Thomas Heilman Destroys 15-16 NAG In 100-Yard Butterfly As He and Scotty Buff Go Sub-45
Through the first two days of competition at the Winter Juniors Championships-East, Thomas Heilman had been nothing short of phenomenal. In addition to a sizzling leadoff in the 200-yard freestyle on Night One, Heilman delivered a National Age Group (NAG) record in the 200 individual medley on the second night of action, coupled with a sub-45 butterfly split.
As part of a sensational duel with Scotty Buff, the excellence of the 15-year-old from Cavalier Aquatics continued during Friday night’s events. Separating themselves from the field from the start, Heilman and Buff raced stroke for stroke over their four laps, with Heilman ultimately blasting an NAG in the 15-16 classification in the 100 butterfly. Heilman touched the wall in an almost incomprehensible time of 44.67, which shattered the previous record in the age group, a 45.62 managed by Luca Urlando in 2018.
En route to the silver medal, Buff was dynamite in his own right, as he covered the race in 44.87, just off the NAG in the 17-18 group. That record belongs to North Carolina State’s Aiden Hayes, who clocked 44.75 at last year’s NCAA Championships. At just 15 years old, Heilman is now the fastest performer in history in the 100 fly of anyone from 15 through 18.
Heilman went out in 21.00, but Buff stayed right with him through the midway point of the race. Over the back half, Heilman split 23.67, with Buff going 23.83.
Event 16 Men 100 Yard Butterfly
=========================================================================
SC Juniors: M 45.46 12/11/2015Ryan Hoffer, Scottsdale AC
Pool Record: P 44.24 3/26/2021 Ryan Hoffer, CAL-PC
Name Age Team Prelims Finals HyPts Points
=========================================================================
=== A - Final ===
1 Thomas Heilman 15 Cavalier Aquatic 45.99 44.67M 1047 20
r:+0.65 21.00 44.67 (23.67)
2 Scotty Buff 18 GTAC-OH 45.66 44.87M 1036 17
r:+0.64 21.04 44.87 (23.83)
3 Will Modglin 18 ZSC-IN 46.63 46.35 959 16
r:+0.65 21.86 46.35 (24.49)
4 Roman Jones 17 Fainwood-Scotch- 46.74 46.70 941 15
r:+0.62 21.38 46.70 (25.32)
5 Ben Irwin 17 SwimAtlanta-GA 47.02 46.82 935 14
r:+0.62 21.55 46.82 (25.27)
6 Lucca Battaglin 17 East Carolina-NC 47.12 47.04 924 13
r:+0.61 21.52 47.04 (25.52)
7 Chase Swearinge 17 New Albany-OH 47.23 47.09 921 12
r:+0.62 21.96 47.09 (25.13)
8 Dylan Smiley 17 MCDA-FG 47.18 47.27 912 11
r:+0.62 21.97 47.27 (25.30)