Tyler Christianson, a 2020 graduate of Ss. Peter and Paul High School in Easton, Md., spent part of his summer in Japan, but not on vacation. Christianson was a member of Panama’s Summer Olympics team, and he competed in the Tokyo games, which were postponed from last summer.
Christianson took part in two events, the 200-meter breaststroke and the 200-meter individual medley. The qualifying heats for the breaststroke took place on July 27, with the IM a day later. Christianson won his heat and set personal bests in both events, but he was not among the 16 swimmers who advanced to the semifinals for either.
At Ss. Peter and Paul, Christianson was a multiple-time state champion and all-American. He also won several national Catholic titles. He was ranked in the top 15 of national swimming recruits and just finished his freshman season at the University of Notre Dame.
His success continued this past year for the Fighting Irish. Christianson qualified for the NCAA championships, and he was honored with the university’s Beeler-Hipp Award, which is given to the freshman male and female swimmer who best exemplify the traits of two late Notre Dame swimmers.
Christianson told The Dialog in 2019 that he picked up swimming as a youngster in Haddonfield, N.J., where he lived before moving to the Eastern Shore, because his parents suggested he find an activity for the summer months when his other sports were off. At Ss. Peter and Paul, he was a leader of the Sabres.
“I just want to be a leader to the kids on my team who are trying to learn, and be of guidance to them because I’ve been in that position before,” he told The Dialog in 2019.
He was also a member of the Naval Academy Aquatic Club in Annapolis, Md., which he credited with helping him reach his full potential. His mother is from Panama, so he has dual citizenship. He had set his sights on Tokyo long before the games began.
Aside from swimming, Christianson has distinguished himself as well. He was the student government association president at Ss. Peter and Paul as a senior and vice president as a junior. He was the president of his sophomore class. He also co- founded the school’s Investment Club. He also was a member of the National Honor Society. He is majoring in business at Notre Dame.
The Dialog has reached out to Christianson and will update this article when possible.