“Take your marks. BEEP.”
Senior Olivia Savage has established herself as a standout swimmer on the Claremont High School swim team. She has many notable accomplishments including being a Mt. SAC finalist, being a school record breaker (rebreaking her records each year), making multiple California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) appearances, and making it to D2 throughout her high school swim career. Savage began her journey of swimming competitively at the age of six and has been rewriting records ever since. Her personal bests include a 1:07.37 in the 100 yards breaststroke, the fastest time among her whole team. Other than swimming for Claremont High School, Savage also swims for the San Dimas Club Swim Team, where she spends just as much time swimming and getting ready to break her own record once again.
Savage shares the unique mental aspect of swimming. “Swimming is a very mental sport,” Savage said. “If anything gets in your head—even the slightest bit [of a negative or positive thought]—it can impact your performance greatly.”
Her dedication to her sport is seen through her drive and constant progression throughout her swim career. Savage attributes a large amount of her success to her consistency in practice, noting the large impact it makes on her fitness. “If you want to see your time get better in this sport, you have to be willing to go to practice every single day and be committed to working hard, […] which is hard for a lot of people to understand,” Savage said. Despite being very dedicated to her sport, she also enjoys her free time. When not training, Savage spends time with her teammates.
Savage is committed to State University of New York at Geneseo College and looks forward to continuing her athletic and academic pursuits there post high school.
One of her most memorable moments being on the CHS swim team was her comeback after a back injury. “I had to take a break during my off season between sophomore and junior year, and I wasn’t swimming at my best, so I had to go to physical therapy,” Savage said. “I felt like I came back stronger, faster even.”
Savage has created impact beyond just her times. Savage’s teammate and friend, Gabby Kim, shares how Savage has shaped the team atmosphere.
“Since my first day on the team, Olivia has been nothing but welcoming, kind, and supportive,” Kim said. “Olivia is a great role model to our underclassmen. She’s also an inspiration to all of us, both in and out of the pool!”
Savage’s impressive achievements continue to prove her dedication and hard work. With a bright future on the horizon, CHS is eager to see just how bright Olivia Savage will shine in her years to come.
