The Gorham Varsity Swim team is having an exceptional, record breaking year. With one week to go in the season, multiple records have been broken (some more than once) according to coach Adam Cyr. Senior diver Kasey Jiang, Gorham’s first ever diver, has helped contribute on many levels.

Jiang joined the swim team as a freshman. “As a swimmer, I compete in most sprinting events and my best strokes are butterfly and freestyle,” she said. From the beginning, Jiang had an interest in diving but never expressed it to Cyr. It wasn’t until last year that diving became an option for Gorham swimmers, and Jiang took the opportunity to try it out. Jiang was the only diver from Gorham competing last year. Now in her second year of diving, Jiang has become an integral part of the team.

Speaking of her initial training with her diving coach, Jen Zwarts, of Westbrook, Jiang said, “She trained me, and within two weeks of practice, I was competing at my first meet.” She caught on fast and as the weeks went on and the Southwestern swim meet approached, her goal was to qualify for States. It was her last possible chance to do so and she succeeded. In her first year, she placed 10th in the State meet.

This year, Jiang used her experience to help guide her two other diving teammates while continuing to break multiple records throughout the season. Cyr said Kasey’s impact on the team has been huge both long and short term.

Cyr shared, “Just in her two years of diving she has scored a bunch of points for us that previously weren’t available.” Jiang helped the team to its second straight third place finish last year at the conference championship, as well as tying for the team’s highest ever finish at the State Championship meet.

Cyr said, “More importantly, in the long term, she has started a program that will always be giving Gorham the advantage over teams without [diving] and putting us in the conversation each year at our conference championships. It just shows that one person stepping up for something they are passionate about can lead to others having the same possibility,” he said.

Overall, both boys and girls swimming have seen success this season. For the boys’ team, Evan Russo broke the record twice in the 100 breaststroke and is looking to do it again at States.

The girls’ team has broken multiple records this season as well. Caelyn Smith has broken the 200 IM twice while Jiang has consistently broken records in diving. The 200 Medley Relay team of Caelyn Smith, Caroline Bishop, Ava Pitman, and Laura Bolduc has broken the record twice and the 400 Free Relay team of Laura Bolduc, Allison Bishop, Ava Pitman, and Caelyn Smith tied the record this season.