Luka Mijatovic Notches Impressive Freestyle Double at North Coast Champs
Teenage distance sensation Luka Mijatovic made a push at the national high school record in the 500-yard freestyle while racing Saturday at the California Interscholastic Federation North Coast Sectionals. The 16-year-old Mijatovic, a sophomore at Foothill High School, touched the wall in 4:14.17, an effort that was a little more than a second off the 2023 scholastic standard of Rex Maurer, who owns the mark at 4:12.70.
Mijatovic will have another chance at the record at next week’s California State Championships, if he opts to compete in the meet in Fresno. Mijatovic competed at last year’s state champs and walked away with a first-place finish in the 500 freestyle.
Mijatovic actually owns a best swim that is faster than the high school record. Last month, he clocked 4:10.96 for a National Age Group (NAG) record in the 15-16 classification during the Far Western Championships. However, scholastic records must be recorded while racing in high school competition.
Ahead of the 500 freestyle, Mijatovic claimed victory in the 200 freestyle behind a swim of 1:34.44. Finishing in front of Ben Butler (1:36.04), Mijatovic was out in 46.01 and came home in 48.43. The time was just off Mijatovic’s personal best of 1:34.10.