The Indian Hill School District celebrates the Indian Hill High School Aquabraves for competing in the swimming state championship February 20 and 21 in Canton, Ohio. Swimming world record holder Jason Zhao won state in the 200 Freestyle competition, with the boys team finishing in third place and the girls in seventh. Additionally, Coach Matt Harrison was named Cincinnati Hills League (CHL) Coach of the Year.
“I continue to be extremely proud of not only the success our swim program has experienced, but also of how unbelievably awesome each one of our student-athletes and coaches continue to be as people every single day,” said Indian Hill Athletic Director Brian Phelps.
Zhao, a senior at Indian Hill, anchored the junior world record relay in the 4x100m freestyle for Team USA. His junior year, he was one of more than 600 swimmers from more than 100 countries competing at the 2023 World Junior Swimming Championship in Netanya, Israel at the Wingate Institute. Zhao swam a 48.64, helping Team USA set the world junior record. Additionally, Zhao made national headlines after he won the 2023 Summer Junior National Championship 100m freestyle with a time of 49.39, becoming the fifth fastest 15-16 year-old in history. Zhao made history as a sophomore during the Division II state swimming and diving meet at Canton’s C.T. Branin Natatorium, when he was on both state-winning relays for the Braves and broke the state record to earn an individual state champion title with a time of 4:24.01 in the 500-yard freestyle. He committed to continue his swimming career at Stanford University.
A complete list of Indian Hill High School awards earned during the state meet includes:
Jason Zhao 200 Freestyle - STATE CHAMPION
Boys 4x400 Relay - STATE RUNNER-UP
Boys 200 Free Relay - STATE RUNNER-UP
Arjun Velayutham 200 Freestyle - 3rd
Arjun Velayutham 500 Freestyle - 3rd
Girls Medley Relay - 4th
Gabby Henz 100 Breaststroke - 5th
Boys Medley Relay - 6th
Girls 4x400 Relay - 7th
Gabby Henz 200 Medley - 9th
Brynne Pontius Butterfly - 12th
Brynne Pontius 50 Freestyle - 15th
Libby Holmes Butterfly - 16th
Sophie Tindale 200 Freestyle - 16th
Photo caption: Swimming world record holder and Indian Hill High School senior Jason Zhao won state in the 200 Freestyle competition.