Gators Set to Compete at 2007 Pan American Games
Wednesday, July 11, 2007 | Men's Swimming & Diving
Four members of the UF men's swimming and diving team and two members of the women's swimming and diving team will head to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil to compete in the 2007 Pan American Games. One incoming freshman and one former Gator standout will also compete in this year's games.
Rising senior Caroline Burckle (Louisville, Ky.) and rising junior Laurabeth Guenthner (Wellington, Fla.) of the women's team, will represent the United States at this year's Pan Am games. Burckle, who competes in mainly the freestyle events, is a 16-time All-American, including seven awards this season at the 2007 NCAA Championships in Minneapolis and an 18-time All-SEC honoree. Guenthner, a three-time All-SEC honoree, finished with a personal best mark in the 1,650 freestyle at the NCAA Championships with a time of 16:24.17.
Senior Tobias Work (Falmouth, Mass.) will lead a four-some of current Gator men at the Pan Am Games. Work will represent the United States while sophomores Omar Pinzon (Bogota, Colombia) will represent Columbia and Shaune Fraser (George Town, Cayman Islands) will represent the Cayman Islands. Junior Bradley Ally (Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.) will represent Barbados after collecting six All-American honors at the NCAA Championships. Pinzon and Fraser were both 2004 Olympians while the foursome combined for 17 All-America honors in 2007, led by Fraser who earned seven All-America honors at the 2007 NCAA Championships.
Incoming freshman Brett Fraser (George Town, Cayman Islands) will also represent the Cayman Islands at the Pan Am Games. B. Fraser, the 200 back stroke record holder for the 15-17 year old men's age group at the CARIFTA Games has qualified for three events at the Pan Am Games for his native Cayman Islands.
Former UF distance freestyler Ricardo Monasterio (Caracas, Venezuela) will represent Venezuela at this year's games. Monasterio, a three time Olympian, was also a two time All-American distance freestyler while at UF.
The 2007 Pan American Games are set to begin July 13 and run through July 29. The swimming portion of the games is set to dive into action July 16-22.
