A 10-year-old Filipino American swimming sensation shattered a 23-year-old swimming record set by Olympic swimming superstar Michael Phelps in the latest demonstration of his future greatness.
Clark Kent Apuada -- and yes, his nickname is Superman -- won the 100-meter butterfly at the 2018 Long Course Meters Far Western International Age Group Championships in California on July 29 with a time of 1:09:38. This record is more than a full second faster than the one Phelps set at the same championships in 1995. Apuada came in four seconds faster than the second placer at the event.
Apuada is the same age Phelps was when he set the 1995 record, which was Phelps' oldest standing record until Apuada broke it. He said it's been his dream to beat Phelps' record since he was seven.
Clark, a lightly built boy, has only been swimming competitively for four years and said he's just out there having fun. "I love swimming because I have a lot of people supporting me and my coaches are always there for me and my parents are always there," said Apuada, who hails from Carmel-by-the-Sea.
Apuada won all seven of his events on July 29, including the 50 and 100-meter freestyles; the 50 and 100-meter backstroke; the 50-meter fly and the 200-meter individual medley. Six of his seven times (excluding the 50) were lifetime bests.
"The kid is unlike any other young man that I've ever coached," said Dia Riana, Apuada's coach."He's always stood out. He's ... kind of a savant of sorts."
Apuada, who is a member of the Monterey County Aquatic Team (MCAT), won the 10 & under boys category with 63 points. His Far Western results:
* 200 IM - 2:39.69 seconds
* 50 fly - 31.99
* 100 fly - 1:09.38
* 50 back - 33.17
* 100 back - 1:13.25
* 50 free - 29.21
* 100 free - 1:04.39
Apuada learned how to swim when he was around three-years-old. He started competitive swimming at seven when he joined MCAT. When not competing, Apuada keeps himself busy other activities such as music and martial arts. He's also into scientific and artistic pursuits.
And given his enormous talent, it isn't surprising to hear from him that his next big step will be to win swimming golds in the Olympics. If he's lucky, Apuada might make it to the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, France. Apuada will be 16 by that time.
If not, there's the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, and Apuada, who grew up in California, might want to target this Olympics since he'll be 20 years old by the time it rolls around.
