California Dolphin Swim Team 2025 Age Group Championships Recap

California Dolphin Swim Team
2025 Age Group Championships Recap

Hello Parents and Swimmers,

The California Dolphin Swim Team proudly participated in the 2025 Age Group Championships, held from July 11–13 in Santa Rosa, California.

First and foremost, I want to extend a huge thank you to our incredible parent volunteers. Because of your dedication—whether it was helping set up a team area, keeping our swimmers nourished and focused, or sitting behind the blocks to time—the meet ran smoothly, and our athletes felt supported throughout. Your presence made all the difference.

Over the course of three exciting days, I witnessed incredible displays of strength, resilience, and team spirit. Our swimmers showed exceptional independence—taking initiative to warm up and cool down on their own—and just as importantly, they stepped away from their own moments to cheer on their teammates. That kind of selflessness and camaraderie reflects the heart of this team.

Words can hardly capture the energy we created together that weekend. I am incredibly proud of every athlete who showed up, competed, and gave it their all. Congratulations to everyone who dropped time—and a special nod to those who dropped time and made finals once again. Keep up the amazing work!

🏅 Special Recognitions

10 & Under Boys
- Isaac Ma – 20th overall

11-Year-Old Girls
- Zixin Chen – 35th

11-Year-Old Boys
- Maximus Wang – 24th

12-Year-Old Boys
- Justin Huang – 16th
- Andy Bi – 19th
- Gautham V. Kumar – 22nd
- Jayden Tao – Tied for 22nd

13-Year-Old Girls
- Catherine Chen – 10th

13-Year-Old Boys
- Benjamin Lee – 7th
- Ashur Song – 9th
- Makai Fernando – 17th
- Chase Yardley – 39th

14-Year-Old Girls
- Sofia Gallagher – 9th
- Jingxuan Li – 24th

🏆 Team Rankings
- CDST Girls – 10th overall
- CDST Boys – 7th overall

🌟 Relay Highlights & Sectional Cuts

For the first time in team history, our Platinum athletes earned Sectional cuts—a remarkable achievement!

13–14 Boys 200m Freestyle Relay
Ashur Song, Benjamin Lee, Matthew Chang, Gavin Xie
🏊‍♂️ Time: 1:46.36 – Sectional Cut

13–14 Boys 200m Medley Relay
Chase Yardley, Jaijun Zu, Ashur Song, Benjamin Lee
🏊‍♂️ Time: 1:56.86 – Sectional Cut

13–14 Girls 200m Freestyle Relay
Jingxuan Li, Catherine Chen, Chloe Tao, Sofia Gallagher
🏊‍♀️ Time: 1:53.74 – Sectional Cut

🎉 Final Thoughts

The energy at this meet was electric. The effort was undeniable. And the time drops speak volumes about the bright future ahead for this team.

Let’s continue this momentum into our next phase of training. I’m beyond proud of how far you’ve come—and even more excited for what’s next.

"United in the waves, strong as can be—California Dolphins, a team of victory!" 🌊🐬

With pride,
Coach Ian