The Class 5A state swim meet was packed with standout performances, but few shined brighter than Hazel Huilman. The junior entered the meet without the fastest time in either of her events but left as a double state champion in the 100-yard butterfly and 100-yard breaststroke—both in the fastest times recorded in Colorado this season.
Boulder's squad capitalized on the momentum, securing an eighth-place team finish, marking the program's second top-10 result in three seasons. Huilman's gold medals were the highlight of the night, but Sloan Zallen and Margaret Chester added key finishes to keep the Panthers in the mix.
Zallen delivered a silver medal in the 200 freestyle (1:52.57) and added a fourth-place finish in the 500 freestyle (5:06.67)—two races dominated by Pine Creek's Madison Mintenko, who broke Missy Franklin's state record in the 500 free during prelims. Chester also made her mark, securing fifth in the 100 freestyle (52.38).
Relays played a role in Boulder's success as well, with the 400 freestyle relay team finishing sixth and the 200 freestyle relay taking seventh. These team results, combined with the individual efforts, helped solidify the Panthers' place among the top programs in the state.
Huilman's road to gold wasn't necessarily expected coming into the weekend. She entered the meet with the eighth-fastest time in the 100 fly and the second-best mark in the breaststroke. However, her prelim swims on Thursday (54.48 in the fly and 1:02.11 in the breaststroke) hinted at her full potential, setting her up as the top seed in both events heading into the finals.
In the 100 butterfly, she surged to a winning time of 53.98 seconds, edging Cherry Creek's Ana Loveridge (54.22). Then, in the breaststroke, she clocked 1:02.50 to hold off Sydney Fernstrom (1:02.84) of Cherry Creek and top-seeded Natalie Daum (1:03.97) of Regis Jesuit.
The support from teammates, friends, and family at Veterans Memorial Aquatic Center helped fuel Huilman's performance, adding to the electric atmosphere of championship night. She was one of only three swimmers at the meet to win multiple individual events, a feat that not only cements her place among the state's elite but also reinforces Boulder's growing reputation as a force in Colorado high school swimming.
With another strong state showing, the Panthers continue to build on a foundation of success, proving they belong among the top programs in Colorado.
