Jack Aikins is an American Backstroker. As a high schooler, he won numerous Georgia and Junior National Titles and made the 200 back final at the 2020(1) U.S. Olympic Team Trials. Representing UVA, Aikins has made NCAA finals and boosted relays to high finishes. Aikins really found his impact in Long Course where he won three golds at the 2023 Pan American Championships and placed 3rd in the 200 back at both the 2022 and 2023 U.S. International Team Trials.
Junior/High School Swimming
2019 GHSA 6A-7A State Championship (Atlanta, Georgia)
Competing as a sophomore for West Forsyth, Aikins took the boys 7A 50 free in a fairly decisive manner, rocketing to a 20.67 to be the only swimmer in the field to break 21 seconds. He was also 45.24 for 3rd in the 100 free.
2019 Atlanta Swimming Association Summer League Championships (Atlanta, Georgia)
Aikins took second to Brooks Curry by a mere .02 seconds with a 20.71 50 free at a future-star-studded meet.
2019 Winter Junior Championships–East (Atlanta, Georgia)
Competing in his hometown, Aikins edged teammate Jake Magahey for the gold medal in the men’s 50 free. Aikins went 19.86 for his first time under 20; his previous PB was 20.33. He also posted a 100 free PB in prelims with a 44.55 before placing 8th in the final in 44.88. It was another big best time in the 200 free with a 1:36.87 in prelims, he was a little slower with a 1:37.22 for 7th in finals. Aikins was also on fire in the backstroke events, posting a PB of 48.17 100 in prelims before placing 7th in finals (48.68), and placing 3rd in the 200 back (1:42.63). Aikins also threw down some speedy free splits across several relays, going 19.64/43.35/1:36.14.
2020 GHSA 6A-7A State Championship (Atlanta, Georgia)
Aikins dominated, posting times of 19.74 and 43.72 in the 50 and 100 free. Both of those times were PBs and won his events by comfortable margins. He also anchored West Forsyth to titles in the 200 and 400 free relays with splits of 19.55 and 42.97.
2020 Southern Premier Meet (Atlanta, Georgia)
Just days before the COVID-19 pandemic shut down the US, Aikins threw down some impressive times. On day 1, he won the 200 back in 1:42.83 after a prelims 1:41.73. His previous best time was 1:42.63. Aikins also swam a 1:37.44 in prelims of the 200 free and split a 19.80 on the leadoff leg of SwimAtlanta’s winning 200 free relay. On day 2, he swam a lifetime best of 19.68 in the 50 free prelims. Aikins went on to win the final in 19.99; shortly after, he swam the 200 IM, winning in 1:47.77, a PB. On day 4, Aikins broke 48 for the first time in prelims of the 100 back, leading the heats in 47.51. He was off that in the final with a 48.27. Aikins was just a few tenths shy of his best in prelims of the 100 free, posting a 43.56. He went on to win that final in 44.05.
2020 Peach State 18 and Under Championships (Norcross, Georgia)
Aikins, who dropped a scintillating 1:40.92 in the boys’ 200 backstroke. That improved on his previous best of 1:41.73 and moved him up from 27th to 15th all-time in the 17-18 age group. He also fell just .03 shy of Ian Grum‘s LSC record. Aikins also topped the 100 free in 43.51, just off his best. The next night, Aikins faced off against the hot-handed Sebastien Sergile who led prelims with a 1:36.3 in the 200 free. Aikins blasted out to the early lead, flipping in 45.04 at the 100 before holding on for the victory in 1:36.10, improving on his previous best of 1:36.87. Aikins also won the 100 back with a 47.49, tying his personal best time set in the prelims. On the final night, he won the 50 free eliminator, taking first place over all four rounds. Aikins threw down a 19.99 in round 1, before reeling off subsequent times of 20.14, 20.22, and 20.20 to seal the victory.
2021 GHSA 7A State Championships (Atlanta, Georgia)
Aikins shone, tying his lifetime best to win the 50 free in 19.68, rattling Paul Powers’ state record (19.63). In the 100 free, he was just .02 off of his best, going 43.29 to just miss the state record by a tenth. Aikins powered both of West Forsyth’s free relays to state titles and state records. He was 19.64 anchoring the 200 free relay (1:22.56) and 43.18 anchoring the 400 free relay (3:03.13),
LC Time Trial
The day after the 2021 GHSA 7A State Championships, Aikins swam in an LC time trial. He won the 50 free in 22.95. That undercuts his previous best of 23.25 and gives him a fourth Olympic Trials cut. He already had the 100 free Wave 1 standard with a 50.43 and Wave 2 standard in the 100 back with a 54.59. He also has a 200 back Wave 1 cut in 2:02.01. Because he has a single Wave 2 cut, he must swim at the Wave 2 meet, and he is eligible to swim all four of those races at the Wave 2 meet (even the ones where he has only a Wave 1 standard).
