UST Swimmer Aiden Stivers Units American Report in 100m Breaststroke at U.S. Paralympics

WALNUT, CA—  St. Thomas Celt Aiden Stivers etched his identify into the U.S. file ebook as soon as once more, breaking the American file within the males’s S9 100-meter breaststroke on the 2026 Para Pan Pacific Championships, hosted by U.S. Paralympics Swimming at Mt. San Antonio College in Walnut, California.

The Fortville, Indiana, native touched the wall in 1:09.90 throughout Sunday’s finals session, shaving off his personal file after posting 1:10.43 within the morning preliminaries — which means he broke the nationwide customary twice in a single day.

 

A Breakout Season

The file extends a exceptional run for the freshman, who has been one of many fastest-rising names in U.S. Para swimming since making his debut within the sport in 2022. Classified S10 general and SB9 for breaststroke, Stivers set his first American file within the 200m breaststroke in 2023 and lowered it once more the next 12 months. His breakthrough really arrived in 2025, when he earned a spot on his first world championships group, represented Team USA in Singapore, and set American information in each the 100m and 200m breaststroke.

Stivers joins the University of St. Thomas swim program this fall below Head Coach Hanna Huston, who brings her personal worldwide Para swimming pedigree to the function — Huston served as an assistant coach for Team USA on the 2025 World Para Swimming Championships in Singapore. With Huston’s steerage, Stivers will proceed chasing his objectives each within the classroom and the pool, along with his sights set on the LA28 Paralympic Games — the primary Paralympic Games to be held on U.S. soil since Atlanta 1996.

More Than a Stopwatch

Stivers has been candid about how a lot Para swimming has meant to him past the occasions on the board. Before discovering the game, he wasn’t positive the place he slot in; since then, he is discovered a group of teammates who compete alongside him somewhat than merely in opposition to him. He’s described that shift as one the place he now not feels a step behind everybody else, and the place celebrating a teammate’s win looks like a win of his personal. Coach Huston additionally expressed her pleasure for Aiden, ” Twice in one day! Aiden broke his own American record in the morning, then came back at night and lowered it again in finals. Breaking that 1:10 barrier is big time. I’m really impressed with him. He’s had a lot of changes lately, and to perform the way he has at this meet says a lot about his commitment and talent.”

That sense of group was on full show on the 2025 World Championships in Singapore, the place Stivers competed alongside Paralympians he had as soon as solely watched from afar — together with silver medalist Grace Nuhfer, who referred to as him a recent presence on the U.S. roster who stored the group’s vitality up all through the meet.

For Stivers, the file occasions are solely a part of the story. He’s stated he hopes to be remembered above all for the “legacy of kindness” he leaves behind within the sport.

Looking Ahead

With his American file now sitting at 1:09.90, Stivers heads into his collegiate profession at St. Thomas as one of many prime S9-classified breaststrokers within the nation, and a reputation Celts followers will likely be watching carefully on the street to LA28.

Tune in tonight as Aiden Competes within the Finals at 5:30 PM PDT time. Click here for updates…

UST Athletics congratulates Aiden Stivers on his American file and welcomes him to the Celts household.