An Australian swimmer has revolutionized sprint training, and Noah DiStefano is paying attention. 

Lewis-Palmer swimmer DiStefano is having a breakout season with 32 first-place finishes to help the Rangers to a 7-0 record in duals, one year after going 2-4-1. With the top 50 freestyle, 100 free, and 100 butterfly times on the team, he could play a large role in capturing Lewis-Palmer’s first Pikes Peak Athletic Conference title since 2022. 

The difference for the junior this season has been a shift to specialized training. Inspired by Australian swimmer Cameron McEvoy, who set the world record for the 50-meter freestyle (long course) on March 20, DiStefano’s training has changed to limited yards and more sprint training. 

“It’s different from last year, which was more long-distance sets with little rest,” this week’s Gazette Preps Peak Performer explained. “You can focus on details, and it’s the details that matter in the 50 versus just strength. You have to nail everything in a 50 to be perfect.”

The sprinter’s father, Michael, is an assistant coach for the Rangers and has helped DiStefano adopt this new training method. Since then, DiStefano has seen significant improvement and recently set a personal best of 21.16 seconds in the 50-yard freestyle.

The rest of the team has followed similar training, which has contributed to the team’s success. The Rangers first saw their potential at the Cheyenne Mountain Hawk Invite, where they placed second, and have been riding the high ever since. 

“It’s all them,” Rangers head coach Janell Walter said. “I equate swimming to an elaborate game of chess. If you have the right pieces and put them in the right spots and play at the right time, magic happens, and that’s what has happened this year. We are building something amazing this year.”

DiStefano’s success comes a year after a hand injury took him out for five weeks of the high school season. With a feeling of unfinished business, he is more dialed in than ever. 

“He’s a confident guy,” Walter said. “He knows what he is capable of, and then tests that on every opportunity he has. He is always thinking about how he can do better and then goes and does it.” 

While DiStefano is reliable in the individual events, he is even more so in the relay events as the team’s anchor or “closer.”   

“He likes the challenge,” Walter said. “He is good at knowing what he needs to do. Knows how to get it done. He can lay it down faster than anyone I’ve ever known.” 

This week at the PPAC championships, DiStefano hopes to help his team win a league title. They’ve beaten the other teams before, and they just need to do it again. 

While high school swimming is just one piece of DiStefano’s year-round competition, this season means more for the sprint specialist. 

“I don’t really like team sports because I like doing the work myself, but recently it’s felt more like a team sport,” DiStefano said. “I see myself in the younger guys and see a lot of potential in them. It’s the teamwork that matters and has helped us get to this point.”