Nick Simons stood atop the podium in the 50-meter backstroke at the 2026 USA Swimming Futures Championships in Sacramento.
His gold capped a four-day meet where Lake Oswego Swim Club finished 11th overall and two teenagers punched tickets to the Winter Junior Championships.
The meet ran Wednesday, July 29, through Saturday, Aug. 1, at North Natomas Aquatic Complex. LOSC's men's team placed ninth in the team standings, according to the Lake Oswego Review.
The result validated a gamble. At the OSI Long Course Championships July 23–26, LOSC deployed what it called a "skeleton squad," resting key athletes who had already qualified for Futures.
The club still finished second in both men's and women's divisions with a short roster. The gamble paid off.
Simons, 22, delivered the biggest individual performance in Sacramento. Beyond his backstroke title, he placed second in the 200 backstroke and third in the 50 butterfly.
"Placing 11th overall reflects the hard work these athletes put into the pool every single day," head coach Emily Melina said in the Lake Oswego Review.
Jacob Kim, 17, qualified for the Winter Junior Championships after a strong 200 backstroke. Hailey Brandvold, 16, joined him on that list after placing ninth in the 200 backstroke. Brandvold had posted Futures-qualifying times in both the 100 and 200 backstroke at the LA Invitational July 11–12.
Quincy Taliaferro, 17, placed eighth in both the 800 freestyle and the 1,500 free. Matthew Sexton, 20, finished sixth in the 200 individual medley and eighth in the 400 IM. Tessa Aberle, 17, took ninth in the 50 backstroke.
The men's 200 medley relay squad of Kim, Yifan Qiu, Simons and Matthew Sexton placed eighth.
Lauren Sexton, 18, placed in four events and celebrated her 18th birthday during the competition. The club also brought Carson Rollins, 16, Sylvan Schoenheit, 17, Avery Contreras, 17, Keelin Shockley, 17, and Ayana Winter, 15.
With Kim and Brandvold now holding Winter Junior Championship qualifying times, LOSC turns its attention to the winter championship season.
