Derek Hernandez-Ojeda and Grant Bellin Swim Nearly Identical 200 Back Times 2000 Miles Apart

2025 ST TXLA 11 & OVER November Unclassified/THSC OR November Open

• November 7-9, 2025
• Austin, TX/Beaverton, OR
• SCY (25 Yards)
• Full Meet Results Available on Meet Mobile: “2025 ST TXLA 11& Over November Unclassified”/“2025 THSC November Open”

In two meets across the country from each other, a pair of 15-year-olds, Nitro Swim Club’s Derek Hernandez-Ojeda and King Aquatic Club’s Grant Bellin, swam nearly identical times in the 200 back and 200 free.

Hernandez-Ojeda’s swims came first, since Austin is central time, which runs two hours ahead of Beaverton, which is Pacific Time. In the 200 backstroke, he touched in 1:46.52, a new best time to drop from the 1:47.16 he swam in October. This was a huge season drop for him, with his preseason best time coming in at 1:52.37 from February.

Halfway across the country, Bellin swam 1:46.44 to come in less than a tenth ahead of Hernandez-Ojeda. His swim was also a new personal best time, dropping from his 1:47.47 from March of this year. Bellin actually finished 2nd overall at his meet, coming in behind 16-year old Nico Lee’s 1:45.58 for first.

Hernandez-Ojeda and Bellin currently sit 2nd and 3rd in the country this season behind Lee, who has the top time.

Hernandez-Ojeda also swam the 200 freestyle, touching in 1:44.07, a new personal best time, to finish 4th overall. His drop was in line with his 200 backstroke drop, coming in more than five seconds faster than his preseason best of 1:49.20 from last December.

Meanwhile, Bellin swam 1:43.99 in the 200 freestyle, to finish 7th overall at the Oregon meet. This was a new personal best time, dropping from the 1:44.65 he swam in October.

Other Notable Results from Austin

• Rowan Cox (18, TXLA) – Texas commit Rowan Cox won six individual events, setting new personal best times in the 500 free (4:27.68), 200 back (1:44.66), and 400 IM (3:53.12).
• Alex Kirsling (12, NTRO) – 12-year-old Alex Kirsling from Nitro won six events and set six new personal best times. He won the 50 free (23.64), 200 free (1:51.24), 200 back (2:01.29), 100 fly (57.82), 200 fly (2:12.41), and 400 IM (4:28.15). Everything except the 200 free were new personal bests and he also set a new personal best in the 50 breast.
• Kate Canales (16, AAAA) – 2027 Florida commit Kate Canales won all four of her individual events, setting a new personal best time in the 500 free (4:58.94). She also set a new season best in the 100 breast at 1:01.44, which is the 4th fastest time in the country this season for 15-16-year-olds.

Other Notable Results from Beaverton

• Nico Lee (16, HEAT) – Hillsboro Heat’s Nico Lee also won the 500 free and 100 back on top of his 200 back win. In the 500 free, he swam 4:32.93, and in the 100 back, he was 49.03. Both swims were new personal best times.
• Will Lee (14, THSC) – 14-year-old Will Lee from Tualatin Hills won the 500 free (5:05.19), 100 breast (1:02.66), 200 breast (2:15.86), and 100 fly (56.56). He set new personal bests in all four, along with personal best times in the 200 back (2:03.02) and 200 fly (2:12.59).
• Sutton Forbis (16, BC) – Seven individual events went to 16 -ear-old Sutton Forbis from Bellevue Club Swim Team. She won the 100 free (49.67), 200 free (1:48.10), 500 free (5:00.49), 100 back (54.29), and 200 back (1:58.89) all in new personal best times. She also won the 50 free (23.75) and the 100 fly (55.22).