Senior standout Josh Bey helps lead Hinsdale Central swimmers to glory
One of their senior standouts, Josh Bey, is chasing more history at that meet and beyond.
"From a young age, I loved being in the water. Like, I had a passion for being in the water," said Bey. "Every time I was in the water, I'd be having the time of my life."
This is a good thing, since Bey spends a good chunk of his life in the water. The Indiana commit is one of the top high school swimmers in the country.
"Josh has a lot of internal drive. I think he's known that he can do things that not everybody can, and sometimes that gets in people's ways. Josh has been able to navigate the success to still have very large goals," said Hindsale Central swimming coach Robert Barber. "He's not only helped himself be successful and improve, he's definitely helped our program be successful."
At last year's state meet, Bey set state records in the 200 Individual medley and the 100-yard breaststroke — his premiere event — and was part of a pair of winning relay teams that helped Hinsdale Central capture not only their second straight team title, but also put them among the best high school teams in the entire country.
"These guys are motivated to try and do things I've never even tried to do as a coach. This is my 25th year. They're talking about being competitive with the best ever, national records, three-peat on a state title," said Barber. "You need a lot more than one guy. Josh is definitely a leader that group, but I think that there are about four or five guys we lean on very heavily."
Hinsdale Central swimmer Henry Guo emphasized just how monumental the team's achievements and goals have been.
"It gives me great confidence to swim on this team. It's so unique. We're contending for the number one team in the country right now," said Guo. "Especially considering it's a public school, right? Really like a once in maybe a decade moment for us."
Bey nearly had a once in at least every four years moment last summer. At the U.S. Olympic trials in Indianapolis, he made the finals in the 200 breaststroke, finishing as the top junior in that event.
"I was in the top eight that actually ended up competing for the Olympic spot. That was one of the. by far, scariest experiences of my life. These guys, you know, tower over me. They're twice the size of me. I actually had a very good swim, and I was able to punch my ticket to go to Australia with the junior pan-Pacific teams," Bey said, "and so hopefully come 2028, I can represent the USA at the LA Games."
Bey has won state championships, set records, and competed internationally and at the U.S. Olympic swim trials. But when asked what his greatest accomplishment is, he pointed to something else.
"One part of me wants to say like all the achievements I've made inside the pool," Bey said. "But I think my greatest accomplishment is the discipline which I've established in myself outside of the pool."
It is that discipline and drive that should have Bey and the Hinsdale Central Red Devils adding a few more records to the big board before they're done.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
NBC Sports
7 hours ago
- NBC Sports
Almost forced to withdraw, Rianne Malixi among early leaders in U.S. Women's Amateur defense
A dozen players have won consecutive U.S. Women's Amateur trophies, though the last to do so, Danielle Kang, won her second of back-to-back titles 14 years ago. Rianne Malixi could add herself to that list Sunday at Bandon Dunes. Malixi, the Philippines star who won not only last year's U.S. Women's Amateur at Southern Hills but also the U.S. Girls' Junior a few weeks prior, opened her title defense of the former with a 4-under 68 Monday on Bandon's namesake layout on the Oregon coast. Malixi's first-round score was matched by fellow co-leaders, Arizona's Julia Misemer and Texas' Cindy Hsu. Malixi's defense almost was over before it started. She had been awaiting approval of her student visa – the 18-year-old will start her college career at Duke later this month – when a typhoon delayed an already lengthy process. 'Worst-case scenario, I am not going to play,' Malixi said. 'The best-case scenario is I might miss the practice rounds and head straight to the first round. Then, boom, I got a notification that my passport is ready and visa was ready.' She picked up her documents six hours before her flight last Thursday from the Philippines to Portland, Oregon. She arrived at Bandon on Saturday afternoon and was able to sneak in nine holes before getting in a full 18 on Sunday. Malixi is competing in her first amateur event since the Women's Amateur Asia-Pacific in early March, when she made it through just five holes before withdrawing with what Malixi described as a back strain. Later in March, Malixi withdrew from the Augusta National Women's Amateur on the eve of the first round after her ailing back limited her to about 40-50% in the practice round. She immediately shut it down for three weeks, traveling to Australia to see her physical therapist and also visiting a chiropractor. 