2021 Georgia Senior Short Course State Champs
AIkins dropped 1.07 seconds off his 200 back best time with a speedy 1:39.85. That time moved him to #4 in the 17-18 NAG. That swim came near the end of several fast days for Aikins, who set lifetime bests in three other events: 100 breast (1:03.44 to 56.40), 100 fly (50.02 to 47.64), and most impressively, 100 back (47.49 to 46.68).
He also swam a 46.05 leading off a “Mixed 400 Yard Medley Relay,” which seems to have consisted of a single SwimAtlanta boys medley relay and a single South West Aquatics girls medley relay. Assuming that ended up as an official time for him, that would move him to 15th all-time in the 17-18 NAG. Aikins also swam the 50 free in 19.83, just a bit off of his lifetime best of 19.68, and swam 44.29 in the prelims of the 100 free before opting not to swim it in finals.
2021 Georgia LC Senior State Championships (Athens, Georgia)
Aikins won the 50 back (25.58), just missing his PB of 25.52 from prelims. He also led off the SwimAtlanta 200 free relay with a PB of 22.74. He was also 54.20 in his 100 back, just off his PB, before scratching from finals. Similarly, Aikins was just off his 100 free best with a 50.03.
College Swimming
Aikins was ranked #18 in our Way Too Early ranking of the boys’ high school class of 2021 with times of 20.34/45.11/1:39.35/1:46.65 in the 50/100/200 free and 200 back. After his explosive 2019-20 season, Aikins rocked up to #5 in our Junior Year Re-rank of the Class of 2021. We ranked him as the 25th-best recruit of the first 10 years of our rankings. He skipped over Anthony Grimm and Tim Connery to #3 in our final rankings of the high school class of 2021.
In the fall 2019, Aikins announced his commitment to UVA’s class of 2025.
2021-22
In a uniquely formatted meet against Georgetown, Aikins picked up a win in a fairly unlikely event, the 50 breast pullouts. Aikins doubled by touching first in the 100 IM flip turns with a time of 50.84.
He topped the 100 free against Army in 44.96. Aikins posted a slew of season bests at the Tennessee Invite, going 19.90/43.90 in the 50/100 free and 47.66/1:44.32 in the 100/200 back. Aikins didn’t really come alive until the 2022 ACC Championships, scoring few points in dual meets. Two weeks before ACCs, he clocked a 1:35.87 200 free PB at the Cavalier Invite, a sign of what was to come.
At ACCs, Aikins proved to be one of the UVA men’s most impactful team members, netting 69 points (2nd most on the team) and swimming on 2 relays. On the first night, Aikins split a 1:33.50 on UVA’s 3rd-place 800 free relay. That split was over 2 seconds under his PB. the next morning, Aikins scored a new PB in the 50 free, going 19.23 to tie for the A-final in 8th. That night, Aikins stepped it up with a 19.12, shaving .11 off his PB and placing 6th. In the 100 back, Aikins placed 10th with a 46.13 after a 46.63 in prelims. Those times we just off his PB. The 46.13 would have put Aikins at 4th in the A-final
In his signature event, the 200 back, Aikins comfortably qualified for the A-final with a 1:40.44. In the final, Aikins got out quickly, flipping in first at the 50, 100, and 150 marks but Sam Tornqvist outsplit Aikins by a second on the final 50 to beat Aikins. His time of 1:39.53 marked a new PB. he wrapped the evening with a speedy 41.56 100 free split as UVA placed 2nd to NC State in the 400 free relay.
At NCAAs, Aikins opened the meet with a 1:33.63 200 free leadoff as UVA placed 12th. That time marked a new PB by about 2 seconds and just about matched what he split at ACCs. the next morning, Aikins was off form in the 50 free with a 19.47. His PB of 19.12 would have just made the B-final. In the 100 back on day 3, Aikins was just off his season-best with a 46.44 for 37th. That night, he matched his 100 back season best with a 46.13 leading off UVA’s 400 medley relay as they placed 14th.
In the 200 back the next morning, Aikins was a little off again but his 1:40.17 was good to make the B-final. Aikins eeked out a tight win in the B-final, topping Kacper Stokowski by just .01 seconds with a 1:39.26. On the 400 free relay, Aikins helped UVA to an impressive 4th-place finish with a 41.82 split in the 400 free relay.
2022-23
Aikins was firing on all cylinders from the start. At the UVA Intrasquad, Aikins won the 50 free in 19.73 and 100 IM in 49.22. That 50 was just .01 off Matt Brownstead’s meet record. Against Florida, he topped the 200 back with a 1:46.06.
