Olympia High School Students Yvy La and Aoi Kondo Compete at the Girls Swimming and Diving State Championships

The Olympia High School girls' swim team placed 8th in the state at the WIAA Girls Swimming & Diving State Championships, which took place from November 10-12. Photo courtesy: Henry Valz
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Two sophomores on the Olympia High School (OHS) girls’ swim team have made school history this season. Yvy La, a swimmer and Aoi Kondo, a diver, are not only teammates, but also friends who have supported one another through practices and competitions, all the way to the Washington State Championships.

This season, OHS participated in a pilot program to reinstate the dive component of the girls’ swim team, after about a two-decade hiatus. Henry Valz, a coach for the team says that this resurgence of diving has enabled the team to be more competitive throughout the season, providing a clearer path for members of the team to compete at a statewide level.

“With diving coming back, it’s allowed us to really compete at the next level,” says Valz. “To try to take the next step up. To really compete at state, rather than just hoping to make it to state.”

Olympia High School Students Cheer Each Other on Throughout the Season

Outside of their respective sports, La and Kondo share a longtime friendship, having first met in preschool. After attending separate middle schools, the duo reconnected when they became students at OHS. Valz says both ladies have emerged as key members of the team throughout the season, showing support for fellow athletes and continuing to rally team spirit.

Yvy La and Aol Kondo when they were little
Two sophomores on the Olympia High School girls’ swim team, Yvy La and Aoi Kondo, are not only teammates, but also longtime friends. Photo courtesy: Henry Valz

“Aoi is a diver, even though she’s not competing, still attends the swim meets and roots on her team,” explains Valz. “Which is actually really awesome and something she kind of took on to herself and shows really, her commitment to her team.”

Although this is La’s and Kondo’s first season on the high school swim team, Kondo has been diving competitively for two years and La has been swimming competitively for eight years.

In addition to their participation on the OHS girls swim team, La and Kondo also compete year-round on club teams for diving and swimming, respectively.

Throughout the season, La has enjoyed learning more about competitive diving from Kondo, as the sport has been reintroduced to the OHS team. “It’s been so much fun,” says La. “I love when we get to watch Aoi compete because most of us know nothing about diving since it’s our first year having a swive –  swim+dive – team! I’m so excited to be representing the Olympia Bears together at state.”

La and Kondo Break Records in High School Swim and Diving

Heading into the state championships, La and Kondo were already on track for a successful season, with both athletes breaking previous Olympia High School records in their respective sport. According to Valz, La broke the school record for the 200 IM race and Kondo broke the record for the 6 and the 11 dives.

Before competing in the state championships, Aoi and Yvy were already on track for a successful season, as both athletes broke previous Olympia High School records in their respective sports. Photo courtesy: Henry Valz

At the district championships, which took place in late October, Kondo won first place for diving. La won second place in the 500 Free and the 200 IM races. Both Kondo’s and La’s results at the district championship qualified them for state.

And ahead of the state championship, Aoi was looking forward to a new type of competition at the King County Aquatic Center (KCAC), as she represented Olympia High School.

“I am very excited,” says Kondo. “Because diving is a small sport, most of the top divers I’ll be competing against will be my friends from club! I’m excited to not only dive with them, but to be able to dive at KCAC. I’m all in for this new opportunity and representing Olympia!”

La says she was excited for a more team-oriented environment at the state championships, as she competed alongside fellow members of the OHS girls swim team.

“I’m extremely excited for state,” says La. “I love how high school swim has a completely different team dynamic and atmosphere where you swim for the team rather than just for yourself. I get to see a lot of friends that I usually race during club meets too. I’m most excited for my 200 IM and also looking forward to the iHOP team breakfast tradition we do.”

A Successful Showing at State Swim & Dive Championship

Yvy La  on a podium at the Washington State Swim Championships
At the WIAA 4A Girls Swimming & Diving State Championships, swimmer Yvy La placed third in the 200 IM race and 5th in the 500 Free race. Photo courtesy: Henry Valz

La and Kondo both had impressive results at the WIAA 4A Girls Swimming & Diving State Championships, which took place from November 10-12.

Kondo won first place in the state diving competition.

La placed third in the 200 IM race and fifth in the 500 Free race.

The OHS Girls Swim Team as a whole was also successful, placing eighth in the state. At the conclusion of the season, Valz says he is proud of the hard work all the athletes on the team.

“It is so much fun, and such an honor, to coach both of them at this level, especially given their connection and friendship,” says Valz. “In Aoi’s first year she has become a leader of the new dive team. Yvy has become an integral member of the team, not just as a fast swimmer, but also as a friend to all the team members. High school swim and dive is an individual sport, but as a team we achieve far more than we could otherwise.”

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