Three Siblings, One Team

 

For the Hansen family, swimming has always been a family affair.

The siblings have grown up sharing practice lanes one minute and competing against each other the next. But always pushing each other to be better.

This week, Sawyer, Brinkleigh and Karrington Hansen will have an experience few siblings ever will: representing their country together on the world stage.

The three St. Petersburg swimmers are among just 12 athletes nationwide selected to represent Team USA at the 2026 World Junior Open Water Swimming Championships this weekend in Santa Fe, Argentina. All three are products of St. Petersburg High School and St. Petersburg Aquatics, where their shared swimming journey began.

Sawyer is a sophomore at St. Pete High, Brinkleigh is a junior, and Karrington is a St. Pete High alumna and now a freshman swimmer at the University of Kentucky.

They will be joined in Argentina by St. Pete High freshman and St. Petersburg Aquatics teammate Ansley Bess, making four swimmers from the St. Petersburg program part of the 12-member Team USA roster.

For the Hansens, however, the significance of the trip goes well beyond swimming.

The Hansen siblings and their younger brother, Sutton, 13, have spent years growing up in and around the pool. They are fiercely competitive, their mother, Rebecca, said, but that competition is matched by a deep support for one another.

“They may want to beat each other in the pool, and there is certainly plenty of trash talking and teasing along the way, but they are always there to support one another when it matters most,” she said.

That shared work ethic has been part of the Hansen household for years. Both parents are swimmers, and their father, a longtime coach, was named district swimming Coach of the Year last year. Competition is encouraged, but so is pushing and encouraging one another.

“My parents always say you want to be competitive, you want to be the best you can be,” Sawyer said. “My sisters were not easy on me. They always wanted to push me to do my best.”

For Sawyer, that sibling influence has been particularly meaningful.

“I wouldn’t even be here or have the opportunity to take a trip like this if it wasn’t for my sisters,” he said.

Now Sawyer will make his first international trip and wear the USA cap for the first time. Selected at an open water nationals’ event at Nathan Benderson Park in Sarasota in April, he has spent the past several months preparing for Argentina.

“I want to meet a bunch of new people, make new friends, experience being out of the country and just bond with the team,” he said.

For Brinkleigh, Argentina will be another step in an already remarkable international swimming career. She recently represented Team USA in the 10K open water race at the Pan Pacific Championships in California and has previously swam in Portugal, Ibiza, Singapore and Italy. Brinkleigh is also working toward an even bigger goal: swimming in the 2028 Summer Olympic Games in Los Angeles.

Her experience gives her a unique role among the Hansen siblings.

“I kind of think so,” Brinkleigh said when asked whether she would set the tone for the group. “I get to be the leader in this group, the captain kind of.”

But the most meaningful part of the trip for Brinkleigh is not the leadership opportunity or the competition itself. It is getting to experience it with her family.

“I’ve seen what my siblings have done and all of their hard work, and I’m really excited to see it pay off and be there with them to watch it happen,” she said. “I think that is really special.”

For Rebecca, having three of her four children selected to represent Team USA together is something the family understands may never happen again.

The World Junior Open Water Swimming Championships are held only every two years and represent the highest level of 19-and-under open water swimming in the world. The family has spent countless hours traveling to competitions, but rarely all together.

“Normally, all six of us don't get to travel together to these events, so being able to experience this one as a family makes it even more meaningful,” Rebecca said. “We hope they gain confidence, perspective, friendships, and memories that will last a lifetime. And, of course, the ultimate dream would be to see one of them finish on the podium and hear the National Anthem played in their honor.”

The Hansen family hope to also have plenty to celebrate closer to home. The siblings are part of a St. Petersburg High School swimming program that has started the season strong. Both Sawyer and Brinkleigh are optimistic about the team’s chances of competing for a state championship this year.

“It’s just been a great history,” Sawyer said. “We’re looking forward to chasing a state title this year.”

Brinkleigh is equally excited about the team’s potential.

“Honestly, this is the best team we’ve had in so many years,” she said. “I think this is our best chance of winning some state titles.”

Bess, the fourth St. Petersburg swimmer headed to Argentina, is experiencing her first international competition alongside three teammates who have become friends through St. Petersburg Aquatics and St. Pete High.

“It’s so cool,” Ansley said. “I’m just so happy to be doing it with my friends.”

For all four swimmers, the opportunity represents countless hours of training and a chance to see where their hard work can take them. For the Hansens, it represents a shared love of the family sport years in the making.

“They are each other's biggest cheerleaders. They have grown up sharing early mornings, tough practices, travel, successes, and disappointments,” Rebecca said. “Their bond is truly special.”

 

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