Los Alamos swim team posts 31 PBs; girls third, boys 13th

Los Alamos High School swimmers posted a strong showing at two mid-January meets, turning in 31 personal bests out of 46 individual swims and earning a third-place finish for the girls at the Academy Invite (Jan. 9-10) while the boys placed 13th. The subsequent Academy Quad on Jan. 13 served as targeted preparation for the prelims-finals formats that will shape district and state competition later this season.

The 31-of-46 mark represents roughly 67 percent of individual swims improving on prior times, a useful indicator of training progress and race readiness. Personal bests reduce uncertainty in seeding and can move swimmers into higher heats for championship finals, increasing the chance for points and regional recognition. Coaches emphasized using the Academy Quad to simulate morning prelims and evening finals, refining pacing, warm-up routines, and recovery between sessions.

Girls’ third-place finish at the Academy Invite signals depth across multiple events and suggests Los Alamos swimmers are converting practice gains into race-day results. The boys’ 13th-place finish highlights areas for targeted improvement in sprint speed and relay exchanges, but the high PB rate shows individuals on both squads are trending in the right direction. Performance across both meets provides concrete data for coaches to adjust tapering and technical work before district time trials and state-qualifying windows.

For Los Alamos County residents, the meets matter beyond high school standings. Strong individual improvements reflect effective local coaching and a productive training environment at the Los Alamos pool, which supports youth development and community engagement in aquatics. Swimmers achieving PBs often become more visible in district seeding lists, which can attract attention from colleges and boost local support for swim programs and facility usage.

The timing of these mid-January meets is strategic: prelims-finals formats will dominate district and state schedules, and practicing that rhythm helps athletes manage fatigue and execute best efforts when championship points are at stake. The statistical gains seen in 31 personal bests provide measurable momentum heading into the next phase of the season.

Los Alamos High School now shifts focus to fine-tuning race strategies, starts, and turns with an eye toward district and state prelims-finals. The community can expect swimmers to chase further time drops as seeding and finals opportunities sharpen over the coming weeks.