The 2026 CIF State Swimming and Diving Championships kicked off with a bang, and the prelims session was a testament to the talent on display. The meet, held at Clovis West High School in Fresno, California, featured some of the state's top swimmers and divers, with the diving finals setting the tone for the rest of the competition.
One of the standout performers was Saint Mary's junior Lucius Haddad, who dominated the boys' diving event with a score of 556.60, a full three points ahead of his closest competitor, Jasper Nemeth. On the girls' side, Mater Dei senior Gianna Kenrick took the top spot with a score of 520.75, more than 30 points ahead of the second-place diver, Hailey Tipton from Pioneer.
The swimming events were equally as exciting, with the 200 medley relay setting the pace. The Campolindo girls team swam the top time in the 200 medley relay of 1:43.40, just two tenths ahead of Davis High School's 1:43.61. The boys' relay saw Valley Christian take the top spot with a time of 1:29.47, the only team under 1:30 in the event.
The 200 freestyle prelims saw some impressive performances, with McKinley Scobie from Foothill High School setting the top time in the girls' event with a time of 1:47.90, just a second off her lifetime best. The boys' 200 freestyle was equally as competitive, with Northwood senior and USC commit Andrew Maksymowski swimming the top time of 1:35.29.
The 200 IM prelims saw Kelsey Zhang from Saratoga take the top spot with a time of 1:58.37, while the 50 free, 100 fly, 100 free, 500 free, 200 free relay, 100 back, 100 breast, 400 free relay, and 200 free relay events all saw some of the state's top swimmers and divers compete.
The CIF State Swimming and Diving Championships are a testament to the hard work and dedication of the athletes and coaches involved. With the finals set for May 16, the competition is sure to be a thrilling showcase of the state's best swimmers and divers.
