By Riley Overend on SwimSwam
2024 EUROPEAN JUNIOR CHAMPIONSHIPS
- Tuesday, July 2nd – Sunday, July 7th
- Prelims at 9:30am local/Finals at 6pm local
- Lazdynai Pool, Vilnius, Lithuania
- LCM (50m)
- Meet Central
- Entries
- Day 1 Prelims Recap/Day 1 Finals Recap
- Day 2 Prelims Recap/Day 2 Finals Recap
- Day 3 Finals Recap
- Day 4 Prelims Recap/Day 4 Finals Recap
- Day 5 Prelims Recap/Day 5 Finals Recap
- Day 6 Finals Recap
- Live Results
- Livestream ($)
At 15 years old, Tajus Juska became the youngest swimmer ever to break 49 seconds in the 100-meter freestyle on his way to the European junior title on Sunday in his native Lithuania.
Juska reached the wall in 48.74, dropping almost a second off his previous-best 49.55 that qualified him 7th for Sunday’s final. He appears to be the fastest 15-year-old of all time by more than a few tenths ahead of Thomas Heilman (49.06).
Fastest 15-Year-Old 100 Freestylers
- Tajus Juska (LTU) – 48.74, 2024
- Thomas Heilman (USA) – 49.06, 2022
- Flynn Southam (AUS) – 49.55, 2021
- Tie: Jacob Whittle (GBR) / Maximus Williamson (USA) – 50.14, 2020/2022
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It’s difficult to aggregate every age record from around the world, but Juska also appears to be one of the fastest 100 freestylers ever among 16-and-under boys. He’s faster than Kaii Winkler‘s U.S. boys 15-16 national age group (NAG) record of 48.81 from last year — and he only just turned 15.
Fastest 15-16 100 Freestylers
- David Popovici (ROU) – 47.30, 2021
- Jacob Whittle (GBR) – 48.11, 2021
- Flynn Southam (AUS) – 48.60, 2022
- Kyle Chalmers (AUS) – 48.69, 2015
- Tajus Juska (LTU) – 48.74, 2024
BOYS 100 FREESTYLE – FINAL
- World junior record: 46.86 – David Popovici (ROU), 2022
- European junior record: 46.86 – David Popovici (ROU), 2022
- Meet record: 47.30 – David Popovici (ROU), 2021
- 2023 European junior champion: Boldizsar Magda (HUN) – 49.52
PODIUM:
- GOLD: Tajus Juska (LTU) – 48.74
- SILVER: Vlaho Nenadic (CRO) – 48.80
- BRONZE: Carlos D’Ambrosio (ITA) – 48.99
Juska touched just a blink ahead of 18-year-old Croatian Vlaho Nenadic (48.80) for his first gold medal at the European Junior Championships. He’s now within a second of the overall Lithuanian record stands at 48.04 by Danas Rapsys from last month’s European Championships. Earlier this week, Juska became the fastest 15-year-old 50 freestyler of all time at 22.34 on his way to the bronze medal.
Italian 17-year-old Carlos D’Ambrosio broke 49 seconds for the first time en route to the bronze medal in 48.99.
Read the full story on SwimSwam: Tajus Juska Becomes Youngest Swimmer to Break 49 Seconds in 100 Freestyle