Central Coast swimmer breaks Michael Phelps’ record, Olympian responds
A local resident smashes an Olympian’s swimming record.
Central coast swimmer, Clark Kent is only 10 years old, but he is already at the top of his age group. “I won 7 gold medals,” says Clark.
Clark is also known as superman when it comes to the water and has the medals to back it up. But that success didn’t happen overnight. “Competitively I started at 7, but swim lessons I think I started at 3,” says Clark
At only 10 years old, he shattered Michael Phelps’ longest standing record at the Far Western International Championship Sunday, the previous record was set back in 1995. Clark says, “it was the 100 meter butterfly. And I broke a Michael Phelps record of 1:10:48. I won a time of 1:09:38.”
One of Clark’s coaches and CEO of the Salinas Aquatic Center, Dia Rianda says, “That 100 fly, he broke that record by a second which is a lot in swimming. But not only that, he beat his competition by over 5 seconds.”
And he didn’t just win one event.
“I placed first in all of them. [In every single one??] Yea. And that gave me the high point award.” But Clark’s success extends far past the swimming pool.
Another one of his coaches, Travis Rianda says, “He’s incredible. He’s a musician he’s a scientist, he’s an artist, he’s a martial artist, and he’s an incredible human being. He’s what I strive to achieve.”
And to others out there with a dream. Clark has some words of wisdom. “Always have fun and never give up on your dreams, no matter what anybody says. And yes, that was one of my dreams to beat Michael Phelps’ record since I was 7.”
Clark says his ultimate goal would be to compete in the Olympics. So we’ll be watching out for you in either Paris 2024 or Los Angeles 2028.
Following KION’s report, Michael Phelps took to Twitter to congratulate Kent on his swim record.
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