Bold statement: A new standard in high school backstroke has arrived, and it comes with a record that changes the history books. And this is the part most people miss: Collin Holgerson didn’t just win; he shattered the meet mark and established himself as one of the fastest 17-year-olds in history. If you love fast swimming and rising stars, this is the story you’ll want to follow.
Rewritten overview
At the 2025 Speedo Winter Junior Championships – East, held December 10–13 in Indianapolis, Indiana, the competition featured prelims starting at 10:00 a.m. Eastern Time, with the 1000 Free on Wednesday at 1:00 p.m. and finals in the evening, including relays at 4:00 p.m. The meet used 25-yard short course yards (SCY) pools, and fans could track action via Meet Central, psych sheets, watching guides, and live results.
Key highlight: the Boys’ 100 Back finals delivered a standout performance by Collin Holgerson from Swim Atlanta. He not only won the event with a blistering 44.94 seconds, but he also set a new meet record, eclipsing the previous mark of 45.01 set in 2022 by Will Modglin. The result also positioned Holgerson as one of the fastest high school 100 backstroke athletes in history, despite still being a junior.
Top finishers in the final were:
- 1) Collin Holgerson (SA) — 44.94, new meet record
- 2) Davis Jackson (TAC) — 46.39
- 3) Baylor Stanton (GA) — 46.65
- 4) Elliot Rijnovean (BBA) — 46.83
- 5) Krish Jain (BSS) — 47.07
- 6) Carter Wright (BSS) — 47.99
- 7) Luke Higgo (BAY) — 48.47
- 8) Charlie Zuhoski (BSS) — 48.53
Context and significance
Holgerson’s performance followed a bold opening leg in Swim Atlanta’s 400 medley relay the previous night, where he clocked 45.06 seconds to become the fastest 17-year-old in history for that split. Minutes later, he delivered again in the 100 Back with 44.94 seconds, a time that not only broke the meet record but also elevated him to the third-fastest all-time among 17–18-year-old boys in SCY 100 back (behind legends like Ryan Murphy and Adam Chaney, and alongside recent standouts such as Will Modglin and Owen McDonald).
Additional notable results
Holgerson also achieved a 52.21 in the 100 Breast, tying former American record holder Liam Bell for 20th all-time in the 17–18 age group. Earlier in the meet, he posted a personal best of 1:43.23 in the 200 IM to finish second, showing his versatility beyond the backstroke. He led off SwimAtlanta’s 200 medley relay with a 21.02 split, a performance equal to or better than many leadoff legs at the NCAA level last year.
Upcoming and future prospects
Holgerson’s trajectory is significant: he’s the fourth-best recruit in the high school class of 2027 and earned a spot on Team USA for the World Junior Championships, where he placed 10th in the 100 back (55.21) and contributed a 55.67 leadoff in the 400 medley relay during prelims. He has committed to swimming for the University of Tennessee starting next fall, choosing to stay in-state for college.
Additional context
The article also highlights several other prominent athletes and historical records related to the 100 back, including distinctions for various age groups and all-time lists, illustrating how Holgerson’s performance fits within a broader lineage of elite backstrokers.
Controversial angles and questions for discussion
- Does a 44.94 in the 100 back at age 17 set a new expectation for future junior and high school performances, or will the best still come from collegiate athletes in the coming years?
- Should national age-group records be treated as indicators of potential for elite success at the collegiate or professional level, given the differences in training environments?
- How much weight should we give short-course records versus long-course performance when evaluating a swimmer’s overall potential?
Would you like this rewritten content tailored for a specific audience (e.g., a sports newsletter, a blog, or a youth-swim club bulletin), and should I adjust the level of technical detail or add more examples of what these times imply for progression and training?
