See all of our 2023 Swammy Awards here.
2023 HONOREES: MIKAYLA TAN & ALEXANDER THOMAS
Editor’s note: because of ongoing challenges with the USA Swimming results database, identifying all of the top candidates for this year’s age group awards in an objective way has been challenging. We’ve done our best to find them, but it’s possible that we missed someone obvious. If that’s the case, please let us know in the comments!
11-12 GIRLS
Mikayla Tan, DART Swimming
Mikayla Tan‘s biggest swim this year came in February as she set a new 11-12 SCY 400 IM National Age Group (NAG) record swimming a 4:18.99. That swim broke Leah Hayes‘ old record of a 4:20.03 which Hayes set back in 2018.
Tan’s 400 IM time made her the fastest in the age group this year by over seven seconds. In addition to leading the nation in the 400 IM, she also led the nation in the SCY 200 breast, SCY 200 IM, LCM 50 breast, LCM 100 breast, LCM 200 breast, LCM 200 IM, and LCM 400 IM. She also was top five in the nation in the SCY 50 breast and SCY 100 breast.
Tan’s Top 5 Times In The Nation:
- 50 SCY breast: 29.81 (#2)
- 100 SCY breast: 1:04.04 (#2)
- 200 SCY breast: 2:16.22 (#1)
- 200 SCY IM: 2:05.46 (#1)
- 400 SCY IM: 4:18.99 (#1)
- 50 LCM breast: 33.29 (#1)
- 100 LCM breast: 1:12.90 (#1)
- 200 LCM breast: 2:35.50 (#1)
- 200 LCM IM: 2:23.22 (#1)
- 400 LCM IM: 5:02.14 (#1)
Honorable Mentions:
- Adelyn Lee, Brea Aquatics– Lee is in the top five in the age group in 14 total events. She is the fastest in the age group in the SCY 1000 freestyle by over seven seconds with a 10:12.36 which ranks her #13 all-time. She also leads the age group this season in the LCM 800 freestyle and LCM 1500 freestyle. Her 1500 freestyle time of a 17:48.59 is #34 all-time. She was the only 11-12 girl to swim under the 18-minute mark in the 1500 freestyle this year.
- Grace Koenig-Song, NASA Wildcat Aquatics– Koenig-Song broke Tan’s 11-12 SCY 100 breaststroke NAG record as she swam a 1:02.02 in March. That was faster than Tan’s old record by over half a second. In total, Koenig-Song led the nation in the SCY 50 and 100 breaststrokes and was in the top five in another eight events.
11-12 BOYS
Alexander Thomas, Dads Club Swim Team
Alexander Thomas takes home the award on the boys side. Thomas was top five in the nation this year in 11 events, including leading the nation in five events.
Thomas had a huge summer as his five nation-leading times came in the LCM pool. Thomas led the nation in the 200 freestyle, 400 freestyle, 50 backstroke, 200 backstroke, and 200 butterfly. His 200 freestyle (2:01.45) led the age group by over two seconds, his 400 free (4:17.79) led by almost five seconds, his 200 back (2:16.42) led by almost four seconds, and his 200 butterfly (2:16.53) led by over a second.
His 200 freestyle ranks him #5 in the age group all-time and his 400 free is #9 all-time. He also sits at #17 all-time in the 200 backstroke and #17 all-time in the 200 butterfly.
Thomas’ Top 5 Nation Leading Times:
- 100 SCY back: 56.51 (#5)
- 200 SCY back: 2:01.78 (#5)
- 100 LCM free: 57.24 (#4)
- 200 LCM free: 2:01.45 (#1)
- 400 LCM free: 4:17.79 (#1)
- 50 LCM back: 29.04 (#1)
- 100 LCM back: 1:03.70 (#2)
- 200 LCM back: 2:16.42 (#1)
- 100 LCM fly: 1:01.94 (#2)
- 200 LCM fly: 2:16.53 (#1)
- 200 LCM IM: 2:21.20 (#2)
Honorable Mentions:
- Austin Chu, CSP Tideriders- Chu led the age group in five events this year and was in the top five in another two events. Chu’s dominance in the events he led the country in also stands out. He led the SCY 100 backstroke (53.74) by over a second and the SCY 200 backstroke (1:55.75) by almost four seconds. His 100 backstroke is #13 all-time and his 200 backstroke is #8 all-time.
- Jacob Nadur, Dublin Community Swim Team- Nadur showed his strength in the middle distance freestyle events as well as in the IM events. He was in the top five this season in the SCY 100 and 200 freestyles, 100 fly, and 200 IM. In the LCM season, he was top five in the 100 free, 200 free, 400 free, and 200 IM. Notably, Nadur led the nation in the SCY 200 free, LCM 100 free, and LCM 200 IM. His 200 free (1:47.02) is #17 all-time while his LCM 100 free (56.67) is #31 all-time.
PAST WINNERS
| YEAR | 11-12 GIRL | 11-12 BOY |
| 2022 | Mikayla Tan | Luka Mijatovic |
| 2021 | Kayla Han | Joey Campagnola |
| 2020 | Kayla Han | Sam Marsteiner |
| 2019 | Teagan O’Dell | Thomas Heilman |
| 2018 | Leah Hayes | Dean Jones |
| 2017 | Claire Tuggle | Josh Zuchowski |
| 2016 | Meghan Lynch | Ronald Dalmacio |
| 2015 | Chase Travis | Winn Aung |
| 2014 | Alex Walsh | Ethan Dang |
| 2013 | Grace Ariola | Andrew Trepanier |
| 2012 | Cassidy Bayer | Michael Andrew |
Huge congratulations to the talented Miss Adalyn! She is a force to be reckoned with 100%! We sincerely hope she and her father can sit back and enjoy this great honor. We hope there is less of him yelling during her races, less tears by the warm down pools and more smiles than frowns on deck simply because she added a half second. She is just 12.This reminds us of another superstar who started at Brea many years ago… It’s sad to see so many swim parents not realize how they can potentially destroy a talented kid’s love of the sport. We hope to see Adalyn continue her rise in the most positive way possible.
Nice job, Henry
We are so proud of you, Alex(ander), both for your swimming and the fine young person and scholar that you are. Love from Nana and PopPop and all your aunts, uncles and cousins.
Lots of girls on the historical list have become absolute super stars. Men’s list more hit or miss. Makes sense