Taylor Williams, a sophomore at Center Hill High School, brought home his second and third state titles and set his second state record at the MHSAA State Swim Championships on Oct. 28 in Tupelo. He is also now ranked No. 1 in the country for the 100-meter breaststroke.

“It feels good,” Williams said of his state champion status. “It’s cool to have gotten one in ninth grade then two again in 10th. Hopefully I can continue on and get two more.”

Williams, 15, is Mississippi’s champion in the 100-meter breaststroke and 200-meter individual medley. He set a new state record in the 100-meter breaststroke with a time of 56.84, beating his 2016 winning time by nearly two seconds.

CHHS swim coach Josh Barnett said even though Williams improved from last year, “He was already good to begin with.”

“He’s a great kid,” Barnett said. “He has an awesome work ethic.”

Williams spends a large portion of his free time either in the water or weight room.

“I lift weights every day except Wednesdays before school at 4,” he said. “Then after school I swim for two hours and 45 minutes. On Saturdays I swim for three hours.”

Williams said he has been swimming since he was nine months old, and his mother is the person who started it all.

“My mom, well, she just wanted me to know how to swim,” Williams said with a smile on his face. “I liked it a lot so I stayed with it and tried it out.”

Williams plans to go to college on a swim scholarship after high school, though he’s not sure where yet. After college, he said he plans to shoot for the Olympics.