Kayla Han facts for kids
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| Nickname(s) | Han | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | May 31, 2008 Brea, California, United States |
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| Sport | Swimming | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Strokes | Freestyle, individual medley, butterfly | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Club | La Mirada Armada | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Medal record
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Kayla Han is an amazing American swimmer. She is known for her skills in freestyle and individual medley races. Kayla won a gold medal in the 800-meter freestyle at the 2023 World Junior Championships. She also earned a silver medal in the 400-meter individual medley at the 2022 Junior Pan Pacific Championships.
At the 2021 U.S. Open Championships, Kayla finished fourth in the 400-meter individual medley. She was also seventh in the 800-meter freestyle. Kayla was the youngest swimmer at the 2020 USA Swimming Olympic Trials. She was only 13 years old when she won the B-final of the 400-meter individual medley. A video of her race became the most-watched clip from those Olympic trials.
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About Kayla Han
Kayla Han was born on May 31, 2008, in Brea, California. She swims for the La Mirada Armada Swim Club.
Kayla's Swimming Journey
Starting Strong (2018–2020)
Between 2018 and 2019, Kayla set six national age group records for girls aged 10 and under. Her first record was in December 2018 in the 200-yard individual medley. She set four more records in early 2019, including one in the 500-yard freestyle. In May 2019, she set her first record in a 50-meter pool for the 200-meter individual medley.
Her achievements as a 10-year-old caught the attention of Swimming World and SwimSwam magazines. Swimming World named her an "Up & Comer" in June 2019. SwimSwam gave her the "Swammy Award" for female Age Group Swimmer of the Year in 2019. She continued to excel in 2020, earning another Swammy Award for 11–12 year olds.
Olympic Trials and New Records (2021)
Setting Records at Speedo Grand Challenge
In May 2021, Kayla set three more national age group records. This time, they were for girls aged 11–12. On May 28, she broke the 400-meter freestyle record. The next day, she broke the 400-meter individual medley record. This swim also helped her qualify for the US Olympic Trials. On May 30, she broke the 800-meter freestyle record.
Competing at the US Olympic Trials
Kayla was the youngest swimmer to qualify for the 2020 USA Swimming Olympic Trials. These trials were held in June 2021 in Omaha, Nebraska. She was 12 years old at the time.
On June 5, Kayla swam in the 400-meter individual medley. She won the B-final later that day. She was 13 years old when she won. NBC Sports posted a video of her win on YouTube. This video became the most-watched clip from the swimming trials. It had over 940,000 views. By August 2022, it had over 1.2 million views.
Swimming World recognized her efforts. They gave her their "Up & Comers" award again in July 2021.
Strong Swims at Speedo Summer Championships
In August 2021, Kayla competed at the West Speedo Summer Championships. She set new personal best times. In the 400-meter freestyle, she swam a 4:14.52. This made her the third fastest American 13-year-old girl in that race.
She placed fourth in the 800-meter freestyle. She also swam a personal best in the 200-meter freestyle. In the 400-meter individual medley, she lowered her best time twice. She finished fifth in the final. She was the only swimmer under 14 in that race. Kayla also took second place in the 400-meter freestyle. She was the only swimmer under 16 in that final.
On her last day, she placed fifth in the 1500-meter freestyle.
Success at the U.S. Open Championships
Kayla competed in six events at the 2021 U.S. Open Championships in December. She finished seventh in the 800-meter freestyle. She swam a personal best time of 8:46.18. She also placed fourth in the 400-meter individual medley. Her time was a personal best of 4:47.92.
She finished fifth in the 200-meter butterfly B-final. She also won the slowest heat of the 1500-meter freestyle. She dropped almost 10 seconds from her previous best time.
Junior Pan Pacific Medalist (2022)
In January 2022, Kayla set more personal best times. These included the 800-meter freestyle and 1500-meter freestyle. In April, she swam a 4:46.01 in the 400-meter individual medley. This was the fastest time ever for 13-year-old American girls. She also won the 800-meter freestyle with a personal best time.
Competing at International Team Trials
In April 2022, Kayla competed at the 2022 US International Team Trials. She placed fifth in the 800-meter freestyle. She won the B-final of the 400-meter individual medley with a personal best time. She also set a personal best in the 1500-meter freestyle.
Winning Silver at Junior Pan Pacific Championships
| 2022 Junior Pan Pac Championships | ||
|---|---|---|
| Silver | 400 m individual medley | 4:43.60 (pb) |
In May 2022, Kayla was chosen for the United States team. She competed in the 2022 Junior Pan Pacific Swimming Championships. On the second day, she won a silver medal in the 400-meter individual medley. She was 14 years old. She also swam a personal best time in the 800-meter freestyle.
End of Year Achievements
In November 2022, Kayla set a National Age Group record. This was for girls aged 13–14 in the 400-yard individual medley. She broke a record set in 2004 by Katie Hoff. In December, she placed third in the 400-yard individual medley at the Winter Junior US National Championships. She also finished third in the 1650-yard freestyle. She was the only swimmer under 15 in the top three for that event.
Continued Success (2023)
In March 2023, Kayla won four events at the Speedo Sectionals. She set personal bests in the 400-meter freestyle and 1500-meter freestyle. In May, just before her 15th birthday, she set four more personal best times. These were at the TYR Pro Swim Series. Her times included a 4:10.56 in the 400-meter freestyle and a 4:42.96 in the 400-meter individual medley.
