Freshman record holder, Abby Chatalyan, carries her family's legacy

Flying into first place, the 19-year-old swimmer holds one individual and three team records.

By: Gabriela Martinez, Staff Writer 

Valley College phenom Abby Chatalyan, majoring in biology and shattering records. (Alejandro Garcia for The Valley Star)

Abby Chatalyan stands on the starting block at the Mt. San Antonio College Aquatics center, staring down 200 meters of blue water and a legacy that was written for her in the Valley College record books, even before she was born. 

The 19-year-old biology major did not just dive into the pool; she dove into the lead. By the time Chatalyan touched the wall in the 200-meter fly, the clock read 2:17.44, six seconds faster than her nearest competitor. 

The time was good enough for first place and a spot in Valley’s 200-meter fly record book. The freshman also holds three college team records in the 200-meter relay, 400-meter medley relay, and 400-meter free relay. It was the definitive performance of the 40th Annual Mt. SAC Invitational held earlier this year.  

Swimming is in the freshman's DNA. Her father, Sarkis Chatalyan, competed as a Monarch in the 200 fly decades before.  

“It was a full circle moment because my dad also swam here at Valley,” she said. “It was really cool to set a record. I'll have my name up there for hopefully a while.”

Chatalyan also secured third place in the 400-meter individual medley (4:58.12) and fourth place in the 500-meter freestyle (5:30.92). 

“I try to keep my mindset where it's not that serious, and I'm there to have fun,” she said. “That's how I kind of prepare myself for races.” 

In the spring semester, the STEM major juggles a 23-unit course load. Her “day in the life” consists of a cycle of a morning EMT class, 2 p.m. practices and evening classes, ending at 10 p.m.  

The four-time school record holder’s journey began at age 3. By 7, she swam her first lesson at

Valley's summer camp program, where she joined the competitive swim team. After a successful stint competing for club teams and at John Burrows High School, Chatalyan didn't see a future for her swimming career. She took a three-month hiatus, the longest break of her life, before the water pulled her back to Valley.  

“Swimming is kind of one of those things that follows you around forever,” she said. “You’ll never really get rid of it…so that's something I have to look forward to.” 

Despite her individual accomplishments, she notes that her proudest record is a collective one: the 400-yard freestyle relay, achieved alongside teammates Stella Kalaba, Camilla Guillermo, and Ani Thomassian at the Mt. Sac Invitational. 

"Our hard work is paying off, and I’m really proud of the team and our girls," she said. 

As the Monarchs prepare for their next meet at Santa Monica College on Friday, Chatalyan is focused on dropping more time from her fly and preparing for the conference championships. She plans to return to the swim team next semester, hoping to also dive into the world of Water Polo. 

"Be as much as a supportive teammate you can be," Chatalyan said. "I think the way you can make the biggest impact on other people is showing up for your loved ones."