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Dan Albano. Sports HS Reporter.

// MORE INFORMATION: Staff Mug Shot taken August 26, 2010 : by KATE LUCAS, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER.

David Heron signaled Thursday night he could be one of Orange County’s rising contenders to watch when the U.S. national swimming championships roll into Irvine in early August.

The 19-year-old captured the 1,500-meter freestyle on the opening night of the TYR Fran Crippen Memorial Swim Meet of Champions in 15minutes, 24.82seconds, sixth fastest for a U.S. male this year and No. 1 among teenagers.

Heron, a sophomore-to-be at Tennessee and former Mission Viejo High and Mission Viejo Nadadores standout, outdistanced Canadian Eric Hedlin by just more than 21/2 seconds at the Marguerite Recreation Center for his first Crippen title.

The Nadadores’ Janardan Burns, 18, finished third in 15:34.15.

With the U.S. nationals set to start Aug.6, it’s unlikely many swimmers this weekend in Mission Viejo will shave or rest, but Heron touched just two seconds off his personal-best time from the FINA World Junior Championships last summer in Saudi Arabia, a 15:22.81 that was good for sixth.

“I think that 15:24 was a great time for me at this point in training,” Heron said in a text message. “I definitely want to be under my best at senior nationals.”

Olympian Connor Jaeger, 23, owns the top U.S. time this year with a 15:00.97 from the Santa Clara Grand Prix earlier this month.