Yi Zheng Delivers 7th-Fastest 15–16 Boys’ 200 IM All-Time, Grabs Top Seed at WJ East
2025 Winter Junior Championships – East
Dates: December 10–13, 2025 - Venue: Indianapolis, Indiana
Prelims start at 9 a.m. EST; Finals are at 5 p.m. EST
Course: Short Course Yards (SCY, 25 yards)
Meet Central: https://www.usaswimming.org/eventmvc/2025/12/10/default-calendar/speedo-winter-junior-championships-east
Psych Sheet: https://websiteprodcoresa.blob.core.windows.net/sitefinity/docs/default-source/eventsdocuments/events-posting/2025-speedo-winter-junior-championships/juniors-east-psych-sheet2.pdf?sfvrsn=23681932_2
How to Watch: https://swimswam.com/how-to-watch-the-2025-winter-junior-championships-east-west/
Live Results: https://swmeets.com/Realtime/SCJuniors/2025/
Live Recaps
Prelims: Day Two recap — https://swimswam.com/2025-winter-juniors-east-day-2-prelims-live-recap/
Finals: Day One recap — https://swimswam.com/2025-winter-juniors-east-day-1-finals-live-recap/
Boys’ 200 IM – Prelims
1) Yi Zheng (CSC) – 1:43.98
2) Baylor Stanton (GA) – 1:44.21
3) Collin Holgerson (SA) – 1:44.53
4) Ian Heysen (BD) – 1:44.90
5) Owen Ekk (ATAC) – 1:45.06
6) Owen Lin (GSA) / Liam Carrington (BSS) – 1:45.73
7) —
8) Matthew Wolfe (NOVA) – 1:45.85
This morning at the Speedo Winter Junior National Championships – East prelims, Yi Zheng continued climbing the all-time rankings for the boys’ 15–16 age group in the 200 IM.
The Carmel Swim Club standout touched in 1:43.98, shaved 2.48 seconds from his previous best, and earned the top seed in a field dominated by 17- and 18-year-olds. With this clocking, Zheng rises to the 7th-fastest time ever by a 15–16-year-old in the event.
Splits:
- 50 back (Fly): 22.88
- 100 (Back): 26.32 (49.20 at 100)
- 150 (Breast): 29.87 (1:19.07 at 150)
- 200 (Free): 24.91 (1:43.98)
This performance continues Zheng’s breakthrough year in the second half. He cracked the top ten all-time in the long-course 400 IM at the U.S. Nationals in June, then climbed to 7th in late July. November brought further drops in time, including eight personal bests at the CSC Fall Frenzy, where he posted the 11th-fastest short-course 400 IM by a 15–16 swimmer.
Heading into finals, Zheng was seeded 7th in the 200 IM, a little over two seconds off the top seed. He also has strong seedings in other events later in the meet.
In addition to the 200 IM, Zheng is ranked 5th in the 200 breast (1:56.44) and 6th in the 200 fly (1:45.30); in both events he sits within about 1.5 seconds of the lead. He’s also slated to swim the 400 IM, where he’s seeded second and trails top seed Baylor Stanton by 4.17 seconds. If Zheng can replicate his late-year improvements, he could emerge as a serious challenger in multiple events.
Zheng is also scheduled for the 100 breast, seeded 24th with a 55.08.
The 200 IM finals field is exceptionally tight. After Zheng, the standings are Baylor Stanton (2nd, 1:44.21), Collin Holgerson (3rd, 1:44.53), Ian Heysen (4th, 1:44.90), and Owen Ekk (5th, 1:45.06), all within 1.08 seconds of Zheng.
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