Luka Mijatovic Could Move Up All-Time American Freestyle Rankings at U.S. Open
The all-time American rankings in the 200-meter freestyle feature Luka Mijatovic in the No. 19 slot. In the 400 freestyle rankings, the California teenager occupies the No. 12 position. He can be found at No. 23 in the 800 freestyle. Not bad for a kid who won’t turn 17 years old until next spring, huh?
Future-star status is often heaped on young athletes in haphazard fashion, sparked by an eagerness to uncover the next big thing. Sometimes, the hype is answered, specifically in the case of Mijatovic. Already, the freestyler has represented the United States in international waters, and he possesses the necessary attributes to continue his climb up the global ladder.
Mijatovic will be in action this week at the U.S. Open, and it will be intriguing to see if he will post any personal-best performances. Having recently committed to the University of Texas, Mijatovic will race at his future pool and is expected to be in peak form for the multi-day meet. The youngster has had a half-year of training since he excelled at Nationals and qualified for the World Championships, so it wouldn’t be surprising to see Mijatovic generate times that elevate his standing in the all-time American rankings.
Just a few weeks ago, Mijatovic put together career-best marks in the 500-yard freestyle (4:08.57) and 1000 freestyle (8:37.01), so he’s obviously racing at a high level. The potential for additional record-breaking performances certainly exists. Mijatovic owns a career-best of 1:45.92 in the 200 freestyle and it will take 1:45.14 to break into the U.S. top-10 and 1:45.70 to move into the top-15. As for the 400 freestyle, Mijatovic’s top effort is 3:45.71. To become a top-10 American of all-time, he’ll need to be faster than 3:45.38.
Heading to the World Championships, Mijatovic had high hopes to flourish on the global stage. However, the illness that besieged Team USA during the competition hit Mijatovic particularly hard and he did not advance out of the prelims of the 400 freestyle. The U.S. Open will offer Mijatovic the chance to show his true talents in his specialty events, and at the place he’ll call home for his college career.