Ashley swimmer Clem Camacho reached the height of his swimming career as he claimed a state championship in the 200-yard freestyle this winter.
The Virginia Tech signee also finished as the state runner-up in the 200 butterfly, cementing his spot as Wilmington's best swimmer this winter and earning his first StarNews All-Area Boys Swimmer of the Year honor.
But just two years ago, Camacho was unsure if he'd ever swim again.
Diagnosed with overtraining syndrome towards the end of his sophomore season, Camacho recalls a feeling of constant unrest, both mentally and physically.
His perspective at the time bought into the notion that all of his fatigue was normal and that making sacrifices was just part of being a successful swimmer.
"'No pain, no gain' was kind of ingrained in my mindset," he said. "The mentality that you just have to work your butt off the entire time."
That rationale produced excellent results for Camacho in the pool as he excelled during his freshman and sophomore seasons at Raleigh's Broughton High School.
His life outside of swimming, however, suffered. From constant restlessness to a lack of mental confidence, Camacho's approach was eating away at his spirit for the sport.
"It turned into a situation where I needed to take time off and reevaluate," he said.
He says he took multiple breaks from swimming, some as long as six weeks, to refine his sense of purpose beyond the pool. After his family moved back to Wilmington from Raleigh last summer, the results, both in and out of the water, immediately started to emerge.
"I've learned that I need to be a complete person outside of swim," he said. "It was a great thing because now I have other things outside the pool. It makes more of a complete happiness than just being a swimmer.
2025 StarNews All-Area Boys Swimming First Team
Clem Camacho, Sr., Ashley (Swimmer of the Year): Camacho won the NCHSAA 4A state title in the 200 freestyle and placed second in the 100 butterfly. He also won the 100 butterfly title in the 4A East regional.
Nathan Arredondo, Sr., Hoggard: Arredondo racked up at least eight Mideastern Conference first-place finishes before placing third in the 50 freestyle and fourth in 100 freestyle at regionals.
Will House, Jr., Laney: House was the area's top distance ...
