In our Weekly Wonders of Age Group Swimming series, we celebrate swimmers of every age and experience level with age group profiles of some recent results.
Nielsen Hamby, 17, Team Greenville (SC): Hamby set a pair of Greenville High School records at the Boys 5A Division II state meet in South Carolina, doing so in the boys’ 100 breaststroke and 100 butterfly. In the 100 breast, Hamby clocked 58.55 to take nearly two seconds off the previous record of 1:00.31, and then in the 100 fly, he posted a time of 53.14 to lower the old mark of 53.36. Both swims marked new lifetime bests—he was previously 59.02 in the 100 breast, and his fastest-ever time in the 100 fly sat at 55.59.
Una Diaz, 14, Long Island Aquatic Club (MR): Diaz picked up four wins and set personal bests in every event she raced at the LIAC Chappy’s Invite last weekend in East Meadow, producing some top-ranked times in the girls’ 13-14 age group along the way. Diaz’s time of 1:51.30 in the 200 free ranks her 2nd for 13-14s this season, while her 10:09.48 clocking in the 1000 free is 3rd. She also sits 4th in the 200 IM (2:04.72), 5th in the 200 back (2:01.42) and 12th in the 200 fly (2:07.48) based on her performances from the meet.
Stefan Nam, 12, Palo Alto Stanford Aquatics (PC): Nam set personal bests across the board at the DACA CBA SC meet in Cupertino, California, picking up four event wins to boot. The Palo Alto Stanford 12-year-old’s best performance came in the 200 breast, where his 2:34.16 clocking ranks 21st in the U.S. so far this season.
Willa Kulp, 12, North Baltimore Aquatic Club (MD): Kulp has shown impressive early-season form in October, following up setting six best times at the Bill Schmidt Invitational early in the month with five more PBs last weekend at the NBAC Fall Festival. Kulp cracked the top 100 all-time for 11-12 girls in the 1650 free, clocking 17:34.51 to rank 76th all-time and 2nd in the 2024-25 season. She ranks 1st this season for 11-12s in the 200 fly (2:09.52), and also ranks 2nd in the 1000 free (10:39.21), 100 fly (59.70) and 100 IM (1:01.69) from her swims at the Fall Festival.
Grant Bellin, 14, King Aquatic Club (PN): Bellin established seven lifetime bests at the THSC Fall Invitational in Beaverton, Ore., headlined by what he did in the backstroke events. Bellin posted blistering times of 51.09 in the 100 back and 1:51.81 in the 200 back, both Futures Cuts that ranks 1st in the country this season for 13-14 boys. The 14-year-old King Aquatic Club member added bests in the 50 free (22.88), 100 free (49.18), 200 free (1:47.34), 200 fly (2:06.62) and 200 IM (2:01.33).
Millie Conner, 11, Team Greenville (SC): Conner was on fire at the Team Greenville Great Pumpkin Invite last weekend, setting nine lifetime bests while producing some top-ranking times in the nation. Conner clocked 25.69 in the 50 free to rank 2nd this season among 11-year-old girls, and she matched that ranking with her 27.51 showing in the 50 fly. She also moves to 4th in the nation in the 100 free (56.58) and 200 back (2:18.14), and 8th in both the 200 fly (2:23.74) and 200 IM (2:21.06).
