Get ready to be amazed because a 13-year-old swimming prodigy is making waves in the pool, and his name is Jett Hatchard. But here’s where it gets controversial—can a swimmer this young truly compete with older athletes, or is he just a flash in the pan? At the 2025 UT SC Senior Championships, held from December 4-7 at the Human Performance Center in St. George, Utah, Hatchard didn’t just compete—he dominated. As the youngest swimmer in both the boys’ 100 and 200 backstroke finals by at least two years, he delivered jaw-dropping performances that left spectators in awe.
In the 100 backstroke, Hatchard secured a spot in the ‘A’ final with a blistering prelims time of 52.33, shaving over eight-tenths of a second off his personal best. Though his finals time of 52.86 was slightly slower, he more than made up for it in the 400 medley relay, leading off with a stunning 52.23—his fastest time yet. And this is the part most people miss—his consistency and ability to perform under pressure at such a young age.
The 200 backstroke told a similar story. Hatchard’s prelims time of 1:55.44 crushed his previous best by over three and a half seconds, earning him a spot in the ‘A’ final. In the final, he sliced another two seconds off his time, finishing fourth overall in 1:53.27. Is this the beginning of a swimming dynasty, or just a remarkable early peak?
Hatchard, who turned 13 earlier this year, already holds multiple Utah State Swimming records in the 11-12 age group, including the 50 freestyle (23.46), 100 free (50.52), 200 free (1:51.23), 50 back (25.76), 200 back (1:59.01), and 100 IM (57.90). His 100 backstroke time from these championships puts him just over a second shy of Jarod Arroyo’s 13-14 Utah record of 51.01 from 2015. Nationally, Hatchard’s 100 back ranks 19th in the 13-14 age group, while his 200 back sits at 17th. But the real question is—how much further can he go?
Other standout performances at the championships included Emma Staskus, 14, who set two Utah girls’ 13-14 short course records in the 50 breaststroke (29.49) and 200 breaststroke (2:16.24). Her 50 breaststroke time is now the fastest in Utah across all age groups. Conner Fellingham, 15, lowered the 15-16 boys’ 50 breaststroke record to 27.07, while 17-year-old Alyssa Soderquist claimed the 17-18 girls’ Utah short course record in the 50 butterfly with a time of 25.45. Luan Barnard, 17, and Henry Helgesen, also 17, broke boys’ 17-18 age group records, with Barnard winning the 50 backstroke in 22.35 and Helgesen finishing second in the 50 breaststroke with a time of 26.08. Erin Palmer, 21, and Bridger Smith, 21, also shone, with Palmer setting a Senior short-course record in the women’s 50 free (22.21) and Smith claiming the men’s 50 breast record in 26.06.
Here’s the burning question—are we witnessing the rise of the next swimming legend in Jett Hatchard, or is his success too early to predict? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!
