Sophia Walker wins gold at RZO Nachwuchscup in Uster

Sophia Walker of Limmat Sharks Zürich won the 100m breaststroke gold at the RZO Nachwuchscup 2026 in Uster, Switzerland, on March 8, 2026, with a time of 1:18.58.

The 12-year-old swimmer competed in five events at the short-course meet, reaching the podium three times. Alongside her breaststroke victory, Walker took bronze in the 100m freestyle in 1:07.74 and bronze in the 200m individual medley in 2:43.23. She also set personal bests in the 100m butterfly (1:19.34, rank 5) and the 100m backstroke (1:18.27, rank 4).

Several other swimmers earned their first podium finishes of the season. In the youngest age group, Lena Fischer of SC Uster took silver in the 50m freestyle, her first medal at a regional qualifier. Jonas Meier of SV Basel posted a personal best in the 100m backstroke en route to gold. Emma Schneider of Schwimmclub Aare also reached the podium for the first time this year, taking bronze in the 200m freestyle.

Limmat Sharks Zürich finished the meet with 14 total podiums, including 5 gold, 4 silver and 5 bronze medals. That placed the club second overall behind SC Uster, which led with 18 podiums. The Sharks' 5 gold medals were the second-most of any club at the meet, and their swimmers set 9 personal bests across all age groups.

The meet served as a qualification round for the regional championship later this spring. Walker's three podium finishes and two personal bests give her a strong base for the upcoming qualification period.