Gibson Holmes Breaks Records Held by Foster brothers at Southwest Ohio Classic

2022 Southwest Ohio High School Swimming & Diving Classic 

• Prelims: multi-site, Finals: Keating Natatorium, Cincinnati, OH
• January 15-16, 2022
• SCY (25 yards)
• Meet Mobile: 2022  Classic Finals

The Southwest Ohio Swimming and Diving Classic, one of the biggest high school meets in the nation, made its return in 2022 as the meet was canceled in 2021 due to COVID-19. This was the 36th edition of the meet. 

The meet held prelims at 11 locations, and finals were held at one location. The meet is not a traditional high school meet as it includes 200’s of strokes, the 400 IM, and the 1650 freestyle as well as 50’s of strokes and the 100 IM for JV swimmers. 

Note: The non-traditional high school events did not include previous records on the results website.

Cincinnati St. Xavier won the boys side of a meet with a team score of 458.0. St. Xavier won the boys 2021 Ohio State High School Division I (big schools) State Championships. 

St. Ursula Academy won the girls side of the meet with a team score of 385.0. St. Ursula finished 14th at Ohio High School Division I (big school) State Championships last year. They will look to earn a higher place this season with freshman Addie Robillard.  

Girls

St. Ursula was led by Robillard as she won three individual events. She won the 200 breaststroke in a time of 2:18.06, the 200 IM in a time of 2:05.53, and the 400 IM in a time of 4:27.32. None of those were best times as she swam best times in all three events in November and December of 2021. St. Ursula also won both the 200 (1:49.71) and 400 (4:00.31) medley relays. 

George Washington University commit and Walnut Hills senior Phoebe Wright captured individual victories in the 200 freestyle (1:50.04) and the 100 backstroke (56.23). She also finished as runner-up in the 200 backstroke in a time of 2:01.17 being out touched by Colerain’s junior Lauren Clippard (2:01.03). 

Seven Hills senior and University of Michigan commit Ella Jo Piersma captured individual victories in the 100 freestyle (51.01) and in the 100 butterfly (55.10). Her 100 butterfly time set a new Classic record previously held by Kiara Anchrum (55.41). Jo Piersma also finished as runner-up in the 200 freestyle (1:50.22) and the 200 butterfly (2:04.45). 

Hills Christina senior Jessey Li also had two individual victories winning the 50 freestyle in a time of 23.63, and the 100 breaststroke in a time of 1:02.48. Her 100 breaststroke time also set a new Classic record. That record broke Rachel Gustin’s record of 1:03.11 set back in 1993. Rachel Gustin is Ella Jo Piersma’s mom. Jo Piersma and Li swim on Mason Manta Rays together. 

Top 5 teams:

1. Cincinnati St. Ursula Academy: 385.0
2. Cincinnati Walnut Hills: 312.0
3. Mason: 239.0
4. Cincinnati Hills Christian Academy: 237.0
5. Beavercreek: 211.0

Boys

Sophomore Thackston McMullan led the way for St. Xavier winning both the 500 (4:35.31) and the 1650 (15:53.17) freestyles. St. Xavier also got boosts from their relays, placing top five in all four of them including a win in the 200 freestyle relay. 

Indian Hill junior and Duke University commit Gibson Holmes had the most wins as he won four individual events. Holmes won the 200 freestyle (1:37.52), 100 butterfly (47.32), 200 butterfly (1:44.68), and the 200 IM (1:47.56). His 200 freestyle was a personal best.

Holmes also set four Classic records. His 200 freestyle time broke Grant House’s record of 1:37.63 from 2017. House now swims at Arizona State and represented the United States at the 2019 Pan Am Games. Holmes’s 100 butterfly time broke Cody Bybee’s record of 48.55 from 2017. Bybee now swims at Arizona State as well and represented the US at the 2016 Jr Pan Pacs. Holmes’s 200 IM time broke Jake Foster’s record of 1:47.83 from 2019. Jake now swims at Texas and has represented the US on the international level multiple times. Holmes also broke the 200 butterfly previously held by Carson Foster. Along with his brother, Carson now swims at Texas and has represented the US at multiple international meets. Carson just missed making the 2020 Olympic team in the 400 IM placing third at Olympic Trials.

Sycamore junior Avery Clapp won two individual events. He won the 100 backstroke in a time of 49.11 and the 200 backstroke in a time of 1:48.82. Clapp is committed to Johns Hopkins.

Beavercreek senior Dillon Edge also won two individual events, winning the 100 breaststroke in a time of 56.34 and the 400 IM in a time of 3:59.69. His 100 breaststroke time earned him a new personal best. He is committed to Notre Dame. 

Top 5 teams:

1. St. Xavier: 458.0
2. Beavercreek: 406.0
3. Mason: 332.5
4. Cincinnati Sycamore: 244.0
5. Kings Mills Kings: 238.0