At the highly anticipated UVA-Texas Meet, Aikins opened with a 2nd-place finish in the 100 IM with a 48.13. The next day, Aikins threw down a swift 1:42.90 200 back for 2nd and split a 19.18 on UVA’s 200 free relay.
Aikins put up a slew of season bests at the Tennessee invite. In the 50 free, he popped a 19.60 with a 19.02 50 free split on UVA’s 200 free relay in the same session. He put up a 100 free PB of 43.12 leading off the UVA 400 free relay and a season-best of 1:42.37 in the 200 back. He also led off the UVA 400 medley relay with a 46.60 season best.
He opened the 2023 ACC Championships with a quick 1:33.51 200 free leading off the UVA 800 free relay. That marked a new PB. The next night, Aikins split a 19.18 on the second leg of the 200 free relay as they took 2nd. Just over an hour later, Aikins put up a solid 19.32 50 free, a season-best. After a rest day on day 3, Aikins put up a new PB in the 100 back, dipping under the 46-second barrier with a 45.68. He ended the night with his 2nd sub-46 100 back, leading off UVA’s 2nd-place 400 medley relay in 45.82.
On the final night, Aikins fired off a 1:40.11 200 back and anchored a 42.39 in the 400 free relay.
Aikins herniated a disk in his back between ACCs and NCAAs, which caused him to miss training and lose the ability to do turns and underwaters for a period of time. Aikins failed to score in any individual events. He managed to step up on relays for UVA, anchoring UVA’s 6th-place 200 free relay in 18.77, splitting a 42.01 on the 13th-pace 400 free relay, and anchoring the 10th-place 400 medley relay in 41.78.
2023-24
After not competing in any meets through the fall, Aikins announced in November that he was taking a gap year to prepare for the 2024 U.S. Olympic trials and would not compete during the 2023-24 NCAA season.
“I figured it was the be the best thing for me,” Aikins said of his decision to do a gap year. “Just so that no matter what happens, next time we’re at trials, I can have no regrets and look back and say I did everything I could to put myself in the best position possible.”
Prior to when he decided not to compete NCAA this season, Aikins had been voted as a team captain by his teammates. When he made the choice to take a gap year, the other Virginia captains let him decide whether he wanted to keep his captainship, which he ended up doing. “I’m not technically part of the NCAA team, but I’m still training with the team and pushing those guys and girls every single day,” Aikins said. “[I’m] trying to be the best captain I can behind the scenes, really.”
National/International Swimming
2020 U.S. Open Championships–Huntsville (Huntsville, Alabama)
Aikins dropped 1.62 seconds from his best time to secure 1st place in the men’s 100 back in a time of 54.59. His previous best time, 56.21, was swam at the 2019 Georgia Senior State Championships. This swim added Aikins to the 2021 National Junior Team roster.
2021 Pro Swim Series–Mission Viejo (Mission Viejo, California)
Aikins neared his best time with a 54.93 100 back for 4th and set a new PB in the 200 back with a 2:01.12 for 7th.
2021 Atlanta Classic (Atlanta, Georgia)
Getting in some LC reps close to home before the 2020(1) Olympic Team Trials, Aikins put up a 55.02 100 back and personal bests of 50.40 in the 100 free and 54.86 in the 100 fly.
2020(1) USA Olympic Team Trials–Wave 2 (Omaha, Nebraska)
Aikins opened his meet with the 100 back where he threw down a big 54.16 PB in prelims to advance to semis 11th. There, he missed a 3rd swim by just .21 as he undercut his PB with a 54.03 for 12th. That 54.03 moved him up to #4 all-time for U.S. 17-18 boys. Aikins posted another PB in the 100 free, breaking the 50-second barrier for the first time with a 49.98 for 36th.
Aikins continued his phenomenal performance at Trials, crushing his personal best time in the men’s 200 backstroke and launching up to #7 in boys’ 17-18 NAG in the process, tying Jacob Pebley in the rankings. Aikins dueled it out with Destin Lasco in the non-circle-seeded third heat, touching in a time of 1:57.57 to demolish his previous best of 2:00.77 at the Mission Viejo Pro Swim Series meet in April. That time was good for 3rd out of prelims. Aikins took sole possession of the #7 position in the 17-18 NAG rankings with a 1:57.50 in semis, good for 5th. The next night, Aikins was .40 seconds off his best from semis with a 1:57.90 for 7th. Aikins put up another PB in the 50 free (22.79) for 37th.
Aikins made the 2021-2022 Junior National Roster in the 100 and 200 back.
