years before the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, but 16-year-old swimmer Luka Mijatovic is already turning some heads. Mijatovic broke a record previously held by Michael Phelps at the 2025 U.S. Nationals on Wednesday.
Mijatovic posted a 200m freestyle time of 1:45.92. That figure shattered the previous record for the 15-16 age group, which was 1:47.29.
If that weren't impressive enough, Mijatovic's time also set the record for the 17-18 age group, which was previously held by Michael Phelps, who posted a 1:45.99 time
Any time a swimmer can best Phelps, it's going to get attention. Phelps is one of the greatest swimmers — and one of the most accomplished Olympians — of all-time. He won a total of 28 medals at the games, and holds numerous Olympic records for his excellence.
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Mijatovic is already building an impressive resume. He placed first in both the 500 Y Free and 200 Y Free events at the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) State Championships in May. He's considered one of the top high school swimmers in the United States and ranks first among high school swimmers in California.
The 2025 U.S. Swimming Championships began Tuesday, and saw a number of American, including Katie Ledecky, Torri Huske and Bobby Finke turn in some excellent performances. The event — which is being held at the Indiana University Natatorium in Indianapolis — will run through Saturday.
Winners of each individual event will qualify for the World Championships, which will be held in Singapore in July and August.
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19 minutes ago
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But when the time is up, they'll have to go home. Otherwise, they'll have to talk to (Homeland Security) Secretary (Kristi) Noem.' Noem's department includes Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), which is responsible for deportations out of the US. Organizers of LA 2028 said at a news conference on Thursday that they were confident the travel ban will not affect the Summer Olympics and appreciated the federal government for recognizing the Games' importance. 'It was very clear in the directive that the Olympics require special consideration and I actually want to thank the federal government for recognizing that,' LA28 Chairman and President Casey Wasserman said, according to the Associated Press. 'It's very clear that the federal government understands that that's an environment that they will be accommodating and provide for,' he said. 'We have great confidence that that will only continue. It has been the case to date and it will certainly be the case going forward through the games.' The US Travel Association said in a statement that, while the proportion of annual foreign visitors affected by the ban is just 0.5%, the major global events taking place in the US over the next few years represent an opportunity to attract new visitors to the US. 'The travel industry supports policies that make the United States both secure and welcoming. In some instances, this is a challenging balance to achieve, and we respect the administration's efforts,' the association told CNN Sports in a statement.
