Omaha Central’s Carter Hiley wrapped up his swimming career by dominating the 200-yard individual medley title at the NSAA State Championships on Feb. 28. He clocked in at a 1:49:99, seconds finally breaking that sub 1:50 barrier he’d been eyeing for a while.
Hiley is also leaving Central as one of the most decorated swimmers in Central and Omaha Public Schools history, holding the OPS record in the 200 IM and 100 freestyle, and eight Central records – seven individual events and one relay.
He went into the state finals seeded behind an old friend and competitor at Milard North, Matt Brailita, but even when the pressure was at its peak, Hiley found another gear. Even though he wasn’t the favorite on paper, his competitive drive, styled by a decade of racing Brailita, pushed him to the top of the podium.
“Matt has been a good friend of mine since I was 9. We’ve been racing each other forever. I just wanted it so bad. I spent so much time and so much energy toward it,”Hiley said.
What made this race and win so impressive is the comeback from the skiing in August 2023 that gave him a sprained MCL and dislocated kneecap. While most people would’ve ended their season and moved on, Hiley turned his rehab into a comeback story. He spent many months in rehab and recovering just to get back in the water,and when he finally did, he realized that he’d gotten faster than he’d ever been just in time for his senior year.
Hiley’s not just known for his trophies and records. He sets the standard. Hiley’s head coach, Kristoff Berzins, said Hiley’s dedication is rare.
“He works really hard, sometimes I have to tell him to cool off, because he’ll work through sickness,” Berzins said.
Hiley’s leadership, from the time he was a freshman, and example means Hiley leaves behind a big legacy.
“Carter’s always been locked in on swimming. I saw it on day one. We could already tell that Carter was a special case of swimmer that schools like Central only get once every couple of decades,” Berzins said.
