Who Is Maximus Williamson, the Next American Olympic Star in Making?

This year’s Winter Junior Championship in swimming has notched up Maximus Williamson’s rise to the occasion. Last year, the 17-year-old made some remarkable outings in the water. But since then, Maximus Williamson has seen a thorough improvement in his prowess. The 200m IM has remained his forte. In the event, Maximus’s performance has attracted several comparisons with the Olympics legends. 

After his recent performances in the championships, Maximus has also strengthened his chances for other events as well. One of those remains the 400m freestyle relay. At the onset of the 2023 Speedo Winter Junior Championship in the West Division, let’s take a look at the prodigy’s memorable outings. 

Maximus Williamson creates records in 200-yard freestyle

On December 8, Maximus Williamson created a storm in the pool of Westmont, Illinois as the youngster won the 200-yard free record. The timing taken by him in the Winter Juniors meet overpowered Maximus’s personal best in the National Age Group record made a few days back. However, with the clocking of 1:31.37, Maximus Williamson already topped the list of the program records created by the seniors of his institution, the University of Virginia.

Maximus had to face an unassailable challenge from his batch mate, Thomas Heilman, in the event previously. But a late omission decision kept Heilman out of the penultimate day when Maximus enjoyed a free run in the pool. But that wouldn’t belittle his performance. In the 200m IM, the Texas-born swimmer cleared the event in 1:41.18 in the ongoing Winter Juniors meet. That also saw him standing in the record book in the National Age Group. 

Maximus Williamson is being compared to the veterans

Maximus’s 200-yard freestyle outing on December 8 got the better of him clocking in the same tournament the previous year. On that occasion, his timings were two seconds bigger than this time. Moreover, Maximus Williamson’s timing in the 200-yard freestyle in the 2023 Winter Juniors meet could have landed him in the NCAA Championship’s 5th position this year. However, the Lakeside Aquatic Club trainee still has two years to be drafted in the NCAA. 

Read more:  2023 FINA World Aquatics Junior Championships – Schedule, Team USA, and More

In the 2023 World Junior Championship, Maximus continued his fiery form. Eventually, the USA national 400m relay team bagged the first gold in the meet. But that outshone his chances in some perspectives. In 100m free, the LAC swimmer dawned an impressive betterment since last year’s timing of 50.14. However, in the World Junior Championship this year, he didn’t participate in that event. 

However, Maximus’s record-breaking run has already brought him comparison to Ryan Lochte, who holds the 200m IM record. Even his recent time-glitterings have a similarity with Michael Phelps‘s run in 2003. In that year, the Baltimore Bullet created records after records in the 200m IM in several age-based meets and the World Junior Championship. Still, Maximus Williamson would need more outings to prove his mettle. 

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