Clark Kent Apuada after his record-breaking win in Moragas, Calif., on July 29, 2018. (Dia Rianda Monterey County Aquatic Team) Michael Phelps Michael Phelps at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro on Aug. 13, 2016. (Odd Andersen/AFP/Getty Images)
A 10-year-old swimmer from California broke a swimming record held by Michael Phelps.
Clark Kent Apuada broke the record during a competition at the 2018 Far Western Long Course Championships, Swim Swam reported. The competition ran from July 26 to July 29. Apuada broke the record for the 100-meter butterfly, a record set by Phelps in 1995 when he swam in the 10 and under category. Apuada broke the record on the final day of this year’s competition.
“It was the 100-meter butterfly, and I broke a Michael Phelps’s record of 1:10:48. I won a time of 1:09:38,” said Apuada.
Clark Kent Apuada in a photo posted to Facebook on April 28, 2017. (Dia Rianda Monterey County Aquatic Team)
Michael Phelps even congratulated Apuada, via Twitter.
“Big congrats to #clarkkent for smashing that meet record!!! Keep it up dude !!#dreambig”
Apuada won all seven of the races he competed in, setting personal best records in six of them, according to Swim Swam. Apuada started competing in swimming events four years ago, according to Entertainment Weekly.
Apuada was also at the top of the High Point Award Winners for his 10 and under age division, with 63 total points. His point total also beats out the 11-12, 13-14, 15-16, and 17-18 age groups, according to the competition results via Swim Swam.
“Always have fun and never give up on your dreams, no matter what anybody says. And yes, that was one of my dreams to beat Michael Phelps’s record since I was 7,” said Apuada.
Clark Kent Apuada after a big competition win, in a Facebook photo posted July 31, 2017. (Dia Rianda Monterey County Aquatic Team)
Apuada’s next goal is to compete in the Olympics. According to Time, he would be old enough to compete in the Paris Summer Olympics, in 2024. He would turn 16 by then.
“Most people just call me Clark. But now, when I beat Michael Phelps’s record, they start calling me Superman,” Apuada told CBS.
The Olympics has no specific age requirement for competitors in any sport in its rulebook, but an international federation may enforce age requirements. The International Swimming Federation, at least according to the rules for a swimming event during the 2016 Rio Olympics, indicates Olympic competitors must be at least 15 years old.
Colin is a New York-based reporter. He covers Entertainment, U.S., and international news. Besides writing for online news outlets he has worked in online marketing and advertising, done voiceover work, and has a background in sound engineering and filmmaking. His foreign language skills include Spanish and Chinese.
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