The 2022 GHSA Swimming and Diving State Championships return to Georgia Tech’s Aquatic Center for three days of action that will get underway on Thursday before culminating on Saturday. In an effort to provide the safest possible environment, media and spectators were not allowed to attend last year’s championship, but fans will be welcomed back this year and all the results will be posted live on the “Meet Mobile: Swim” app.
The North Gwinnett boys won their first-ever state title in 2020 and then repeated as champions again in 2021 with a 361.5 team score that bested second-place Alpharetta’s 308.5. The Bulldogs’ scored a 319 to capture their first state crown the previous year and will look to continue their impressive run over the last several seasons. Additionally, West Forsyth’s boys relay team set state records in the 200 freestyle (1:22.56) and 400 freestyle (3:03.13).
In the Class 1A-3A competition, the Westminster girls are aiming for their fifth-straight state title. Leading the Wildcats are Gigi Johnson, Annie Jardina and Katie Christopherson. Johnson won the girls 100 buttlerfly and 200 individual medley last year, while Jardina took first in the 100 freestyle and Christopherson clocked a first-place finish in the 100 breaststroke. All three swimmers competed on the 200 freestyle relay team last year and set a new state record with a 1:40.65. Last year’s run to the title was not even close as the Westminster girls racked up a 589-point victory over second-place Greater Atlanta Christian’s 253 and Lovett’s 190. This massive total was the result of the Westminster girls winning eight of the 11 events.
ALL THE GLORY
The Wildcats will also be the team to beat in other events and the Westminster boys have been just as successful and will be aiming for their fifth-straight title this weekend and their seventh in the last eight years. Saavan Shah and Miles Clayton are top swimmers to watch for in the individual events. Shah won the state title in the 100 breaststroke last year and earned second in the individual medley, while Clayson placed second in the 100 backstroke and third in the 100 butterfly to help fuel the team’s state championship finish. Westminster has swept state crowns four years in a row heading into this weekend and the boys have won 28 all-time state titles in their history, giving Westminster a staggering 53 all-time team swimming state titles between the boys and girls’ programs.
Like Westminster, Marist will have a chance to sweep state titles after winning both the boys and girls titles last year in Class 4A-5A. It is expected that the War Eagles will be hard to beat in the relay races, as well as the 200 and 400 freestyle. The boys are looking for a third-straight state title, while the girls are looking to go back-to-back.
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