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Colt Chaires, a 6’6’’ 175-pound USA Swimming Scholastic All-American from Chapel Hill, North Carolina, has announced his verbal commitment to The Ohio State University beginning in the 2027-28 school year. He wrote to SwimSwam:
“I am extremely honored and excited to announce my verbal commitment to continue my academic and athletic career at The Ohio State University. I would like to thank Coach Norm and Coach Dorenkott for providing me with this incredible opportunity. I would also like to thank Coach Brown, Coach DeSelm, Coach Sherwood Watts, and my Mom for coaching me into the swimmer I am today. I’d also like to thank my family and my teammates for always being there for me. I am so excited to become a Buckeye!
Go Buckeyes!”
Chaires is a junior at East Chapel Hill High School. He swims for his school during high school season, and with North Carolina Aquatic Club (NCAC), under head coach Steve Brown, the rest of the year. A dual USA/Canadian citizen, he competes at international meets with Greater Ottawa Kingfish under coaches Jason Allen and Simon St Pierre. His mother, Sarah Chaires, is president of Carolina Swims Foundation. Before that, she ran Club Kick Start (CKS), a club she founded and merged with North Carolina Aquatic Club in 2022. Chaires swam for CKS before joining NCAC in 2022.
Chaires is a versatile mid- and long-distance specialist with Summer Juniors-or-faster standards in the 800/1500 free, 200 back, and 400 IM. This past long-course season, he had a big meet at NCSA Summer Championship, where he dropped over 19 seconds in the 800 free to post the #7 performance (8:14.51) in the class of 2027. He also clocked PBs in the 200 free (1:55.33), 400 free (4:02.80), 1500 free (15:55.25), 200 back (2:04.50), and 400 IM (4:29.01). In June, he had swum lifetime bests in the 100 free (55.01), 100 back (59.78), and 200 IM (2:11.62).
Chaires notched a trio of short-course yards PBs at 2024 Winter Juniors East, going 4:29.02 in the 500 free, 15:29.27 in the 1650 free (16th place), and 4:00.32 in the 400 IM. In February, he placed 5th in the 500 free (4:29.54) and 15th in the 100 back (52.55) at the North Carolina High School 4A State Championship. He wrapped up the season at Tarheel States, lowering his times in the 100 free (47.89), 200 back (1:49.21), and 100 fly (54.26).
Best SCY times:
- 200 free – 1:39.71
- 500 free – 4:28.32
- 1000 free – 9:17.13
- 1650 free – 15:29.27
- 100 back – 52.22
- 200 back – 1:49.21
- 200 IM – 1:53.55
- 400 IM – 3:58.40
Chaires will suit up in the Buckeyes’ class of 2031 with fellow verbal commits Ewan Dalrymple, Jackson Hartzler, Camren Turowski, and Luke Collins. He will overlap with OSU distance standouts Jordi Vilchez, TJ Frost, and Gherman Prudnikau.
Dad Steve Chaires told SwimSwam: “Outside of the pool, Colt volunteers for his family’s non-profit, Carolina Swims Foundation (CSF) – an organization with a mission of safeguarding children and children in foster care from drowning by providing free swim lessons throughout North Carolina. The organization works alongside other great organizations such as American Red Cross, pools throughout North Carolina, and receives grants and awards from notable organizations such as Rowdy Gaines’ Step-Into-Swim, USA Swimming Make A Splash, F.M. Kirby Foundation, to name a few. To date, Carolina Swims Foundation has “given the gift of swim” to over 750 children in North Carolina, safeguarding them from drowning.
Colt is also an advocate for cancer awareness, after witnessing his mother courageously battle breast cancer just 3 years ago, undergoing 20 rounds of chemotherapy and numerous surgeries. He attends many events alongside his mother (now cancer-free) raising awareness and raising funds. His swim club, NCAC, is also a notable proponent of cancer awareness, raising significant money for Swim Across America every year.
On Sundays, Colt works the 9:00am-1:00pm shift at his local Harris Teeter grocery store, where he is a cashier. He is the oldest of 3 sons – his brother, Piers, is in the 9th grade at IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida, where he plays lacrosse, and youngest brother, Liam, is in the 7th grade and a proud new member of the School of Rock House Band (keys, sax, vocals, guitar).”
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