After clinching gold for Team USA at the 2023 World Junior Swimming Championships, the 17-year-old Maximus Williamson once again rose to the occasion by standing atop the podium at the 2023 Speedo Winter Junior Championships. Interestingly, Williamson broke his two-day-old U.S. 17-18 boys’ national age group (NAG) record in the 200-yard freestyle.

Continuing his record-breaking spree, Williamson surpassed his lifetime best down from 1:32.00 to 1:31.37. Before the meet started, the NAG record stood at 1:32.18 by Maxime Roney in 2017.

Maximus Williamson’s NAG record

Sharing Williamson’s incredible feat in the pool, swimming commentator, Kyle Sockwell took to his Twitter handle and penned, “MAXIMUS WILLIAMSON. 1:31.37 200 FREE. ARE YOU SERIOUS?!” With this, Maximus Williamson would have placed fifth at the 2023 collegiate championship in a recent swimming event. Maximus secured first place in the 2023 West Speedo Winter Junior held on 8th December while recording 1:31.37. 

Maximus’s impressive move has put him at the fifth position in the 2023 collegiate championship. In addition to this, Maximus recorded 19:57 at 50 Y free at the Winter Junior Championships. The National Age Group record was not just broken with Maximus’s spectacular 17-18 win but also showcased his prowess at the championship. 

Interestingly, Maximus is improving steadily in each event of various tournaments this season. In the 2022 Speedo Winter Junior Championships, Maximus secured 400 Y IM in an impressive 3:39.83 duration and surpassed the swimming demigod Michael Phelps’s NAG record. However, this year, he made it to shatter the already-settled records. What makes Maximus’s achievement more significant is his remarkable win, which shows his potential to become the next American Champion. 

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Williamson surpassed Michael Phelps’ NAG record in 2022

At the 2022 Speedo Winter Junior Championships, Maximus Williamson surpassed Michael Phelps’ name from the yards side of the National Age Group record by swimming in the timeframe of 3:39.83 in the 400 IM. This timeframe broke the previous record of 3:42.08, which Phelps set back in 2002.

Nevertheless, through his performances at the 2023 Speedo Winter Junior Championships, Williamson made many heads turn his way before the NCAA Tournament. Notably, he is 27.5 months apart from being a part of his first NCAA Tournament. 

His unwavering potential and record-breaking performance shine light on his ability to own the Collegiate swimming throne. 

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