RAEFORD — Several members of the Richmond Senior High School boys’ swimming team recorded personal or season-best times to begin 2026.
The Raiders met their fellow Mid-South Conference opponents Thursday at the Leach Aquatic Center for the season’s fourth meet.
Richmond finished the night with a sixth-place score of 93 points, its third-best score in four meets this season.
Thursday’s meet was a big night for several swimmers, who each recorded personal best times in a variety of events.
Like he has all season, senior Cole Thrower led the charge in the pool with two PRs in his two solo events. He also anchored the Raiders’ one relay race.
Thrower finished third overall in both the 50-yard and 100–yard freestyle races and combined for 32 individual points, which was also a single-meet personal best.
In the open 50, he clocked in at 25.73 seconds (0.15 seconds faster) and he finished the 100-yard race in 1:01.84 (0.64 seconds faster).
Richmond’s largest chunk of points came in the 200-yard freestyle relay, which posted its second-fastest time of the season (2:11.28). The lineup of senior Luke Gilliam, sophomore Mason Robson, senior DJ Gainey and Thrower collected 28 points with a fifth-place finish.
Robson and Gilliam each contributed individual points in one other event. In the 200-yard freestyle, Robson was eighth overall (11 points) with a PR of 3:33.06. Gilliam added five points with a 12th-place time of 35.55 seconds in the 50-yard free.
Two other swimmers scored individual points in two more events. Freshman Zion Barnes swam the 100-yard breaststroke for the first time this season and notched 12 points with a seventh-place time of 3:03.39.
Senior Austin Rainwater’s five points were the result of a 12th-place time of 1:28.86 in the open 100-yard swim.
The Raiders will return to the pool in two weeks on Jan. 22 for another MSC meet. That will start at 6 p.m. in Raeford.
The Richmond Observer will publish a photo gallery and the results of the Lady Raiders’ meet soon.
