Fast South African Age Grouper

Former Member
Former Member
These times are amazing: Kyle van Niekerk - 13 year old! His results were as follows: 100m Free: Gold in a winning time of 53.89 – New African and South African AG Record 50m Free: Gold in a winning time of 24.69 – a New African and South African AG Record and the fastest recorded time in the world for 13- year- olds during 2011. Yes these are long course meters. Puts it all in perspective for us geezers :cane:
  • very remarkable Wonder: what kind of training he's done? what his height & weight are? / How mature he is? how much more he'll grow and improve over the years Time will tell or times will tell
  • These would be decent times for a 13 year old boy if they were done in short course yards. LCM they're ridiculous!
  • Former Member
    Former Member
    Not to get off topic, but along the same lines, this kid has been doing some amazing swimming in the past year. David Nolan 100 Back 45.49! - YouTube David Nolan 42.34! 400 Free Relay 3:00.71 - YouTube
  • Ande, do guys at this level taper for their conference championships or NCAAs or both? Do most of the top swimmers do better at NCAAs, or are intraconference rivalries so strong that they try to peak for their conference championships? Or are they in such great shape it doesn't matter? Depends, NCAAs is different than it used to be. Each event used to have 1 cut and if you made it, you were in the meet. Unless you had too many people on your team make it. they can only take 18 swimmers & divers count 1/2. so 17 swimmers & 2 divers. Now there are A cuts and B cuts and a crazy formula that limits the number of swimmers in the meet to 270 (i think) If you make the A cut you're in no matter what. if you make the B cut you might be in the meet. Most swimmers get in the meet by way of relay. So if you're on a relay and it's time gets in, you can swim 3 events if you have the B cut. Coaches want to make sure their swimmers make NCAAs, but some swimmers don't need to rest much or shave to do it. Nolan can make NCAAs unshaved unrested so his focus is to peak for NCAAs. Conference is important to some coaches and some look at it as the meet to make NCAA cuts oh and they happen to keep score. Some conferences are very competitive and there are strong rivalries, like the SEC or Pac 12. Eddie focuses on NCAAs, this year it's NCAAs and trials. Usually when NCAAs are over swimmers have a week off or an easy week but with US Olympic trials so close I bet they get right back to work.
  • For those up in the DC general area, what are the chances of Kalisz making the Olympic Team? Having recently seen him I was rather impressed. Yeah, he had that great 400 IM at the UltraSwim. But what about 14 year old Katie Ledecky? With the fastest US time and #4 in the world in the 800 free? www.swimmingworldmagazine.com/.../29573.asp
  • Yeah, he had that great 400 IM at the UltraSwim. But what about 14 year old Katie Ledecky? With the fastest US time and #4 in the world in the 800 free? www.swimmingworldmagazine.com/.../29573.asp Kid swimming has gotten too fast. I saw a kid struggle and die last week in the 500 and he still beat my 500 time by 10 seconds and he looked pitiful, with the full-on death roll flip turn.
  • Kid swimming has gotten too fast. I saw a kid struggle and die last week in the 500 and he still beat my 500 time by 10 seconds and he looked pitiful, with the full-on death roll flip turn. That's why I can't understand why pwb whines about getting thrashed by 16 year olds. :angel: Please note that this is distance swimmer whining.
  • Please note that this is distance swimmer whining. Noted, accurate.
  • He's still holding the 1,000 record ...almost 20 years later?! 1 8:48.57 Jeffrey Kostoff 1983 1983 + 20 = 2003. Methinks it's even more impressive to hold the record almost 30 years later. But where do they still swim the 1000? Not in high school, I don't think. Is it even still a college event, or has it been supplanted by the 1650? Perhaps this explains the record's longevity.
  • Former Member
    Former Member
    1983 + 20 = 2003. Thanks for the reality check. :)