Leah Hayes

Leah Hayes (born October 21, 2005) is an American swimmer, currently swimming for the Illinois-based team Fox Valley Park District Riptides. She is a 200 m individual medley and 400 m individual medley Champion in 2023 World Junior Championships, also win gold medalist in 4×200 m freestyle, silver medalist in 4×100 m freestyle with bronze medalist in 200 m freestyle.

Leah Hayes

Personal information
Nationality	United States
Born	(2005-10-21) October 21, 2005 (age 19) Sugar Grove, Illinois, U.S.
Height	5 ft 7 in (170 cm)
Sport
Sport	Swimming
Strokes	Individual medley
Club	Fox Valley Park District Riptides
Coach	Nancy Hooper
Medal record Women's swimming Representing  United States Event 1st 2nd 3rd World Championships (LC) 0 0 1 World Junior Championships 3 1 1 Total 3 1 2 World Championships (LC) 2022 Budapest 200 m medley World Junior Championships 2023 Netanya 200 m medley 2023 Netanya 400 m medley 2023 Netanya 4×200 m freestyle 2023 Netanya 4×100 m freestyle 2023 Netanya 200 m freestyle

Early life, swimming, and education

Hayes was born to parents Jill and Tim Hayes.^[1] At the age of six, Hayes was diagnosed with alopecia, a condition that causes hair loss.^[2] At the age of 10, Hayes would earn her first national age group record in the 200m freestyle.^[3]

Hayes currently attends Kaneland High School, and is scheduled to graduate in 2024.^[4] She has committed to swim at the University of Virginia.^[5]

Swimming career

2018

In 2018, Hayes was featured on Sports Illustrated Kids as the 2018 SportsKid of the Year.^[1][6]

2019

In 2019, it was announced that Hayes would start attempting national meets in order to get Olympic Time Trial cut times.^[7] In June, Hayes earned an Olympic Time Trials cut time at the 2019 Swim Pink A+ Invite in the 400m individual medley.^[8]

2021

In 2021, Hayes would swim in the 2020 United States Olympic trials in the 100m freestyle, the 200m individual medley, and the 400m individual medley. However, she would fail to qualify for the 2020 Summer Olympics in all three events.^[9]

2022

On April 26, it was announced that Hayes had suffered a stress fracture in her foot.^[10] However, she would still compete in the 2022 USA Swimming International Team Trials.

At Trials, Hayes managed to qualify for both the 200m and the 400m individual medley. While Hayes came fourth in the 400m behind Katie Grimes, Emma Weyant, and Hali Flickinger, Hayes was able to get herself into second place in the 200m, thus qualifying her for the USA Worlds team.^[11] and competed in the 2022 World Aquatics Championships in the women's 200m individual medley.^[12] Hayes, in an interview, was reportedly in shock at making the team, saying "To make the team, it’s definitely quite a surprise... As we were getting our pictures taken and I was standing with all these incredible athletes, I was like, ‘Oh my gosh.’ I had a conversation with Katie Ledecky and with Lilly King. What in the world?"^[13]

Hayes was added to the roster of the 2022-2023 U.S. National Team by USA Swimming.^[14]

2023

At the 2023 World Aquatics Junior Swimming Championships in Netanya, Israel, Hayes set two new course records. The first was in the girls’ 400m individual medley with a time of 4:36.84 and received a gold medal. Hayes is now ranked 6th all-time in the girls’ 17-18 age group in the United States in the 400m individual medley.^[5] Hayes also set another course record with her gold medal win in the 200m individual medley with a time of 2:10.24.^[15] She later earned a second gold medal as part of the girls’ 4x200m freestyle relay along with Addison Sauickie, Lynsey Bowen, and Madi Mintenko, with a time of 7:52.48.^[5]

References

1. Fuchs, Jeremy. "Leah Hayes is Our 2018 SportsKid of the Year". SI Kids: Sports News for Kids, Kids Games and More. Retrieved May 6, 2022.
2. Grisham, Holly (July 19, 2021). "Record-breaking Aurora teen swimmer with alopecia blazes an inspiring trail in the pool". ABC13 Houston. Retrieved May 6, 2022.
3. Miller, Dionne (June 13, 2021). "Sugar Grove teen to make Olympic trial debut for swimming in Omaha". ABC7 Chicago. Retrieved May 6, 2022.
4. "Girls swimming: Kaneland's Hayes wins 2 state titles". Daily Herald. November 13, 2021. Retrieved May 6, 2022.
5. Sutherland, James (September 4, 2023). "LEAH HAYES HITS 4:36 400 IM FOR WORLD JUNIORS CHAMPIONSHIP RECORD, #6 IN 17-18 AGE GROUP". Retrieved September 12, 2023.
6. "Leah Hayes Named Sports Kid Of The Year By Sports Illustrated Kids". Swimming World News. November 24, 2018. Retrieved May 6, 2022.
7. Rohr, Lauren. "Swimming lets Sugar Grove teen be herself". Effingham Daily News. Retrieved May 6, 2022.
8. "13-Year-Old Leah Hayes Notches Two Wins, An OT Cut At 2019 Swim Pink A+ Invite". SwimSwam. June 24, 2019. Retrieved May 6, 2022.
9. "The record-breaking Aurora teenage hair loss teenage swimmer Leah Hayes opens an inspiring trail in the pool". injuredly. July 19, 2021. Retrieved May 6, 2022.
10. Penland, Spencer (April 26, 2022). "Leah Hayes Dealing with a Stress Fracture in Her Foot, in a Walking Boot". SwimSwam. Retrieved May 6, 2022.
11. "Leah Hayes Only New Name to Join Worlds Team on Final Day of Trials". SwimSwam. April 30, 2022. Retrieved May 6, 2022.
12. Zaccardi, Nick (June 18, 2022). "At a trying trials, Leah Hayes endured to make swimming worlds at age 16". NBC Sports. Retrieved September 7, 2022.
13. "Leah Hayes 'Honored' as She Qualifies for Worlds, Breaks Katie Hoff's National Age Group Record". Swimming World News. May 2, 2022. Retrieved May 6, 2022.
14. "USA Swimming Announces 2022-2023 U.S. National Team Roster Presented by Toyota". USA Swimming. September 7, 2022. Retrieved September 7, 2022.
15. De George, Matthew (September 7, 2023). "World Junior Championships: Leah Hayes Sets Meet Record in 200 IM Romp". Retrieved September 12, 2023.

External links

• Leah Hayes at World Aquatics
• Leah Hayes at SwimRankings.net