Arms straight, knees bent, lunging forward: the diving position many swimmers are familiar with. One swimmer, in particular, Sonny Wang ‘23 has experienced the thrill of diving into the pool since he was six years old.

Wang has been swimming all his life, starting with his local swim team and climbing up the swimmer ranks to state and national meets at 14. From there, he grew his passion as an athlete, competing for titles and setting high expectations for himself, one of them being committed to a college for swimming.

“I began swimming at a very young age, a lot earlier than most people start,” Wang said. “At age ten, I started seeing actual results from swimming, and that’s when I started swimming competitively. At 14, I started going to state meets for all of Texas, [competing with the] fastest people in the state of Texas.”

Wang has looked up to his friends and coaches throughout his swimming career. The constant enthusiasm and support have led him to become a better friend and athlete.

“[My friends and coaches] are the people that motivate me the most in practice,” Wang said. “They’re there for me, they’re my accountability partners, they make sure I go to every single practice and show up on time, and make sure I train as best as I can. They just help me focus on the things I need to focus on so that I can get faster.”

Wang’s hard work and dedication to his sport prove to pay off, as since before his junior year, colleges have been reaching out to secure his position at their school. One college, in particular, stands out and gets to claim Wang as an addition to their team officially.

“I recently announced my Harvard commitment this past weekend. It’s been nearly a year since the recruiting process, since June 15 of last year when all the colleges started reaching out to me,” Wang said. “Harvard was definitely at the top of my list based on the fact that it’s one of the best institutions in the country and world.”

While being a university known for its world-renowned academics, many more aspects appeal to Wang, specifically the swim team, making the school even more special for the committed athlete.

“The team is really fast at swimming and I liked the team aspect, they are very caring about each other, and how they include everybody,” Wang said. “Those are the main reasons I chose Harvard. I love the coaching staff and I love the team. I just loved the general atmosphere, the campus, and student body when I visited there.”

Wang has big goals for his future swimming career, and Harvard’s program is ready to help him achieve them. Whether it is winning in the NCAA or representing his country at the Olympics, Wang is prepared to work hard and continue his journey with a splash.