Aaron Jia’s high school swimming and diving career now includes bookend Liberty District boys championships for the McLean Highlanders.
The latest came last Saturday (Feb. 1), when the senior swimmer won two events and was on a winning relay to help McLean finish on top with 488 points.
The title was McLean’s first since 2022, when then-freshman Jia placed third in two races in the district meet to help his team win.
In this year’s event, Jia won the individual medley (1:50.84) and the 500 freestyle (4:35.52). He also was a member of the winning 400 free relay (3:09.55).
Jia was one of three McLean swimmers who won races in this season’s meet. Bruno Haggard also was a double-winner in the 200 free (1:40.48) and 100 butterfly (50.55) and swam on the 400 relay. Allen Wang won the 100 free (47.49), was second in the 50 free and swam on the 400 relay.
There were a number of other top swimmers for the McLean boys, including Sarp Dilber with a second in the 500 free and fifth in the 200 free, Harrison Weinstock (third in the fly, fifth in the 50 free), Henry Williams (fourth in the 100 backstroke, fifth in the IM) and Zach Sutanto (fourth in the 100 free, ninth in the 100 breaststroke).
Others with top-16 finishes were Kyle Koay, Jeremy Lees, Elvis Quintero, Connor Barlotta, Nolan Bartkowski, Andrew Lowman, Trevor Epperson, Landon Frank, Daniel Kim, Pranav Budharaju and Cameron Parkhomenko.
McLean finished second in the medley and 200 free relays.
In diving, McLean’s Jackson Thomas finished fourth and Trent Hooton 10th.
NOTE: Last summer, Jia helped the Kent Gardens Dolphins win the Northern Virginia Swimming League’s Division 3 championship.
