From the smell of chlorine to the blast of whistles, stepping out onto the pool deck at the 2025 Men’s Ivy League Swimming Championships reminded me of my own days in the water.
Yet, nothing could have prepared me for the wave of energy that washed over me as I entered. The stands above overflowed with spectators from all eight of the Ivy League and their thundering cheers grew stronger with each race. Below, the intensity became palpable as teams roared their chants and geared up to win.
After watching the first heat surge into the water for the 1650-yard freestyle, I couldn’t help but feel inspired by the dedication of these swimmers. This meet was not only the final stage of the season, but a representation of the years of hard work they put in. Training translates directly to results here. Consequently, there’s not much left to chance when you’re up on the block. Unlike tactical sports, the objectivity of swimming and the presence of the clock means that the smallest details — a stronger dive, well-timed breath, perfect flip-turn — draw the line between winning and losing.
And then there was senior breaststroke and individual medley specialist Matt Fallon.
Everyone was on their toes during the highlight of the evening as he and Brown breaststroke specialist Jack Kelly refused to give up an inch to each other in the 200-yard breaststroke. Despite racing in Kelly’s home pool at Brown, Fallon thrived on the challenge as he powered past Kelly in the last 25 yards.
As Fallon and Kelly stood in first and second place, respectively, both Penn and Brown supporters lit up with pride. This race wasn’t simply a battle for the podium or a lane at the NCAA Championships, it was a testament to the type of motivating competition that elevates all athletes.
Usually, swimming is thought of as an individual sport. I mean, there’s one swimmer, one lane, one time. However, each athlete is swimming for more than just their personal reputation or goals at Ivy League Championships — every point from their races is counted toward the team. That drive to push yourself — not only for individual accomplishment but for collective progress — is an outlook that I think holds value far beyond the pool.
During the final event, the 400-yard freestyle relay, I saw this sense of camaraderie extend across the swimmers' university seals. As the teams revved up to start, Yale and Harvard set the tone with playful taunts from opposite sides of the pool. Soon after, the spectators in the stands began to join in. The charged atmosphere finally erupted as the swimmers launched off the blocks with the combined shouts of their teammates, families, and friends fueling their momentum.
Just when I thought it couldn’t get any louder, it did. With each turn, the fervent clamors for each team grew and grew. Still, when Yale slipped ahead of Harvard by just over a second in the finish, swimmers from every team cheered for each other. That moment was an acknowledgment of the mutual effort of what it takes to reach this level.
There’s a new perspective gained when you revisit an experience. Although I’ve traded my goggles and flip-flops for a stick and ice skates, being beside the water helped me remember the unique feeling of shared perseverance that swimming evokes. I saw more than a championship: I saw the common passion held by those on the deck and in the stands.
No matter the sport, each victory is the product of all those who supported you along the way. Whether it’s touching the wall first or shooting the final goal, a win for you is also a win for those who believe in you, challenge you, and make you better.
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