The Nobel Peace Prize, the Masters Green Jacket, the Best Actor Oscar, and Iron Fish may seem unrelated, but they are all highly exclusive honors given only to the best in each respective field. These are all milestones that define excellence, and in the world of high school swimming, there is a pinnacle of achievement: the Iron Fish award.   

Iron Fish status is extremely difficult to achieve. A swimmer must turn in a district qualifying time for every single individual event on the high school slate to accomplish this feat. To simultaneously meet the qualifying standard in every single stroke and distance demands a level of versatility and endurance is extremely difficult. However, recently, Junior Clare Effgen was awarded the Iron Fish honor after qualifying in the 50m, 100m, 200m and 500m Freestyle, 200m Individual Medley, 100m Backstroke, Breaststroke and Butterfly Stroke. 

Effgen ‘27 shared, “This was a goal of mine since freshman year, but I was unable to complete it because I couldn’t find time to swim every event. But this year, I talked to my coach so I could make it work.” 

By earning the Iron Fish, Effgen joins an extremely limited club. She becomes only the second Seattle Prep swimmer in the last 25 years to reach this monumental level, standing alongside Anna Lauinger ’24. This exclusivity underscores just how difficult the Iron Fish is to net. It is an honor that singles out the best of the best, rewarding comprehensive excellence over specialization. 

She explained, “This is so hard to achieve because there are 8 swimming events in high school swimming, and they are all fast times.” 

Effgen’s achievement is a powerful reminder that true champions often excel in every dimension of their arena. As an Iron Fish, Effgen is setting a new, higher standard for her teammates and cementing her legacy in Seattle Prep’s swimming history.