Matt King is a competitive swimmer who represents the United States internationally. He is an SEC and ACC champion and a 7x NCAA All-American.
High School
Matt King is a 2x Washington State high school champion (50, 100 free) and junior national champion in the 100 free. King was ranked #19 in SwimSwam’s Re-rank for the Class of 2020. He originally committed to swim for Indiana in January of 2019 (his junior year), but when sprint coach Coley Stickels left Indiana to go to Alabama, King followed him there.
College (Virginia)
2020-21 (Alabama)
Matt King was an immediate impact swimmer his freshman season at Alabama. At the 2021 SEC Championships, King shocked many by taking the 100 free title in 41.66, upsetting defending champion Brooks Curry. He also placed 2nd in the 50 free (18.96), 12th in the 100 fly, and helped Alabama relays to four top-3 finishes, including a win in the 400 free relay.
At his first NCAAs, King continued to perform, earning All-American status in the 100 free (5th, 41.76), 200 free relay (3rd), and 400 free relay (7th). King would have made the A-final in the 50 free with his prelims swim (19.02) but was DQed for a false start.
After his freshman season at Alabama, King announced he would be transferring and ultimately decided to land at Virginia.
2021-22
King continued to perform at a high level in Charlottesville. At his first ACC Championships, King helped Virginia to an ACC title and American record in the 200 free relay (1:14.47), splitting 18.49 for his part. King also placed 2nd in the 100 free (41.89), 9th in the 50 free (19.17), and 26th in the 100 fly.
At the 2022 NCAA Champs, King once again earned All-American status, finishing 7th in the 100 free (41.34) and helping UVA to 4th & 5th place finishes in the 400 & 200 free relays. He also placed 12th in the 50 free (19.02).
2022-23
While King competed for the first semester of the 2022-23 season, he sat out for the latter half while dealing with a family matter. After taking 2 months out of the water and nearly giving up on his career, King resurfaced at Texas Ford Aquatics training with Coley Stickels in early April of 2023.
National/International Competition
2022 Summer Nationals
In Irvine, King had a breakout long course performance, taking wins in both the 50 free (21.83) and 100 free (48.44, tie with Zach Apple). This put King on the 2022-23 USA National Team for the first time in his career.
2023 US National Championship (World Champ Trials)
After having promising results at Pro Swim Series stops during the season, King capped off his comeback at the 2023 US Trials in Indianapolis. On Day 1 in prelims of the 100 free, King swam a 47.93, marking his first time under the 48-second threshold and placing him in the A-final. In the final, King touched at 47.99 for 3rd, qualifying him for his first world championships team.
On the last day of the meet, King also placed 4th in the 50 free in a new lifetime best of 21.80.
2023 World Aquatics Championships (Fukuoka, Japan)
In his first international meet, King stepped up on the American relays. In his first swim, King was 47.50 on the prelims 400 free relay. He anchored that same relay in finals with a 47.32, well under his flat start best but Kyle Chalmers was too good for King and the US took bronze. On the mixed 400 free relay, King was 48.32 to lead off the prelims squad. On the finals squad, King swung a 47.78 and the US took silver. King also anchored the prelims 400 medley relay with a 47.33. He was replaced by Jack Alexy on the finals relay and the team took gold. King ended up taking 3 medals away, 1 of each color.
2024 US Olympic Team Trials (Indianapolis, Indiana)
King advanced through the 50 free prelims with a 48.26 for 8th. He maintained seed in semis and barely made it back with a 48.11. In the final, King secured a potential spot in the 400 free relay, crushing a 47.94 to place 6th. That was a mere .01 seconds off his 2023 PB
