TOPEKA -- Great Bend's Austin Levingston, representing the Great Bend Storm, captured a Kansas Special Olympics 50-meter freestyle championship recently.

His time of 29 seconds was good for first place.

"I was surprised I won. I haven't won any other medal as big as that event," he said. "I didn't really celebrate. But I put it on Facebook that I won and showed everyone."

Levingston, 30, is eligible to compete in Special Olympics after being diagnosed with autism at birth. Levingston qualified for state as an alternate at Great Bend High School. He competed for the Barton Community College swimming team in 2017-2018 where he swam in the national meet in Florida. 

Levingston trains for swimming several times at Club One for one to two hours each time.

"Winning a Special Olympics gold medal stands out compared to anything else I’ve achieved," Levingston told the Great Bend Post. "It’s about the journey and the perseverance. This one carries a different kind of weight. It reflects the strength to push through challenges, stay committed, and represent something bigger than myself."

Levingston said he's proud of himself for continuing to achieve goals.

"My drive to keep excelling at swimming as I get older comes from a mix of passion, discipline, and personal growth," he told the Great Bend Post. "Swimming is a space where I push limits. As I get older, the goals evolve: It's about becoming stronger, more resilient, and more connected to the water and myself."

Levingston hopes to qualify for the U.S. Masters Swimming National Championships, the World Masters Swimming Championships. His dream goal is to represent the United States in the 2028 Summer Olympic Games in Los Angeles.