Inside a packed Lindbergh Pool last Thursday afternoon, the Lindbergh Eagles hosted its first boys swim meet of the 2022-23 season on Dec. 8. The Eagles finished in third place out of a total of eight other KingCo High Schools, behind Sammamish and Mt. Si.

Lindbergh swim is led by 2022 state qualifier junior Heston Grant. Of the 12 events, Grant only competed in two individual events last Thursday but has large plans for the rest of this year. “I want to try and get Iron Man this year,” Grant said. An Iron Man title means the swimmer qualifies for all eight races for the season finale state tournament.

Lindbergh also had a strong showing from senior captain Hayden Knittle. Who achieved a state qualifying time in the 50 free with a time of 22.87 seconds, making the cut by .08 seconds. Knittle also won two other events: 100 breaststroke and 100 backstroke.

For Grant, it is all about helping his teammates make the jump that he made. “I just have to keep pushing our team to get better. I want to try and get our new swimmers better. I want to help them to strive to be their best,” he said.

Grant’s career is much different than one would expect with him competing at such a high level. “I took three years off before my freshman year, I was a little burnt out from swimming earlier in my life,” he said.

During his freshman year he got back into swimming and swam for Lindbergh and has ever since. In 2022, Grant competed in the 100 butterfly, 100 breaststroke and the 400 relay at the state tournament. This year he has already qualified in two different races in his first meet, the 200 I.M. and 500 free.

The junior Eagle is poised to make a run at the Iron Man, and has seven more meets to do so. Grant, Knittle and the rest of the Eagles next meet is Dec. 15 at the Lindbergh pool taking on cross-town rival Renton Redhawks.