Laps & Lessons

Breathe… just breathe, I told myself. On February 14th, 2026, I achieved my first Junior Championship cut since 2024. When I came out of the water, I immediately asked for my time, and when I heard 31.25, I was in utter shock. 1½ years of hard work had paid off. That was one of the best days of my life. I was very fortunate to experience the Junior Championships once again. This season was a rollercoaster, and I am excited to share my overall journey and the challenges I faced along the way.

In October, I was very excited to start my fall season with a meet. That was until I received some bad news — I had fractured my shin and had to keep my leg in a boot for two weeks. Those two weeks were some of the most painful of my life. I felt like I had lost my connection to the sport. Reflecting on this, staying away from the water for two weeks is a major setback for any swimmer’s progress.

In November, I had to work hard to rebuild myself into the sport. It was one of the toughest months for me — it felt like I had to start all over again. I put a lot of pressure on myself to qualify for the Junior Championships. Two weeks after I got out of my boot, I had my first swim meet. I thought I would do amazing, but I realized that it takes more than two weeks to achieve a Junior Championship cut. That meet was an eye-opener. I took the following month to rebuild my mindset and body. I pushed my limits in training every day, determined to see improvement on the scoreboard.

In December, I significantly improved my technique, and the results showed. After that meet, I still hadn’t achieved my Junior Championship times, but later in the month, I attended the Race Club swim camp. If you haven’t read my blog about it, check it out: https://www.hanikachhajer.com/2026/01/swim-sunscreen-oceanside.htm . I explored many techniques that were extremely beneficial to my swimming. I also learned how to elevate my mental toughness, nutrition, and athleticism. Returning from the camp, I felt ready to dominate the new year with a fresh perspective.

In January, I competed in two meets. The first was great — even though I gained time in three events, I still dropped time in my main events. I was very close to qualifying for the Junior Championships; it was only a matter of milliseconds. At the second meet, I started out very overconfident, based on my previous results. That was another missed opportunity, and I felt discouraged. I felt lost and behind my teammates. Two days after that meet, school was canceled due to terrible weather. I spent the entire week training every day, rebuilding myself physically and mentally. I had buried myself in training because I was hungry to qualify for the Junior Championships. January turned out to be a month full of lessons. Looking back, I realized I never truly lost, I only gained learning opportunities from these experiences.

In February, I competed in two more meets. With the Junior Championships approaching and limited time left to qualify, the pressure was intense. Early in the month, I proved to myself that I was capable of earning a Junior Championship cut. On February 14th, I watched my friends achieve their cuts and felt genuinely happy for them. Before my race, I told myself, “Let's match that energy.” I reached the wall first — and I was surprised. My coaches, teammates, and parents were all proud of me. That was one of the best days of my life. Two weeks later, I had one more shot to qualify further at regionals, but unfortunately, my performance was disappointing, and I missed my last chance to earn more Junior Championship cuts.

In March, I trained with everything I had to drop time at Junior Champs. The meet was an incredible experience. On Friday, March 13th, I walked into SPIRE Academy feeling prepared. The night before, I watched a video about the American figure skater Alyssa Liu, who won gold at the 2026 Winter Olympics. She exemplified hard work and experience, not just winning by putting pressure on herself. I thought about that deeply that night. I swam the 50 backstroke in lane 8, reminding myself to do my best and have fun. When the race started, I dove in confidently — and I came to the wall first. The only words I remember saying were, “You're joking, right?!” Later that night, I returned for finals, and everyone was crowded in one hall. I was confused until my friends told me the power had gone out. It felt like an oven — without power, everyone was overheating in the crowded room. Finally, we swam, and I only competed in a relay in finals. I was so excited — I swam the 200 freestyle relay and again dropped time. My reaction was, “No way!” I even saw my favorite DJ, DJ Spicy Noodle, at the meet. On Saturday, I had not improved in my main event and dropped two seconds in the 400 medley relay. In Saturday night finals, I got my revenge in the 50 fly, dropping time even though it didn’t count. On Sunday, I ended the meet on a high note, dropping four seconds in the 100 yard butterfly. I was very happy with how I finished the season. My parents and I celebrated our success with some Indian food.

I am incredibly grateful to have a wonderful support system that pushes me to break limits. My parents have been with me every step of the way, and I thank them deeply. I’ve made many new friends this past year and created countless memories with them. As many of us part ways in the spring season, if I had three wishes, one would be to go back to fun practices where we shared laughs and jokes. I’m very excited to get back into the pool and see what I can do in the upcoming season! I'm ready for my next season. Go BUCKS!