{"id":263532,"date":"2026-05-08T15:14:09","date_gmt":"2026-05-08T15:14:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/263532\/"},"modified":"2026-05-08T15:14:09","modified_gmt":"2026-05-08T15:14:09","slug":"57-800-free-in-fort-lauderdale","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/263532\/","title":{"rendered":"57 800 Free In Fort Lauderdale"},"content":{"rendered":"

Swim of the Week is brought to you by\u00a0arena<\/a>, a SwimSwam partner.<\/p>\n

Disclaimer: Swim of the Week is not meant to be a conclusive selection of the best overall swim of the week, but rather one Featured Swim to be explored in deeper detail. The Swim of the Week is an opportunity to take a closer look at the context of one of the many fast swims this week, perhaps a swim that slipped through the cracks as others grabbed the headlines, or a race we didn\u2019t get to examine as closely in the flood of weekly meets.<\/p>\n

Juan Vallmitjana<\/a>, a Spanish native who competes for the South Florida Aquatic Club, was on fire at last week\u2019s Fort Lauderdale Open, setting four best times and earning a pair of podium finishes in the distance freestyle events.<\/p>\n

The headlining performance for the Virginia commit was the 800 free, where he knocked nearly two seconds off his personal best time in 7:57.70, placing 3rd behind\u00a0Bobby Finke<\/a> and\u00a0William Mulgrew<\/a> and\u00a0climbing the all-time rankings in the boys\u2019 17-18 age group.<\/p>\n

Still just 17, Vallmitjana now ranks 25th all-time among 17-18 boys in the U.S. club system. His previous best time stood at 7:59.66, set at last summer\u2019s U.S. Pro Championships, which ranks him 7th all-time in the boys\u2019 15-16 age group.<\/p>\n

Split Comparison<\/p>\n

2025 U.S. Pro Champs<\/p>\n

2026 Fort Lauderdale Open<\/p>\n

26.70
\n27.89<\/p>\n

57.70 (31.00)
\n57.23 (29.34)<\/p>\n

1:28.10 (30.40)
\n1:27.03 (29.80)<\/p>\n

1:58.40 (30.30)
\n1:56.97 (29.94)<\/p>\n

2:28.71 (30.31)
\n2:27.11 (30.14)<\/p>\n

2:59.13 (30.42)
\n2:57.22 (30.11)<\/p>\n

3:29.86 (30.73)
\n3:27.68 (30.46)<\/p>\n

4:00.38 (30.52)
\n3:58.02 (30.34)<\/p>\n

4:30.86 (30.48)
\n4:28.70 (30.68)<\/p>\n

5:01.46 (30.60)
\n4:59.23 (30.53)<\/p>\n

5:31.78 (30.32)
\n5:29.76 (30.53)<\/p>\n

6:02.35 (30.57)
\n6:00.28 (30.52)<\/p>\n

6:32.34 (29.99)
\n6:30.61 (30.33)<\/p>\n

7:02.13 (29.79)
\n7:00.53 (29.92)<\/p>\n

7:31.15 (29.02)
\n7:29.60 (29.07)<\/p>\n

7:59.66 (28.51)
\n7:57.70 (28.10)<\/p>\n

Additionally, his swim last week is the 10th-fastest we\u2019ve seen from a 17-year-old in the U.S. over the past decade, dating back to the 2015-16 season. It also ranks him seventh all-time among Spaniards, with the national record standing at 7:49.09 from\u00a0Marcos Rivera in 2009.<\/p>\n

Top 17-Year-Old Boys 800 Freestyle (LCM) Performers Since 2015-16 (U.S. Club System)<\/p>\n

Aiden Hammer, 7:51.68 \u2013 2025
\nLuke Ellis, 7:52.40 \u2013 2024
\nAndrew Abruzzo, 7:54.58 \u2013 2017
\nJake Mithcell, 7:54.70 \u2013 2019
\nGabriel Manteufel, 7:54.71 \u2013 202
\nLuke Whitlock, 7:55.00 \u2013 2023
\nSean Green, 7:56.47 \u2013 2024
\nMichael Brinegar, 7:57.22 \u2013 2017
\nArik Katz, 7:57.23 \u2013 2019
\nJuan Vallmitjana<\/a>, 7:57.70 \u2013 2026<\/p>\n

Vallmitajana also placed 3rd behind Mulgrew and Finke in the 1500 free, clocking 15:22.96, just over six seconds shy of the personal best of 15:16.61 he set in March at the Spanish Spring Championships. That swim ranks him 39th all-time in the 17-18 age group.<\/p>\n

In Fort Lauderdale, Vallmitjana also set best times in the 50 free (25.07), 100 free (52.98) and 400 free (3:53.80), and added season-bests in the 200 free (1:51.66) and 200 back (2:11.44).<\/p>\n

Last July, Vallmitjana represented Spain at the European Junior Championships in Samorin, Slovakia, where he made the final of the boys\u2019 1500 free and placed 8th.<\/p>\n

He will join the University of Virginia in the fall of 2027.<\/p>\n

See arena North America here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Follow arena USA on\u00a0Instagram here.<\/a><\/p>\n

\"\"\"\"<\/a>About arena<\/p>\n

arena\u00a0has revolutionized the world of aquatic sport through insightful collaboration with world class athletes and the development of cutting edge competitive swimwear since 1973. Today, this spirit of collaboration and innovation lives on through a continuous evolution of advanced materials and Italian design that improves the performance, style and expression of all those who chose\u00a0arena. From leading the lanes to living in style,\u00a0arena\u00a0is dedicated to providing all swimmers with the tools they need to express themselves, feel confident, win and achieve more.\u00a0Because\u00a0in arena, you can.<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t