Saturday, November 14, 2026
For Johnny Macko and Sasha Karafin, years of early-morning swim practices, demanding training schedules and dedication in the classroom have culminated in national recognition.
The Bellmore-Merrick high school seniors were named to the National Interscholastic Swimming Coaches Association’s 2025-26 All-America list, an honor recognizing the top 100 swimmers in each individual event.
Macko, 17, of Wellington C. Mepham High School, captured two state titles in March at the New York State Public High School Athletic Association Boys’ Swimming and Diving Championships at Ithaca College, winning the 200- and 500-yard freestyle. He is also the salutatorian of Mepham’s class of 2027, and plans to continue his swimming career at Brown University in the fall.
Karafin, 17, of John F. Kennedy High School, earned All-America honors in the 500 freestyle. She also recently recorded state-qualifying times in the 100 backstroke, 200 individual medley and 100 freestyle. She plans to swim at Yale University next fall.
For Bellmore-Merrick Central High School District varsity swimming and diving head coach Ryan Clark, having two athletes receive the distinction in the same year was unprecedented. In his 20 years of coaching, Clark said, he had worked with only three All-Americans.
“They're just such awesome people,” he said. “To have that combination of academic excellence and swimming excellence is just fantastic. You don't see kids like them that often.”
Karafin’s journey began when she was a child. Now in her 12th year with the Long Island Aquatic Club and her fourth year on the Sharks’ team, she attends eight to nine weekly practices while managing her schoolwork and extracurricular commitments.
Her recognition, she said, reflects the contributions of those who have supported her throughout her swimming career.
“I owe it to everyone around me that made it possible,” Karafin said. “So many people have helped me get to where I am, and I'm really grateful.”
Clark said that Karafin's influence extends beyond her performance in the pool. Despite preparing to compete at the collegiate level, she remains invested in the development of younger teammates, offering encouragement during practices and cheering from the stands at meets.
“She's everyone's biggest cheerleader,” Clark said. “She's all about the team.”
Karafin said she has recognized the importance of being a role model, remembering how much she admired older swimmers when she was younger. That commitment is also evident at Kennedy, where social studies teacher Dennis Urban described her as of the brightest and most enthusiastic students he has encountered in his 24 years of teaching.
Urban praised Karafin’s intellectual curiosity, her attention to detail and her work as features editor of the school newspaper. He said she maintains high standards for herself and her peers while balancing athletics, leadership responsibilities and community involvement.
Macko has demonstrated a similar ability to manage competing responsibilities. He began swimming at age 8, introduced to the pool by his mother, and discovered an activity he enjoyed and friendships that encouraged him to continue.
He now trains year-round with the LIAC at the Nassau County Aquatic Center in East Meadow, spending about 20 hours per week in the water.
Despite his state titles, Macko said that learning he had earned All-America recognition came as a surprise. “It's just a really nice thing, and it shows all the hard work that I put into my sport,” he said. “It was just really fulfilling.”
Clark attributed Macko’s achievements to his preparation and his measured approach to competition. Clark recounted accompanying Macko to a grocery store during last year's state championships, where Macko carefully selected food and drinks for the downtime in between his freestyle events.
“He's such an even-keeled kid,” Clark said. “He's so humble and unassuming.”
At Mepham, Macko’s interest in science has made an impression on David Kommor, his former AP Biology teacher and Advanced Science Research adviser.
Kommor, who has taught at the school for 27 years, recalled Macko enrolling in AP Biology as a sophomore, an uncommon choice for a younger student. His thoughtful questions and enthusiasm for understanding complex concepts quickly distinguished him.
“He's interested in, especially with my class, deeper meaning in the subject,” Kommor said. “He's just a bright young man, very inquisitive.”
Kommor was equally impressed by Macko’s willingness to help classmates during laboratory assignments, taking time to explain difficult material without making others feel inadequate. “He's just a terrific young man in terms of being a good person,” Kommor said. “Not letting all the other successes kind of cloud who he is.”
Macko still visits Kommor nearly every morning to talk over coffee and ask for advice about academics and athletics. His fascination with biology has also shaped his plans for the future. Interested in cardiothoracic surgery, Macko intends to pursue a premed track at Brown.
Last year, he and several friends founded Mepham’s Future Medical Club to introduce students to potential careers in health care. With support from science teachers, the organization has hosted guest speakers and organized interactive activities exploring a range of medical specialties.
As both swimmers prepare for college, they are looking forward to opportunities beyond athletics. Karafin said that Yale’s welcoming environment appealed to her during recruiting visits, particularly the encouragement teammates offered one another in academics and swimming. She is considering majoring in economics, political science or another social science.
Macko looks forward to the independence and experiences college will bring, though he acknowledged that leaving his family and the Mepham community will be difficult.
For Clark, both athletes’ accomplishments go beyond wins and fast times. They have demonstrated that success in the pool can coexist with academic ambition and leadership.
