The 2026 CIF Southern Section Swimming Division 3 Championships showcased an exciting display of talent and competition at the Mt. San Antonio College Aquatic Center in Walnut, California. This year's event was a clear-cut affair, with the Costa Mesa girls dominating the competition by a comfortable 53-point margin, while the boys' meet saw Crossroads defend their title with a slight edge over Oak Park. The championship was a testament to the hard work and dedication of the swimmers, who showcased their skills in a variety of events.
Girls' Highlights
The girls' competition was a showcase of individual talent and team spirit. Agoura senior Sofija Gelev emerged as a standout performer, defending her titles in the sprint freestyle events. In the 50-yard freestyle, Gelev clocked an impressive 23.49 seconds, topping Pacifica-Oxnard's Abigail Tamayo by 0.13 seconds. Both swimmers dipped under the 23.69 automatic qualifying standard for the CIF State Championships, with Tamayo narrowly missing the mark at 23.62 seconds.
Gelev's prowess extended to the 100-yard freestyle, where she sliced a tenth off her previous best of 51.18 seconds, setting a new mark of 51.08 seconds. Tamayo, a University of California-Santa Barbara commit, equaled her lifetime best of 23.62 seconds in the 50-yard freestyle and broke 52 seconds for the first time in the 100-yard freestyle, showcasing her versatility and speed.
The women's 500-yard freestyle saw Sonora's Cassie Espinoza and Mission Viejo's Halle Dawson undercut the required time of 4:58.09. Espinoza sliced just over a second off her former best of 4:53.20, while Dawson obliterated her previous personal best of 4:59.87, demonstrating their exceptional endurance and technique.
Hemet's Jaydan Godbolt made a strong impression in the 100-yard backstroke, becoming the only swimmer under a minute with a time of 56.23 seconds. Godbolt defended her title while dropping almost a full second from her former best of 57.12 seconds, showcasing her consistency and speed.
Boys' Highlights
The boys' competition was equally impressive, with several swimmers setting new personal bests and qualifying for the CIF State Championships. Miles Blackson-Dunbar, ranked as the 15th-best recruit in the class of 2026 by SwimSwam, dominated the 50-yard freestyle with a time of 20.14 seconds, easily clearing the 20.89 CIF automatic state qualifying standard.
Blackson-Dunbar's prowess extended to the 100-yard backstroke, where he clocked a time of 48.35 seconds, matching his best time from the Winter Juniors – West in December. The Tennessee commit's speed and technique were on full display, making him a strong contender for the state championships.
OAPA's Elliot Drottar put in a stellar performance, winning the 100-yard freestyle with a time of 45.86 seconds, matching the qualifying time exactly. Drottar's speed and technique were evident as he dipped under the 50-yard freestyle standard, showcasing his versatility and skill.
Pablo Ingrum, Drottar's junior teammate, swam an impressive 1:39.55 in the 200-yard freestyle, becoming the only swimmer to dip under both 1:40 and the state cut of 1:39.94. Ingrum's performance was a significant improvement from his previous best of 1:41.39, demonstrating his dedication and hard work.
In the 500-yard freestyle, Marshall Smith of Beverly Hills edged out Ingrum, finishing with a time of 4:27.80, well under the state cut of 4:29.94. Both swimmers showcased their endurance and technique, setting new personal bests and qualifying for the state championships.
The 100-yard butterfly saw two swimmers, Saugus' Logan Divine and Crossroads' Nikolai Gilmore, dip under 49 seconds, setting new personal bests. Divine outtouched Gilmore at the wall for gold, showcasing his speed and technique, while Gilmore repeated his silver medal finish.
Finally, in the 100-yard breaststroke, Quartz Hill's Conner Alvarez won the event with a time of 55.06 seconds, undercutting the state cut of 56.38 seconds. Alvarez's performance was a testament to his consistency and speed, as he narrowly missed his best time of 54.93 seconds from the Winter Juniors – West in December.
Conclusion
The 2026 CIF Southern Section Swimming Division 3 Championships were a showcase of exceptional talent and hard work. The competition was fierce, with several swimmers setting new personal bests and qualifying for the CIF State Championships. The championship was a testament to the dedication and skill of the swimmers, who pushed themselves to new heights, and it will be fascinating to see how they perform at the state level.
