It seems there’s something in the water at Lindbergh.

For the second time in two years and only the third time in school history, a member of the Eagles swim team has completed swimming’s “iron man,” qualifying to compete in all eight individual events at the state championships.

Sophomore James Buchanan completed the feat in the season’s final meet by qualifying in the 100-yard breaststroke.

“I’ve been working at that all year,” he said this past week.

A backstroker by trade, Buchanan just missed qualifying in the breaststroke earlier this season and put in some extra work on the stroke to get a second chance. It paid off.

“It’s truly a big honor,” he said.

Now he just has to choose which two events he will actually compete in. Buchanan, 16, said he definitely swim the 100-yard backstroke and most likely the 200-yard individual medley, a race that combines all four competitive swimming strokes.

Last year as a freshman, Buchanan placed third at states in the backstroke and second in the IM.

Buchanan has been swimming competitively since he was 7 years old, but his love of the water goes back much further. He says his parents tell him that at the ripe old age of 1 he loved swimming in the Hood Canal. When he was about 8, he joined the Chinook Aquatic Club, of which is still a member in the offseason.

“I just love swimming,” he says. “I want to become the best.”

Buchanan says he was a decent swimmer, but began to really “burst ahead” when he was about 13 or 14 and went through a growth spurt. He also credits his coaches at every level for pushing him hard.

According to Buchanan, his secret to success is simple: listening to his coaches.

He also credits his “great determination” to succeed, which he says has always been there. This year, that determination has meant additional work and focus, including two hours a day swimming and additional time working out in the gym.

“It’s the hardest work I’ve ever done and it’s paying off,” he said.

“He gets it,” Coach Roger Miron said about Buchanan’s work ethic. “The sky’s the limit on his ability.”

Buchanan hopes so and said his goals include a four-year swimming scholarship at a university and a chance to take a shot at making the Olympic team.

His favorite swimmer is Ryan Lochte, who has 11 medals to his name. Buchanan said he likes that Lochte always seems to be chasing and has the same mentality as him.

But he also cites a fellow Chinook Aquatics swimmer named Chase Bublitz as someone he looked up to. Bublitz received a scholarship to swim at Minnesota.

“He pushed me real good,” Buchanan said. “I always wanted to be like him.”

Miron also said that during his freshman year, Buchanan stuck close to Andrew Franco-Munoz, last year’s Iron Man from Lindbergh, which showed him the work necessary to qualify in all events.

“He knows what it takes to get to that level,” Miron said, adding “he’s been fun to coach.”

When asked what he does when he’s not swimming, Buchanan had to pause and think for a second before saying he likes to work out and play video games. He also enjoys music and listens to listen to rap to help him prepare for races, sometimes to pump him up and other times to help him focus.

But even in the midst of a breakout personal season, Buchanan still thinks of his team first, like when asked if there was anything else we should know about him.

“Lindbergh is going to be a force to be reckoned with,” he said.