by David King and Jamie Qualk
The Walnut Creek Aquanuts (WCA) Artistic Swimming Team made waves on two continents this spring, earning top honors at both international and national competitions.
In April, WCA’s 12-and-under athletes represented the United States and Walnut Creek at the Pan American Championships in Santiago, Chile. Led by former Team USA coach and Olympic champion Tammy McGregor, the young athletes delivered a remarkable performance, capturing four gold medals, one silver medal, and the overall high-point title in the 12-and-under division.
Competing in their first international event, the Aquanuts won the team competition over strong squads from Peru and Brazil. Katerina Qualk and Emelia Day earned gold in the duet event, while Qualk added three more gold medals by winning both solo events and the figures competition. The team also captured silver in the combo event, helping secure the overall high-point award.
At the same time, Walnut Creek’s Junior team was competing across the continent at the Junior and Senior National
Championships in Buffalo, New York. Despite overcoming injuries and last-minute personnel changes, the Aquanuts claimed the Junior National Championship title, the overall high-point award, and the Coach of the Year honor.
The challenges facing the team were so significant that assistant coach Camryn Carrasco, Heather’s daughter, returned to competition after more than three years of retirement to swim in the team’s gold medal-winning Acrobatic routine.
“I felt nervous the entire day leading up to the event, but once I stepped on the deck, I felt excited to swim again,” Camryn Carrasco said.
Coach Heather Carrasco, who will be inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame in 2026, credited her athletes’ resilience for the team’s success.
The Aquanuts showcased impressive depth by entering two Junior squads in the National Championships. Their “Chess”-themed routine earned gold in the Acrobatic Team event, while their “Circus”-themed routine captured silver.
The teams also placed second and fourth in the Team Technical event. Walnut Creek added another gold medal on the final day of competition in the Free Team event.
Individually, Eloise Krigbaum earned silver medals in both the Senior Free Solo and Senior Technical Solo events. Jamie Starck captured bronze in Junior Free Solo. Kaylee Wang and Rowan Goldman won silver in Mixed Duet, while Goldman added another silver medal in the Junior Male Solo event. Wang was also named the Junior High Point Athlete.
The success continued later in May when the team competed at the 2026 Region B Artistic Swimming Championships, held May 15-17 in Walnut Creek. The Aquanuts secured qualification spots for the 2026 Junior Olympic Championships, scheduled for June 27 through July 4 in Ypsilanti, Michigan.
Looking ahead, the world-renowned Walnut Creek Aquanuts will host an international artistic swimming competition June 16-19 at the University of Hawaii in Honolulu, continuing the club’s long tradition of excellence on the national and international stage.
Based in Walnut Creek, the Aquanuts are one of the most successful artistic swimming programs in the United States, developing athletes who compete at the highest levels of the sport.
