The instant that sophomore London Klein entered the water at the NSAA State Swim & Dive Championships, she immediately felt the pressure of years of work and record-breaking swims that had led to this moment. When swimming for the 100m breaststroke event, Klein pushed herself harder with every turn, determined to finish in the top spot. After Klein realized that she placed 1st and broke the school record for 100m breaststroke, it became a memory that would be the most unforgettable of the season, and provided motivation for the rest of her career. 

Klein started swimming in fifth grade, with recreational teams, then moved to club teams in sixth grade. She still swims for Club Husker throughout the year. Klein began swimming for LSE at the start of her freshman year, where she instantly became a strong competitor, excelling in the 100m breaststroke event specifically. 

This particular season was special for Klein, partly due to the special dynamic of the team. Now that the season is over, Klein said it contained some of her favorite swim memories ever. She was enthused about her new teammates this year and felt that they brightened up the team.

“This season was so much fun. The freshmen added a lot of personality and fun to the team,” Klein said. 

Klein recalled a specific moment from the season that was important when it came to bonding with the rest of the team, and brought some of her favorite interactions. 

“One of my favorite memories from this year was at the Millard North invite. I had so much fun with my team, and we all got Chipotle after,” she said. 

Klein credited her success during the season to her team, saying that she wouldn’t have been able to do it without them. .

“We trained hard and saw great results, while having a very good time,” she said. 

In addition to the state win, Klein broke  LSE’s record for the 100m breaststroke. Her first time achieving this was at the Heartland Athletic Conference (HAC) in mid-February. The 20-year old record was 1:07:04, At HAC, Klein chopped off over a second from the original school record, getting to 1:05:59.

When Klein was preparing for state this year, she set out to achieve her main goal: to win first place. She had been second in her event most of the season, so she knew it was achievable. Klein had felt many emotions that day.  

“I dove in, and I was swimming next to the girl that would be my biggest competition,” she said. “And on my last turn, I was thinking, I have to go faster, I want to win. I’m gonna win.” 

And Klein did. On Feb. 28, she won first place in Nebraska for the 100m breaststroke.  She remembers this moment fondly, explaining how it had been her favorite moment from the season.

“During finals at state, when I touched the wall and saw that I won, I got out of the water and all my teammates were immediately hugging me and cheering me on. They were all so happy for me,” Klein said. 

In addition, Klein hit another achievement that day. She had swum 1:05.06, cutting 0.53 seconds off her school record, breaking it once again. 

Klein has had a major year, and she hopes to continue this success. When looking forward, she’s prioritizing improving herself and breaking new records. 

“I would like to keep dropping as much time as I can and prepare for the next season,” Klein said. “I definitely want to swim in college, so that’s a bigger goal I can work towards.”