May 21, 2026

Written by Leisha Masi

CLOVIS:   It is never easy to compete at a championship level, but to do so and succeed week after week after week, takes a special competitor and person. It comes as no surprise that Alyssa Bian not only was able to take that task and succeed at this last week’s CIF State Swimming Championship in Fresno, California.

Representing King for the third year in a row at the biggest meet for California high school swimming, Bian entered the challenging 200 free and 100 fly combo knowing she would have to swim at her best to make it into the finals. With a positive attitude and hanging on to her taper by a thread, Bian didn’t take out her 200 like she usually does and missed the finals by just one spot.

Knowing her strongest and best event was just an hour later, she pushed aside the event results and swam just off her season best set just the week before at CIF Finals. Bian took it out hard and easily qualified against a field that boasted the top 100 fly swimmers in the country.

Heading into finals the next day, Alyssa got to the pool early to focus and prepare. Maintaining her positive spirit and swimming next to her future teammate at Cornell, Alyssa took the race out fast and finished a solid 13th.

“This was my third time going to State,” Alyssa said, “so it was much easier to not focus on the quality of the other swimmers and just relax and enjoy myself.”

I am incredibly proud of Alyssa. Year after year, she pushes herself to succeed and keep her expectations high. To culminate her senior year beating her record once again and swimming some incredibly fast times week after week is no small feat. I don’t think people really understand what it takes to compete at this level. Swimmers train year round and take just about two weeks off a year. Alyssa not only dedicates herself to this, but holds herself to the same rigor in the classroom. She is a State Champ to me!