Swimming’s Rising Stars: Baylor Stanton and Yi Zheng Shake Up Age Group Rankings in the 400 IM
The pool was electric at the 2025 SPEEDO WINTER JUNIOR CHAMPIONSHIPS – EAST, where two young swimmers, Baylor Stanton (#5) and Yi Zheng (#3), made waves by climbing up their respective age group rankings in the grueling 400 IM. But here's where it gets controversial: are these swimmers simply products of rigorous training, or is there something more innate at play? Let’s dive into the details and let you decide.
Event Details:
- Dates: December 10-13, 2025
- Location: Indianapolis, Ind.
- Schedule:
- Prelims: 10 a.m. EST
- Finals: 5 p.m. EST (except Wednesday relays at 4 p.m. EST)
- Special Events: Wednesday 1000 free at 1 p.m. EST
- Pool Type: SCY (25 yards)
- Resources:
- Meet Central
- Psych Sheets
- How to Watch
- Live Results
- Live Recaps
Boys’ 400 IM – Finals Highlights:
The 400 IM is often considered one of the most demanding events in swimming, requiring a blend of endurance, technique, and mental toughness. Here’s how the top finishers stacked up:
- Baylor Stanton (GA) — 3:40.48
- Yi Zheng (CSC) — 3:41.90
- Ian Heysen (BD) — 3:43.23
- Owen Ekk (ATAC) — 3:47.52
- Wilson York (LAK) — 3:47.52
- Matthew Wolfle (NOVA) — 3:49.24
- Liam Smith (GKC) — 3:52.24
- David Sammons (MAC) — 3:52.37
Baylor Stanton: The Unstoppable Force
Baylor Stanton continued his dominance by securing his 3rd win and 3rd personal best time of the meet in the 400 IM. His time of 3:40.48 propelled him from the #12 performer in the 17-18 age group to the #5 spot. Stanton, the #1 recruit in the class of 2026 and headed to Cal next fall, is shaping up to be a force to be reckoned with. His performance at last year’s Winter Junior Championships, where he clocked a 3:41.50, set the stage for this year’s triumph.
Stanton’s versatility was on full display last night when he pulled off an impressive double in the 500 free and 200 IM. In the 200 IM, he improved his best time by over a second, clocking 1:42.85, and moved up to 15th all-time in the 17-18 rankings. His event repertoire aligns perfectly with Cal’s tradition of success, following in the footsteps of swimmers like Hugo Gonzalez, Lucas Henveaux, and Andrew Seliskar.
All-Time Performers, Boys’ 17–18 400 IM (SCY):
1. Carson Foster, 3:35.27 – 2020
2. Andrew Seliskar, 3:37.52 – 2015
3. Chase Kalisz, 3:39.82 – 2013
4. Jason Louser, 3:40.44 – 2020
5. Baylor Stanton, 3:40.48 — 2025
6. Gunnar Bentz, 3:40.57 – 2014
7. Noah Cakir, 3:40.62 – 2025
8. Kieran Smith, 3:40.78 – 2019
9. Gio Linscheer, 3:40.90 – 2023
10. Gregg Enoch, 3:41.10 – 2025
Split Comparison – Stanton:
- 2025 (New PB): 23.83, 50.81 (26.98), 1:18.37 (27.56), 1:46.24 (27.87), 2:17.10 (30.86), 2:48.77 (31.67), 3:13.16 (26.39), 3:40.48 (25.32)
- 2024 (Old PB): 24.13, 51.34 (27.21), 1:19.11 (27.77), 1:46.61 (27.50), 2:18.14 (31.53), 2:50.14 (32.00), 3:16.45 (26.31), 3:41.50 (25.05)
Yi Zheng: The Rising Challenger
While Stanton led the race from start to finish, Yi Zheng began closing the gap during the breaststroke leg. It was Stanton’s backstroke split (55.43) that ultimately sealed his victory. But Zheng’s performance was nothing short of remarkable. He rocketed up to #3 in the 15-16 age group, shaving over 3 seconds off his previous best time. Zheng, committed to Stanford for fall 2027 and ranked the #19 recruit in his class, has made monumental strides this year.
His best time heading into the season was 3:51.22, set at last year’s Winter Juniors. He lowered that mark to 3:45.67 last month at a home meet in Carmel and has dropped nearly 10 seconds this season alone. Zheng’s improvement across all four strokes is evident, but his closing speed is the most notable difference in his latest performance.
All-Time Performers, Boys’ 15-16 400 IM (SCY):
1. Maximus Williamson, 3:39.83 – 2022
2. Luka Mijatovic, 3:41.76 – 2025
3. Yi Zheng, 3:41.90 – 2025
4. Thomas Heilman, 3:43.63 – 2022
5. Matthew Fallon, 3:44.08 – 2019
6. Carson Foster, 3:44.16 – 2017
7. Sean Grieshop, 3:44.45 – 2015
8. Andrew Seliskar, 3:44.83 – 2013
9. Curtis Ogren, 3:44.87 – 2012
10. Jackson Hartzler, 3:45.02 – 2025
Split Comparison – Zheng:
- 2025 (New PB): 23.73, 50.86 (27.13), 1:19.45 (28.59), 1:48.08 (28.63), 2:19.08 (31.00), 2:50.40 (31.32), 3:16.84 (26.44), 3:41.90 (25.06)
- 2025 (Old PB): 23.38, 50.70 (27.32), 1:19.90 (29.20), 1:48.79 (28.89), 2:20.26 (31.47), 2:52.39 (32.13), 3:19.70 (27.31), 3:45.67 (25.97)
- 2024 (Old PB): 23.76, 51.50 (27.74), 1:21.51 (30.01), 1:51.34 (29.83), 2:23.11 (31.77), 2:55.63 (32.52), 3:23.65 (28.02), 3:51.22 (27.57)
The Irony of Competition
Ironically, Zheng’s new time bumped Stanton’s previous 3:45.39 out of the top 10 in the 15-16 age group. This highlights the fierce competition and the thin margins that separate these young athletes.
Looking Ahead
Both swimmers have more events on their schedule. Zheng will compete in the 200 breast and 200 fly tomorrow, while Stanton is set to swim the 200 back, 200 breast, and 200 fly. Will they continue to dominate, or will new challengers emerge? Only time will tell.
Thought-Provoking Question:
As we witness the rise of swimmers like Stanton and Zheng, it’s hard not to wonder: Is their success a result of rigorous training, natural talent, or a combination of both? What do you think? Share your thoughts in the comments below and let’s spark a discussion!
