By Claire Wong on SwimSwam
EEX Vacation Traditional XXXVIII
December 19 – 22, 2025
Sonny Werblin Recreation Centere (Rutgers)
Brief Course Yards (25 yards)
Outcomes central
On the ultimate day of New Jersey’s annual Vacation Traditional, 14-year-old CJ Associates of Metro Space Lifetime dove into the pool for the 100 freestyle and touched the wall in 45.51, dominating the remainder of the sector by over 2.5 seconds. With that swim, he broke the 13-14 state report within the occasion, decreasing the mark by 0.05 seconds. The earlier normal was held by Jack Alexy, a US Olympian, the present American report holder within the lengthy course version of the occasion, and silver medalist at this 12 months’s lengthy course World Championships.
Associates, who entered the season with a PB of 46.88, took down the report on December 22, simply at some point shy of his fifteenth birthday. By the tip of the meet, he had received all 4 of his particular person occasions and tied for top level.
Splits Comparability:
Break up
Alexy, 2017
Associates, 2025
50
21.83
22.10
100
45.56 (23.73)
45.51 (23.41)
Although Alexy was out over 0.2 seconds sooner, Associates’ again half made up all of the distinction after which some.
Listed below are Associates’ full outcomes from the meet:
100 fly – 50.71
100 again – 52.04
50 free – 21.27
100 free – 45.51
400 free relay break up (leadoff) – 46.98
400 medley relay break up (free) – 45.77
Associates’ connection to Alexy runs past the report e book, as he’s presently a freshman at Delbarton Excessive Faculty—Alexy’s alma mater. The truth is, the 2 have crossed paths: “I’ve had the chance to spend a while with Mr. Alexy over the past 12 months,” Associates stated. “He advised me that he needed me to beat his report. He’s gracious and embodies what it means to symbolize the USA. I’ve additionally tried to mimic his lengthy, robust strokes that makes him quick.”
Within the second, Associates famous that he didn’t notice what he had simply executed.
“I didn’t know I had a report,” he stated. “However I knew I swam very well.”
His confidence comes from the work executed throughout observe—Associates credit his improvement to his membership coaches Asher Phipps and Ian Brown, his highschool coaches Patrick Savidge and Alma Lopez-Holder, and the Kulp household, all of whom performed key roles in his progress this season.
On December sixteenth, lower than per week previous to this meet, Associates helped Delbarton defeat Chatham Excessive Faculty to snap the Cougars’ 58-meet win streak. He led the Inexperienced Wave to a win over the Cougars for the primary time since 2021, when Alexy was a senior. At that meet, Associates received each the 100 again and 100 fly—the identical actual occasions Alexy received on the Chatham vs Delbarton meet again in 2021. Associates additionally contributed to the Inexperienced Wave’s profitable 200 medley relay and 400 free relay.
Associates has seen monumental success on the age group stage: he’s a 13x finalist on the Japanese Zone stage and 5x champion. At Zones this previous summer season, he reaped gold 4 instances, which notably included a 53.45 within the 100 free lengthy course.
Different highlights from the meet are coated right here.
Learn the total story on SwimSwam: Lifetime Metro’s CJ Associates Breaks Jack Alexy’s 13-14 NJ Document within the 100 Yard Free
