Xiong’s sets new record in 200 IM

BOISE, Idaho – Sophomore Trai Xiong etched his name into the Willamette University record books on Friday, headlining a dominant opening day for the Bearcat men at the 2026 Northwest Conference (NWC) Swimming Championships.

Xiong Claims Silver and School Record

The highlight of the night came in the 200-yard individual medley, where Trai Xiong delivered a historic performance. After clocking a blistering 1:52.64 in the morning preliminaries to take the top seed, Xiong returned in the finals to secure the silver medal with a time of 1:52.93.

In doing so, Xiong officially shattered the Willamette school record of 1:54.89, previously held by Cole Lindberg (2024). His preliminary time now stands as the fastest 200 IM in Bearcat history by over two full seconds.

Beck Moves Up All-Time List

Freshman Jan Beck also made a splash in his championship debut. Competing in the "A" final of the 500-yard freestyle, Beck finished eighth overall with a time of 4:51.92. His morning preliminary time of 4:47.21 represents a massive leap for the program, marking the fastest time in the event by a Bearcat since Ben Fritz in 2020 and moving Beck toward the top of the program's all-time performance list.

Relay and Sprint Success

The Bearcats' 200-yard freestyle relay team of Kevin Olmedo, Paul Keith, Trai Xiong, and Ka'olapa Masuko surged to a seventh-place finish. Their time of 1:27.31 was a season-best, trailing only the legendary 1992 school record (1:24.93).

In the 50-yard freestyle, senior Kevin Olmedo led the sprint group with a 22.14, while Ka'olapa Masuko followed closely at 22.48. Masuko, who already holds the #3 spot on the all-time list for the 100-yard breaststroke (57.97), will look to climb even higher in his signature event on Saturday.

Looking Ahead to Saturday

The Bearcats enter Day Two with significant momentum. The schedule features several events where Willamette looks to challenge more records:

• 200-Yard Medley Relay: The team looks to chase the 1992 record of 1:35.65.

• 100-Yard Butterfly: Xiong and the sprint crew take on a deep field.

• 100-Yard Breaststroke: Masuko eyes the school record of 57.58.

• 800-Yard Freestyle Relay: The distance squad aims to break into the all-time top three.

Session 4 (Prelims) begins Saturday at 9:30 AM, followed by Session 5 (Finals) at 5:00 PM at the Weyerhaeuser King County Aquatic Center.