International Competitions
| Meet | 200 freestyle | 400 freestyle | 800 freestyle | 1500 freestyle | 200 butterfly | 400 individual medley |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| USOC 2021 (age: 13) |
6th (b) (2:04.28) |
2nd (b) (4:15.74) |
7th (8:46.18) |
1st (h) (16:43.02) |
5th (b) (2:16.80) |
4th (4:47.92) |
| PACJ 2022 (age: 14) |
19th (4:14.17) |
9th (8:35.85) |
7th (16:43.13) |
 (4:43.60) |
Best Swimming Times
Long Course Meters (50 m pool)
| Event | Time | Meet | Location | Date | Age | Ref | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 100 m freestyle | 58.35 | h | 2022 Fran Crippen Swim Meet of Champions | Mission Viejo, California | April 1, 2022 | 13 | |
| 200 m freestyle | 2:02.17 | 2022 Fran Crippen Swim Meet of Champions | Mission Viejo, California | April 2, 2022 | 13 | ||
| 400 m freestyle | 4:08.21 | 2024 U.S. Olympic Trials - Indianapolis | Indianapolis, Indiana | June 15, 2024 | 14 | ||
| 800 m freestyle | 8:32.88 | 2023 TYR Pro Swim Series - Mission Viejo | Mission Viejo, California | May 20, 2023 | 14 | ||
| 1500 m freestyle | 16:26.92 | 2023 Speedo Sectionals - Indianapolis | Indianapolis, Indiana | March 26, 2023 | 14 | ||
| 200 m butterfly | 2:16.68 | Road to 2022 Senior Invitational | La Mirada, California | January 2022 | 13 | ||
| 200 m individual medley | 2:16.29 | b | 2023 TYR Pro Swim Series - Mission Viejo | Mission Viejo, California | May 20, 2023 | 14 | |
| 400 m individual medley | 4:42.96 | 2023 TYR Pro Swim Series - Mission Viejo | Mission Viejo, California | May 19, 2023 | 14 |
Legend: h — prelims heat; b – b-final; exb – exhibition
Short Course Yards (25 yd pool)
| Event | Time | Meet | Location | Date | Age | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 100 yd freestyle | 51.40 | 2022 Road to Paris Senior Invitational | La Mirada, California | January 15, 2023 | 14 | |
| 200 yd freestyle | 1:47.93 | 2022 Kevin B. Perry Senior Meet | La Mirada, California | November 5, 2022 | 14 | |
| 500 yd freestyle | 4:39.18 | 2022 Kevin B. Perry Senior Meet | La Mirada, California | November 4, 2022 | 14 | |
| 1000 yd freestyle | 9:41.77 | 2022 Kevin B. Perry Senior Meet | La Mirada, California | November 3, 2022 | 14 | |
| 1650 yd freestyle | 16:05.75 | 2022 Winter Junior US National Championships | Austin, Texas | December 10, 2022 | 14 | |
| 100 yd butterfly | 55.38 | 2021 CA/NV Speedo Sectionals | Huntington Beach, California | December 17, 2021 | 13 | |
| 200 yd individual medley | 2:00.16 | 2021 CA/NV Speedo Sectionals | Huntington Beach, California | December 17, 2021 | 13 | |
| 400 yd individual medley | 4:06.95 | 2022 Kevin B. Perry Senior Meet | La Mirada, California | November 5, 2022 | 14 |
National Age Group Records
Long Course Meters (50 m pool)
| No. | Event | Time | Meet | Location | Date | Age | Age Group | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 200 m individual medley | 2:28.70 | 2019 Speedo Grand Challenge | Irvine, California | May 26, 2019 | 10 years, 360 days | 10 & under | |
| 2 | 400 m freestyle | 4:17.65 | 2021 CA Speedo Grand Challenge | Irvine, California | May 28, 2021 | 12 years, 362 days | 11–12 | |
| 3 | 400 m individual medley | 4:50.70 | 2021 CA Speedo Grand Challenge | Irvine, California | May 29, 2021 | 12 years, 363 days | 11–12 | |
| 4 | 800 m freestyle | 8:50.58 | 2021 CA Speedo Grand Challenge | Irvine, California | May 30, 2021 | 12 years, 364 days | 11–12 |
Short Course Yards (25 yd pool)
| No. | Event | Time | Meet | Location | Date | Age | Age Group | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 200 yd individual medley | 2:13.33 | Winter Age Group Championships | Palm Springs, California | December 9, 2018 | 10 years, 192 days | 10 & under | |
| 2 | 500 yd freestyle | 5:13.45 | 2019 California MVN Senior Qualifier | Mission Viejo, California | January 19, 2019 | 10 years, 233 days | 10 & under | |
| 3 | 200 yd individual medley (2) | 2:13.01 | February 16, 2019 | 10 years, 261 days | 10 & under | |||
| 4 | 200 yd individual medley (3) | 2:12.24 | March 17, 2019 | 10 years, 290 days | 10 & under | |||
| 5 | 200 yd individual medley (4) | 2:11.99 | March 17, 2019 | 10 years, 290 days | 10 & under | |||
| 6 | 400 yd individual medley | 4:06.95 | 2022 Kevin B. Perry Senior Meet | La Mirada, California | November 5, 2022 | 14 years, 158 days | 13–14 |
Awards and Recognition
Kayla Han has received many awards for her swimming:
- Swimming World Up & Comers, Age Group Swimmer of the Month: June 2019, July 2021
- SwimSwam, Weekly Wonders of Age Group Swimming: November 12, 2021
- Arena, Swim of the Week: January 21, 2022
- SwimSwam Swammy Award, Age Group Swimmer of the Year 13–14 (female): 2022
- SwimSwam Swammy Award, Age Group Swimmer of the Year 11–12 (female): 2020, 2021
- SwimSwam Swammy Award, Age Group Swimmer of the Year 10 & under (female): 2019
See Also
- 2020 United States Olympic Trials (swimming)
- 2024 United States Olympic Trials (swimming)