2022 U.S. International Team Trials (Greensboro, North Carolina)
On night 2, Aikins fell just short of a Worlds berth with a 3rd place finish in the 200 back, half a body length back of Shaine Casas. His 1:56.29 marked a new PB. Aikins cranked out a new PB in the 50 back, posting his first sub-25-second 50 back in prelims with a 24.81. He ended up 7th in the final with a 25.04. Aikins threw down another PB in the 100 back, posting his first sub-54 100 back in prelims with a 53.86 before ending up 6th in the final with a 53.95. In the 50 free, Aikins cranked out his 4th PB in his many events courtesy of a 22.50 50 free, he lowered that to 22.36 in the “B” final for 10th.
2022 Virginia Long Course Senior Championships (Lynchburg, Virginia)
Aikins recorded a PB of 49.77 in the 100 free.
2022 U.S. Nationals (Irvine, California)
Aikins Put up a PB in the 100 free prelims with a 49.22 but missed the “A” final in 10th. The “B” final, was a nail bitter, with Akins touching in first with a 49.05, followed closely by the rest of the final.
In the 200 back prelims, it looked like Aikins had the last heat and the top time of prelims all but locked up, however, he faded hard on the final 50, getting touched out by Ian Grum at the finish. The same story almost unfolded in the final but Aikins got out fast enough to hold off Grum, Destin Lasco, and Nick Simons despite coming home in a 30.9 to take the national title in 1:57.52.
In the 100 back, Aikins threw down a PB with a 53.75 100 back for 3rd. In the 50 free, Aikins put up another PB with a 22.34 for 11th in the finals.
2023 Atlanta Classic (Atlanta, Georgia)
Aikins looked in solid form. In the 100 back, he posted a 54.58 in prelims (64.61 in finals). In the 200 back, Aikins was 1:59.24.
2023 NCAP Elite Qualifier (Stafford, Virginia)
With less than a month out from Trials, Akins bettered his season bests in all three backstroke events, posting times of 24.97/54.37/1:58.04 in the 50/100/200.
2023 U.S. International Team Trials (Indianapolis, Indiana)
Aikins opened his meet in the 100 free with a 48.93 in prelims. He opted not to race in the finals. The next morning, he threw down the #2 time in the 200 back with a 1:56.70. In the final, Aikins fell painfully short of a Worlds berth. He led through the 50 and the 100 and held on to 2nd behind Ryan Murphy through the 150 but could not hold off a surging Destin Lasco as he tied for 3rd with Daniel Diehl with a 1:56.04.
In the 50 back, Aikins was 8th with a 25.00. Aikins placed 6th in the 100 back with a 53.75, matching his PB. In the 50 free, he was 22.64 for 17th after posting a 22.46 in a swim-off for the “B” final.
Aikins was selected for the 2023 Pan American Games roster in the 200 back.
2023 U.S Pro Championships (Irvine, California)
Aikins put up a solid 1:57.82 in the 200 back for the win. Aikins’ time was the only one under 1:58. In the 100 back prelims, Aikins blasted a new PB with a 53.45. He was just off that time in the final with a 53.83.
2023 Pan American Games (Santiago, Chile)
Aikins reaped his first international medal by helping Team USA to a silver in the 400 free relay behind Brazil; Aikins split a 48.60 on the 3rd leg. Aikins qualified comfortably for the 200 back final the next day with a 1:59.28. In the final, it was all Aikins and fellow American Ian Grum. Aikins and Grum were near even at the 100 with splits of 56.91 and 56.95 respectively. It was Aikins’ 3rd 50 that separated him from Grum, splitting a 29.74 to Grum’s 30.29. Aikins outsplit Grum on the final 50 by .1 with a 29.89. In the end, Aikins netted gold in a new Games Record of 1:56.58 as the duo dominated the field.
Aikins led off the mixed 400 medley relay with a 54.09 in prelims. The finals squad netted him a second gold. Aikins earned his final gold with a 54.00 back leg on the 400 medley relay.
2023 U.S. Open Championships (Greensboro, North Carolina)
Aikins was just .41 seconds off his PB in the 100 back prelims with a 53.86. In the final, he placed fourth after dropping .01 seconds from prelims. Aikins missed out on the 200 back “A” final after cruising through prelims with a 2:01.47. In the “B” final, Aikins threw down a 1:56.82 after going out in a blazing 55.49 at the 100. That time won his final by 3 seconds and would have placed second in the “A” final.
2024 World Aquatics Championships (Doha, Qatar)
Aikins was announced as a member of the 18-athlete roster for the 2024 World Aquatics Championships in Doha, Qatar. The team included just 5 women and 13 men, as was expected from USA Swimming’s updated selection procedure for the ad hoc World Championship event. He was selected for the 100 and 200 back. “I would have had a light rest meet in the early spring anyways leading up to trials, and we figured that [Worlds] would be a good opportunity to get that done,” Aikins said of his decision to attend the meet. “As well as [to] get more international experience before trials.”
–This biography was originally developed by Lucas Caswell
