In the Oakton High School pool on Feb. 21, tensions were high for ACHS junior Tobias Damico-Lassman and his competitors in the A-final for the 2026 Virginia High School League (VHSL) 100-yard butterfly. This historic race can be seen here.

During the B-final, a starting block broke, causing all A-final competitors for State Champion to wait in anticipation of the title. 

“I think that the entire time, I probably said like 3 things to people,” Damico-Lassman said. “I was completely silent before my race, just trying to get as locked in as possible.” 

Finally, the time came for the athletes to step up to the starting block and begin their race.  “Going up to the block, it’s all the same,” continued Damico-Lassman. “I’m just quiet, not talking to anybody. And then the moment I get in the water, everything kind of goes a bit more quiet.“

As the buzzer went off, Damico-Lassman and his seven competitors dove into the water and began their race for the championship. With the cheers and whistles of his teammates,  Damico-Lassman placed first with a time of 49.10 seconds.

Along with claiming  the State Championship title, Damico-Lassman broke his own school record for the 100-yard fly, which he set at regionals earlier this season. This is added to the list of his school records alongside his previous record of 1:42:81 in the 200-yard freestyle. 

Damico-Lassman is the first Titan to win an individual men’s state title for swimming and the first swimmer to win at states since Titan Hall of Fame swimmer Katherine McAdoo in 2000. 

“More than anything, I’m just proud that I can get the program to that level, and hopefully that’s just the first of many.” said Damico-Lassman when asked about what his championship title means to him. “We have a lot more talented people on the team a year or three younger than me, so I’m hoping that can set the path for them to do so too.”

Damico-Lassman’s journey began when he was 6 years old at the Highland Park Pool. He has three older siblings and a father who were all avid swimmers, setting the stage for his swimming career with the ACHS swim team and the Potomac Marlins Swimming club. 

It took Damico-Lassman a long time to get to where he is today, as he endured a shoulder injury and an ear infection that left him hospitalized in his sophomore season. 

Throughout all these challenges, Damico-Lassman’s determination and love for the sport kept him coming back to it, despite the early morning practices, injuries and sickness. 

Damisco-Lassman lives what he preaches when he says anyone can achieve their goals, so long as they know what they’re willing to sacrifice. 

“I truly believe if anyone wants something they can get it, but it’s not easy,” said Damisco-Lassman. “For like the past 3 or 4 months, I haven’t been in bed later than like 9, and that’s just something you gotta do if you want that” he said, referring to his state championship and school records.

Looking back on his career, he honors the people around him whose support has made his success possible. In the champion’s own words when asked about the people supporting him, he acknowledged “First and foremost, my parents. […] There’s been no pressure from them, just support. They drove me to every morning practice I had, every meet I had. So it certainly wouldn’t have been possible without them.”

Alongside his parents, he credits ACHS head varsity swim and dive coach John Gullickson and Potomac Marlins head coach Barry Marlin as key figures who motivated and helped him grow throughout his career.

On top of his athletic accomplishments, Damico-Lassman has received praise from Gullickson for his exemplary sportsmanship amongst his teammates and fellow competitors, with Gullickson saying “Tobias is quick to lend his shirt and his cap so that no one is left out, for he is not just a champion in the water, he champions his peers that share the water with him.” Gullickson continued to describe Damico-Lassman as kind, passionate and humble. 

“It is a joy and an honor to see our Tobias climb the mountain,” said Gullickson. “New territory has been made in this historic feat as it has become a program first to see one of our own on top of the podium in a men’s individual state title through Tobias.”