First Colony Swim Team Shines at Gulf Age Group Champs

Trenton Thome

First Colony Swim Team Shines at Gulf Age Group Champs

Though the team came up just shy of the team title by 45.5 points, First Colony Swim Team delivered a historic performance at the Gulf Age Group Championships, marking their best showing in over a decade. The meet, held over three days at Texas A&M University Natatorium in College Station, saw the team set 11 new team records, earn 15 top-ten national rankings, and produce the most high-point winners of any team.

Standout Performances:

The first night set the tone for the meet, beginning with the 400 IM and 500 Free events. Ethan Valerio, 14, kicked things off with a bang, setting a new team record and posting the 6th fastest time in the nation for the 400 IM (4:00.83). Meanwhile, Molly Kate Maddan, 12, earned the team's first win of the meet, claiming the 400 IM title with a time of 4:39.88, ranking 7th in the nation.

The 13-14 Boys' 500 Free was a thrilling race, with Kenny Zhou and Valerio battling neck-and-neck. Zhou surged in the final 100 meters, but Valerio out-touched him by just 0.03 seconds, setting a new team record with a time of 4:32.20. Both swimmers' times ranked 2nd and 3rd in the nation, respectively.

Saturday morning featured a series of impressive swims. Valerio and Zhou took the top two spots in the 200 Free, with times of 1:40.27 and 1:42.72, respectively—both ranked among the fastest in the country. Shelby Bigby, 10, delivered a stellar 50 Breaststroke, swimming 35.28 to claim the 8th fastest time in the nation. Maddan, meanwhile, swam to a 4th place national ranking in the 200 Free with a time of 1:56.77.

But the highlight of the morning came in the 400 Medley Relay, where Valerio, Jack Maddan, Zhou, and Andrew Nguyen posted a national-leading 3:30.74, smashing the team record and marking the fastest time for the 13-14 boys in the nation this season.

Jack Maddan also set a new team record in the 200 Back during prelims (1:54.94), but Valerio bested him in finals, setting a new team benchmark with a 1:52.46.

Final Day Delivers More Records:

The team's momentum continued on the final day of the meet, with several more remarkable performances. The 13-14 Boys’ 400 Free Relay team (Valerio, Maddan, Zhou, and Nguyen) set yet another team record with a dominant 3:11.57, marking the fastest time in the nation this season. Valerio and Maddan qualified 1st and 2nd in the 200 IM, both with top-ten times.

In finals, Zhou delivered a dramatic performance in the 1650 Free, dropping over 30 seconds from his prelims time to post a 16:11.88, which earned him 7th place in the nation. Bigby lowered her own team record in the 50 Back, swimming a 30.55 to secure the 3rd fastest time of the season, while Valerio capped off his meet with a 46.62 in the 100 Free, ranking 3rd in the nation.

High Point Honors:

The meet's high-point awards were dominated by First Colony swimmers. Shelby Bigby earned the high-point award for 10 & Under Girls, Molly Kate Maddan took the honor for 11-12 Girls, and Ethan Valerio was the top scorer for 13-14 Boys. Kenny Zhou came in as the runner-up in the 13-14 Boys category.

USA Swimming Top Ten Rankings:

A number of First Colony swimmers found themselves ranked among the nation's top-ten in multiple events:

  • Shelby Bigby (9-10 Girls):

    • 50 Back – 30.55 (3rd)
    • 50 Breast – 35.28 (8th)

  • Molly Kate Maddan (11-12 Girls):

    • 200 Free – 1:56.77 (4th)
    • 400 IM – 4:39.88 (7th)

  • Kenny Zhou (13-14 Boys):

    • 200 Free – 1:42.72 (7th)
    • 500 Free – 4:32.23 (3rd)
    • 1650 Free – 16:11.88 (7th)

  • Jack Maddan (13-14 Boys):

    • 200 IM – 1:54.04 (10th)
    • 100 Breast (relay split) – 57.23 (4th)

  • Ethan Valerio (13-14 Boys):

    • 100 Free – 46.62 (3rd)
    • 200 Free – 1:40.27 (1st)
    • 500 Free – 4:32.20 (2nd)
    • 200 IM – 1:53.94 (9th)
    • 400 IM – 4:00.82 (6th)
    • 400 Free Relay – 3:11.57 (1st)
    • 400 Medley Relay – 3:30.74 (1st)

Team Records Broken:

First Colony swimmers shattered numerous team records across age groups, including:

  • 8 & Under Boys: Isaac Zhang – 50 Breast – 39.44
  • 9-10 Girls: Shelby Bigby – 50 Back – 30.55
  • 13-14 Boys: Ethan Valerio – Multiple records in the 100 Free, 200 Free, 500 Free, 200 Back, 200 Fly, 200 IM, and 400 IM.
    • Ethan Valerio, Kenny Zhou, Jack Maddan, Andrew Nguyen – 400 Free Relay – 3:11.57
    • Ethan Valerio, Jack Maddan, Kenny Zhou, Andrew Nguyen – 400 Medley Relay – 3:30.74

Looking Ahead:

As the team heads into the next phase of the season, Jack Maddan will be competing at Winter Juniors this week, with his 57.23 breaststroke relay split ranking 4th in the nation. The team’s historic performance at Gulf Age Group Champs sets the stage for an exciting winter season ahead with Gulf Senior Champs this upcoming weekend and then Gulf Fall Champs to close it out next weekend.

With a string of national rankings, team records, and high-point honors, First Colony Swim Team has firmly established itself as one of the top programs in the region. The future looks bright for these talented athletes as they continue to make waves in the competitive swimming world.