How Thomas Heilman Broke the Mold to Qualify for World Championships
In a significant breakthrough, 16-year-old Thomas Heilman has become the first male swimmer in over two decades to represent the United States at a major international competition. The last male swimmer to achieve such a feat was Larsen Jensen, who competed at the 2002 Pan Pacific Championships and won medals in the 800 and 1500 freestyle. Even before that, at the age of 16, Michael Phelps made his mark by securing his first golden moment at the previous edition of the World Championships held in Fukuoka.
Traditionally, men’s swimming has predominantly been dominated by college-aged and post-college athletes at both the national and international level. Therefore, Heilman’s emergence as a rising star at the age of 16 is truly remarkable. His impressive performances included breaking National Age Group records in short course and long course events, as well as winning six gold medals at the 2022 Junior Pan Pacific Championships. While many believed it would take him another year or two to break through to the senior-level U.S. team, Heilman remained unfazed and confident in his abilities.
Heilman’s determination stemmed from his belief that he could achieve great things in the sport. Despite his best time being 1:56.52 in the 200 fly, which he swam when winning silver at Junior Pan Pacs in 2022, he was convinced that he could drop another one-and-a-half to two seconds to give himself a chance at qualifying for the World Championships. Although such drops in time are not common at the highest level, Heilman’s practice performances indicated that a 1:54 time was feasible. With this mindset, Heilman traveled to Indianapolis with unwavering faith in his potential, even when few others considered him a realistic contender for a spot at the prestigious event in Fukuoka.
Thomas Heilman — Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick
At the U.S. Nationals, Heilman showcased his exceptional talent by delivering outstanding performances. In the 200 fly prelims, he recorded a time of 1:55.11, securing the second qualifying spot for the final. As the night session arrived, Heilman surpassed all expectations by swimming even faster, clocking an impressive time of 1:54.54. This outstanding swim not only set a new National Age Group record but also surpassed Phelps’ inaugural world-title performance record from 22 years ago. With this exceptional performance, Heilman secured his place at the highly prestigious World Championships.
Continuing his remarkable progress, Heilman repeated his success in the 100 fly. After qualifying seventh for the final (which improved to sixth after Ryan Murphy’s withdrawal), Heilman found himself swimming alongside the world-record holder, Caeleb Dressel. Despite the tough competition, Heilman maintained his composure and finished in first place with a time of 51.19, a significant improvement from his previous best time earlier in the day.
As Heilman gears up for the World Championships in Fukuoka, there is a high likelihood of him qualifying for individual finals. His exceptional times
