AURORA – The finalized state qualifiers for the Colorado High School Activities Association’s 2024 boys swim and dive state championships have been released, and across the two classifications there are 13 champions from last year looking to repeat in nine different events. Of the 13 returning champions, two — Windsor senior Jake Eccleston and Cherry Creek senior Brodie Johnson — are looking to again capture titles in multiple events.
Among the six schools with a returning champion, Monarch leads the pack with four participants returning to defend their titles, thanks to the entire 400-yard freestyle team returning. Cherry Creek, with three returning champions, and Cheyenne Mountain, with two returning champions, are the only other schools with multiple. Cherry Creek is also the only school with multiple individual champion swimmers returning, as they have two.
Meanwhile, the aforementioned Johnson will return to defend both his state title in the 100-yard butterfly and his relay championship in the 200-yard relay for Cherry Creek. Trevor Boodt, another senior at Cherry Creek, will join Johnson’s quest to defend the 200-yard relay tile. Meanwhile, Cherry Creek junior Luke Ogren will attempt to repeat his championship effort in the 5A diving event.
The only returning champion in 5A that’s not on either Cherry Creek or Monarch’s roster is Grandview junior Oliver Schimberg, who won the 100-yard backstroke competition a year ago.
Class 4A is home to the returning champion with the most state titles, as Windsor’s Eccleston has won the 200-yard IM and the 100-yard breaststroke championships each of the past two seasons, and even set the state record in both events last season.
The only other returning individual champion in 4A is Evergreen junior Carson Harrington, who won last year’s 4A diving title.
Last but not least, Cheyenne Mountain returns two members of its 200-yard freestyle relay team that won last year’s championship — senior Cardin Nguyen and junior Conner Trinidad.
Find heat sheets for the 2024 boys swim and dive championships on CHSAANow.