Maximus Williamson Obliterates High School Record with 1:30.46 200 Free
Maximus Wiliamson’s adjustment to the national high school record in the 200 free on Friday was slight. Saturday’s was a wholesale annihilation.
Williamson, swimming for Keller High, set a best time of 1:30.46 at the UIL Class 6A championships in Texas. That is more than two seconds faster than the existing high school record that he had nudged down in prelims.
Williamson also lowers his 17-18 national age-group record, which has been 1:31.37, set in December of 2023.
Changes in the 200 free national record had been gradual. Carson Foster was the first to break 1:33 with a 1:32.99 in 2019. It stood until Aaron Shackell trimmed it to 1:32.85 in 2023, then a reduction that fall by Kaii Winkler to 1:32.68. Williamson took another .05 off that on Friday to 1:32.63.
This, though, is a quantum leap.
Williamson’s splits:
- 20.59 – 22.74 – 23.24 – 23.89 – 1:30.46
Splits from Friday’s swim:
- 21.04 – 23.24 – 23.97 – 24.36 – 1:32.63
Williamson’s time would’ve finished fourth at NCAAs last year, trailing only Olympians Luke Hobson, Jack Alexy and Chris Guiliano.
The University of Virginia commit on Friday took out the state record set in 2018 by Jack LeVant at 1:33.57. Williamson also has the 100 free on Saturday, which includes all finals for the highest classification of Texas high school competition. He helped Keller qualify both freestyle relays as well, which could give him a chance to go after a flat start 50 freestyle (he split 18.95 off a relay start Friday).
The high school record in the 50 free is 19.20, belonging to Aiden Hayes from 2021, while Williamson owns the 100 free mark at 41.84.
Williamson owns Texas state records in the 200 free, 200 individual medley (1:40.81), 50 free (19.45), 100 backstroke (46.29) and 100 free.
