Episcopal's Blakely Hammel Dominates in the Pool

The junior swimmer defends her title in the 100 free and adds a 200 free championship, dropping nearly 3 seconds off her best time.

Jan. 30, 2026 at 5:23pm

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Blakely Hammel, the Varsity 4 All-News4JAX girls swimmer of the year, is a junior at Episcopal who has already committed to the University of Florida. She defended her title in the 100 free and added a championship in the 200 free, slicing nearly 3 seconds off her best time. Hammel's dedication to the sport is unparalleled, with a grueling training schedule that includes two-a-day practices several times a week, on top of her demanding academic workload at Episcopal.

Why it matters

Hammel's success highlights the incredible commitment and drive required to reach the elite level in high school swimming. Her ability to push herself to new heights, even in the face of tough competition, is an inspiration to young athletes in the Jacksonville area.

The details

In the 100 free, Hammel edged out Bolles star Allison Kelly with a time of 49.62 seconds. But her biggest achievement was winning the 200 free, an event she didn't swim at state last year. Hammel dropped an impressive 4 seconds off her best time in that event, clocking in at 1:45.69 - the second fastest time in the nation.

  • Hammel defended her title in the 100 free.
  • Hammel won the 200 free, an event she didn't swim at state last year.

The players

Blakely Hammel

A junior swimmer at Episcopal High School who has already committed to the University of Florida. She is the Varsity 4 All-News4JAX girls swimmer of the year.

Allison Kelly

A star swimmer for Bolles High School who finished second to Hammel in the 100 free.

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What they’re saying

“I put a lot of pressure on myself to be the best I can be. I feel like it's a really good thing because I mean, I'm pushing myself all the time, whether it's in practice, me, just in general.”

— Blakely Hammel

“I had to move. I had to work. When I finished and touched the wall, especially in the 2[00] free, when I saw the time, my jaw just dropped.”

— Blakely Hammel

What’s next

Hammel knows that the challengers will be back and even stronger for her to have to stay in front of in her senior season.

The takeaway

Hammel's dedication and drive to be the best swimmer she can be is an inspiration to young athletes in the Jacksonville area. Her success highlights the incredible commitment required to reach the elite level in high school swimming.