Mayo Sophomore Kai Joyner Dominates Class AA Swim Prelims

Joyner qualifies for four state championship events after posting top times in individual and relay races.

Published on Feb. 28, 2026

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Mayo High School sophomore Kai Joyner was the standout performer in the 2026 MSHSL Class AA swim preliminaries, posting the fastest times in the 200-yard freestyle and 500-yard freestyle events. Joyner also played a key role in two Spartan relay teams that qualified for the state championships.

Why it matters

Joyner's dominant performance in the prelims establishes him as the swimmer to beat in the upcoming Class AA state championships. His ability to excel in both individual and relay events makes him a major threat to win multiple state titles and lead Mayo to a strong team finish.

The details

In the 200-yard freestyle, Joyner finished first with a time of 1:36.20, over 3.5 seconds ahead of the second-place finisher. He was even more dominant in the 500-yard freestyle, posting a time of 4:26.81 that was 7.01 seconds faster than the second-place swimmer, Edina's Alex Allocco. Joyner also anchored Mayo's 200-yard freestyle relay team, which had the second-best preliminary time, and led off the Spartans' 400-yard freestyle relay, which qualified fifth.

  • The 2026 MSHSL Class AA swim and dive championships will take place on Saturday, February 28, at 6:00 p.m.
  • The preliminary events were held earlier this week.

The players

Kai Joyner

A sophomore swimmer at Mayo High School who dominated the Class AA swim preliminaries, posting the fastest times in the 200-yard freestyle and 500-yard freestyle events.

Alex Allocco

A swimmer from Edina High School who finished second to Joyner in the 500-yard freestyle preliminary.

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What’s next

The Class AA boys swim and dive championships will take place on Saturday, February 28, at 6:00 p.m. at the Jean K. Freeman Aquatic Center in Minneapolis.

The takeaway

Kai Joyner's dominant performance in the Class AA swim preliminaries establishes him as the swimmer to beat in the upcoming state championships. His ability to excel in both individual and relay events makes him a major threat to win multiple state titles and lead Mayo High School to a strong team finish.