Senior takes crown in 100-meter freestyle

By Chris Villani

Kayden McKibbin just wanted to have a good time this year. A lifelong club swimmer heading to Bryant University next fall, the Nipmuc senior decided to join her classmates on the Grafton swim co-op during her final season.

“My goal was to have fun, see if I could get some school records, and see if I could win a state title,” McKibbin said.

Check, check, and check.

McKibbin set program records in the 50, 100, 200, and 500 freestyles along with the 100 butterfly. She competed in states in both the 50 and the 100, and took home the state championship in the latter event.

“The state meet was super fun,” McKibbin said. “I was really grateful I was there with my good friends on the team.”

She said it was great to share the moment with her teammates.

“I looked up at the board and I saw that it said ‘first’ next to my name and I was ecstatic thinking ‘Oh my god, I did this,’’ she said. “And then I saw all of my teammates cheering.”

The camaraderie of high school swimming is exactly what McKibbin said she had in mind when she joined the program this winter.

“High school swimming is very team oriented and about cheering each other on and wanting to see each other do well,” she said. “We are winning together, not just one person wins. It was great to have my team all there because I couldn’t have done it without their support.”

McKibbin started swimming when she was three years old and the sport stuck with her. She competed in other sports before high school but said “swimming is the one I knew I had a passion for.”

Now 17 years old, she has been a year-round club swimmer for the past decade. The Mendon resident committed to Bryant and will continue her swimming career with the Bulldogs next fall. She said the culture of the Smithfield, RI, school is what sold her.

“They are big on team support,” McKibbin said. “I met the team and talked to the coaches and got to know them, and said ‘This is where I can see myself.’’

Now that she has achieved her high school goals, McKibbin has her sights set on the future.

“I want to keep improving and stay focused,” she said. “My goal is to keep getting better.”