Ricken is 8 years old. He started training with the Catawba Valley Aquatic Club (CVAC) in September 2024. Every summer, the club participates in a regional swim championship meet. This year, we had participants from swim clubs from Morganton/Gastonia/Watauga County, and Hickory. Ricken competed in the 8U age group and won gold medals (1st place) in freestyle and breaststroke 50M individual categories. His team competed in 10U for freestyle and medley relays and won bronze and silver medals, respectively. We are so proud of his dedication and willingness to learn, and we intend to continue the sport for years to come!