By Claire Wong on SwimSwam
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Two-time Croatian national record holder Niko Jankovic will head to College Station to attend Texas A&M University beginning this fall.
Jankovic currently holds the Croatian national long course record in the 200m free, which he reset at the 2024 European Championships with a time of 1:46.48 en route to a 4th place finish. At just that meet, Jankovic lowered his PB and subsequently the national record from a 1:48.03 — which he set from leading off the 4×200 relay in prelims — to a 1:46.48 in the individual final.
Jankovic first set the national record back in July 2023, where he swam a 1:48.27 at the Croatian age group championships. There, he also recorded a PB of 49.95 in the 100 free to break 50 for the first time.
Jankovic is also a member of the 4x200m free relay team that broke the national record of 7:16.22 at this year’s European Championships. He led off the relay with the fastest split of the quartet, clocking a 1:47.31.
On the world stage, Jankovic swam the 200m free at the World Aquatics Championships in Doha in February, where he placed 28th in prelims.
Additionally, Jankovic has had short course meter success, as at the 2023 Croatian Championships (SCM), he swam PBs of 3:46.05 in the 400 free, 1:58.60 in the 200 IM, and 48.60 in the 100 free. He was additionally just off his PB of 1:44.51 in the 200 free, swimming a 1:44.65 lead off leg in the 4x200m relay.
Best times LCM (converted to SCY)
- 100 free – 49.95 (43.72)
- 200 free – 1:46.48 (1:32.52)
- 400 free – 4:02.66 (4:28.59 500 yard free)
In 2024, the Texas A&M men finished 4th at SECs before going on to place 16th at NCAAs. Baylor Nelson, a rising sophomore, led the Aggies with 2 1st place finishes and a 1:32.38 lead off leg in the 800 free relay. That relay ended up placing 6th in 6:19.01.
Jankovic will make an immense impact, as his converted 200 free time would have qualified for the ‘A’ final at 2024 SECs. Additionally, he can provide a crucial relay leg — with his 200 free ranking 2nd on Texas A&M’s 2023-2024 roster, behind only Nelson. Jankovic will provide a much needed boost to this relay, as 2 of the 4 legs featured on the 6th place 800 free relay have graduated.
Although the LCM to SCY conversion for his 400 free would not have qualified for any final at SECs, his SCM conversion (4:20.70) would have finished 25th and is less than .5 away from what would have been a finals berth.
Niko Jankovic will join Travis Gulledge (breast/sprint free), BOTR Chase Swearingen (fly/IM), Ben Sytsma (sprint free), Seth Tolentino (sprint free), Ryan Rautenbach (back), #17 Jacob Wimberly (IM/free), diving transfer Leonardo Garcia, and Australian national team diver Jaxon Bowshire in Aggieland ahead of the 2024-25 season.
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Read the full story on SwimSwam: Croatian National Record Holder Niko Jankovic to join Texas A&M this fall (2024)