The saying goes, “Jack of all trades, master of none.” But for junior track and field athlete Hannah Swale ’26, mediocrity simply isn’t an option. Throughout her seasons at Swarthmore, Swale has competed in multiple short-distance race events, hurdles, high jump, triple jump, long jump, shot put, and javelin throw. For her junior indoor season success, she was awarded All-Metro Region recognition by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) in the pentathlon, the third of her career. Early this March, she was also named in the All-Centennial indoor second-team roster after breaking a school record in the pentathlon and carving a PR in the 60-meter hurdles (9.55). Alongside the pentathlon, Swale holds USTFCCCA All-Metro status in the heptathlon (2023, 2024) and javelin throw (2024). Additionally, she has earned Centennial Conference Indoor Rookie of the Year (2023), 2x Academic All-Centennial (2023-2024, 2024), and 2x Centennial Honor Roll (2023-2024, 2024) titles. At the 2024-2025 Indoor Centennial Conference championships, she scored 3126 points to win silver in the pentathlon, a fourth-best regional performance. During the 2024 outdoor season, Swale won in heptathlon at the Centennial Championships and Ursinus Festival. It’s clear that Swale will continue to cement her dominance in the 2025 outdoor season.
Aimee Lee: Congrats on your All-Metro selection! Looking back at the season, what are your proudest moments so far?
Hannah Swale: I am most proud and excited to have been able to compete at Conferences and set a new personal record in the pentathlon. But in a very close second, I am so proud of the team we have been building this year and how they show up for each other on and off the track.
AL: How do you feel about your performance at and trip to the Myrtle Beach Collegiate Challenge? Do you have a favorite memory?
HS: All things considered, Myrtle Beach this year was great. It’s always nice to start the season somewhere warm and with a hard training week. Performance-wise, I’m excited to see improvement throughout the season, and Myrtle is the perfect benchmark. My favorite memory has to be playing volleyball on the beach with the team.
AL: What goes through your mind before, during, and after a meet?
HS: One of the things I love about competing is that it focuses my attention on just the event at hand. Before I compete, I try to visualize what I need to do to be successful and think about the cues I’ve been given in training. But while I’m competing, my mind is pretty blank, which for me lets my body take over and do what it knows how to do. After a meet, I’m usually mentally analyzing my performance and thinking about what I need more emphasis on in practice to get my marks to where I want them to be.
AL: Being a multi-sport athlete must be challenging to practice for. What does your practice schedule look like to balance and succeed in the events you race in?
HS: I think the most important place to start for my training is a solid cardio base and then build up from there in terms of speed and plyometrics. Since my event is pretty lengthy, sometimes it feels like I am just training my body to recover well when I need it. This can mean days with two or three practices to simulate this longer effort. The biggest support to me in balancing all of this are my coaches and our planning of my week in advance for event-specific practices so I know where my attention is needed.
AL: What are some team or personal goals for the rest of the season?
HS: For me, I want to set some PRs, be more present in training and team time, and have fun. Our team goals are pretty similar: keep up the good work in training, set some PRs, and put together a strong team score at outdoor conferences.
AL: Why did you choose Swarthmore?
HS: I chose to come to Swat because of the beautiful campus, academics, and supportive team culture. Though the school has its issues, I am pleased with my choice and I would make the same decision again.
AL: What is your favorite class that you’ve taken at Swarthmore?
HS: My favorite class so far has been “Comparative Perspectives on the Body” in the Anthropology department with Farha Ghannam. I am a biochemistry and psychology major though!
AL: What advice would you give to incoming students and/or Varsity athletes at Swarthmore?
HS: Embrace the grind, let your goals drive your actions, and try to make time for yourself and things that bring you joy. It’s a big task, so lean on your friends and teammates, they love you.
AL: Do you have any movie or TV recommendations?
HS: I thoroughly enjoyed a recent viewing of “Puss and Boots: The Last Wish,” and I’ve heard “Severance” is pretty good.