'I was very mis-aligned, and hitting 400 balls a day made it worse, so I had to rest,' Malixi said. She didn't compete again until the U.S. Women's Open in late May at Erin Hills, where she shot 79-78 to miss the cut. She also missed cuts in her other two starts this summer, at the JLPGA's Ai Miyazato Suntory Ladies Open (76-72) and Amundi Evian Championship (74-72). It was fair to say that Monday's opening round by the third-ranked amateur was a pleasant surprise. 'To be honest, I haven't been feeling 100% lately,' Malixi said. 'I played a couple of majors, Evian and U.S. Women's Open, but I didn't play well. I am just happy enough to be playing 18 holes and 36 holes a couple of days ago. I haven't been shooting well, but today was eye-opening for me.' Malixi didn't record a bogey while adding short birdie makes at Nos. 3, 9 and 13, plus a 25-foot birdie conversion at No. 17. Malixi estimated she hit three drives into fairway bunkers where she had to lay up on par-4s before wedging close with her third shots to set up stress-free pars. The player whom Malixi beat in both USGA finals last year, 16-year-old Asterisk Talley, was among those at 3 under, along with Wake Forest grad and current Golf Channel on-course reporter Emilia Doran, Texas A&M incoming freshman Scarlett Schremmer, Auburn's Anna Davis and N.C. State grad Lauren Olivares, who in 2023 became the first player in NCAA women's golf history to shoot 60. Talley is fresh off a victory at the Girls Junior PGA Championship in Indiana. Malixi's fellow Duke newcomer, Avery McCrery, was part of a large group at 2 under. Princeton's Catherine Rao also carded 70, though she turned in 6 under before coming in with a birdie-less 40 on the back nine. World No. 1 amateur Kiara Romero shot 1 under, as did reigning U.S. Girls' Junior champ Aphrodite Deng.
Los Angeles Times
10 hours ago
- Los Angeles Times
Trump plans White House task force on security for the 2028 L.A. Olympics
WASHINGTON — President Trump will order the establishment of a White House task force on Tuesday focused on security for the Olympics Games in Los Angeles in 2028. Karoline Leavitt, the White House press secretary, said the president plans on creating the task force by executive order on Tuesday, telling The Times that Trump 'considers it a great honor to oversee this global sporting spectacle.' 'During his first term, President Trump was instrumental in securing America's bid to host the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles,' Leavitt said. 'Sports is one of President Trump's greatest passions, and his athletic expertise, combined with his unmatched hospitality experience will make these Olympic events the most exciting and memorable in history.' The executive order follows on Trump's signature legislation, referred to by the president as the 'big beautiful bill,' securing $1 billion for security, planning and other costs for the L.A. Games. Planning for the games is being led by the Los Angeles Organizing Committee for the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games, or LA28, a privately funded non-profit organization. Casey Wasserman, chairperson and president of LA28, thanked the Trump administration in a statement 'for their leadership and unwavering support as we prepare to deliver the largest and most ambitious Olympic and Paralympic Games ever hosted in the United States.' 'Since we secured this historic opportunity in 2017, President Trump has consistently recognized the magnitude of our responsibility in welcoming the world to Los Angeles,' Wasserman said. 'The creation of this task force marks an important step forward in our planning efforts and reflects our shared commitment to delivering not just the biggest, but the greatest Games the world has ever seen in the summer of 2028.'
NBC News
16 hours ago
- NBC News
Noah Lyles gets shoved by rival Kenny Bednarek after rallying for win in 200
Olympic gold medalist Noah Lyles won the 200-meter national championship on Sunday and got a two-handed shove from rival Kenny Bednarek moments after the thrilling rally in Oregon. Lyles overtook Bednarek in the final strides and turned to stare down the runner-up, who then reached out with both hands to forcefully push the winner away. Before the beef could heat up, Bednarek extended his hand to congratulate Lyles for winning the USA Track and Field Outdoor Championships event and the pair calmly addressed their differences. An NBC Sports camera approached them on the track at Hayward Field and caught the tail end of their chat which seemed to reflect a spat that pre-dated Sunday's race. "If you got a problem, I expected a call," Bednarek said. "That's all I'm saying." Lyles then extended an olive branch as well. "You know what, you're right," Lyles said. "Let's talk after this." Bednarek declined to explain the shove. "I'm not going to say that out here but we got something to do and talk about," he told NBC Sports. "That's all I'm going to say." Lyles' time of 19.63 seconds was .04 better than Bednarek, setting the stage for a rematch in the world championship outdoor meet set for Sept. 19 in Tokyo. Lyles, 28, was one of the breakout stars from Paris last summer, taking gold in the most thrilling races of the 2024 games. Lyles barely nudged out Cashain Thompson to become the first American to take 100 gold since 2004. Lyles then won bronze in the 200, finishing third behind gold medalist Letsile Tebogo of Botswana and the runner-up, Bednarek.
