Eight Gator Swimmers Capture 17 Medals at 2010 Central American and Caribbean Games
Saturday, July 24, 2010 | Men's Swimming & Diving
Eight past and present University of Florida swimmers combined to capture 17 medals this past week at the 2010 Central American and Caribbean Games in Mayaguez, Puerto Rico. Of the 17 medals, eight were gold, while six of the eight gold-medal performances were meet records.
“This is a premier meet for our guys from Latin American and Caribbean countries,” Florida Head Coach Gregg Troy said. “The meet gives our program great exposure and the athletes get invaluable international experience against some of the top collegiate swimmers in the world.”
Recently graduated Omar Pinzon (Bogota, Colombia) led the way with four gold medals and two bronze medals. The 17-time All-American at Florida (2006-10) set meet records in the 50-meter backstroke, 200-meter backstroke and 800-meter freestyle relay. Pinzon also took home gold in the 200-meter butterfly, while rounding out his meet with third-place finishes in the 200-meter individual medley and the 400-meter medley relay. The Colombian native topped his 2006 CAC Games performance, where he collected three silver medals and a bronze.
Bradley Ally (Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.) also set meet records with gold-medal outings in the 200 IM and 400 IM. The 23-time All-American (third-most in school history) at Florida (2005-09) also represented Barbados as the flag bearer at the opening ceremonies this past Sunday. Ally built on his 2006 CAC Games performance, where he captured four medals, including three of which were gold.
Representing the Cayman Islands, brothers Brett Fraser and Shaune Fraser(George Town, Cayman Islands) won a total of four medals. Brett, a rising senior at UF, took second at the podium in the 200 back and 200 free.Shaune, a former NCAA Champion in his time at Florida (2006-10), set a meet record with a gold-medal win in the 200 free, while bringing home bronze in the 100 free. Shaune has now earned a total of five medals at the CAC Games after winning three (one gold, two silvers) at the 2006 competition.
2008 Olympian Roberto Gomez (Weston, Fla.) represented Venezuela, joining three other countrymen to set a meet record in the 400 free relay. Gomez, a four-time All-American during his tenure in Gainesville (2008-10), also took home bronze in the 50 free.
Redshirt sophomore Rodion Davelaar (Willemstad, Netherland Antilles) earned a silver medal in the 50 breast with a personal best of 28.61. The silver medal by the 2008 Olympian was the only podium finish for the Netherlands Antilles over the course of the week.
Raul Martinez (Caguas, Puerto Rico), who swam at Florida from 2008-10, took home a bronze medal as part of the Puerto Rican 800 free relay men's team. Also swimming for Puerto Rico was Coral Lopez (Guaynabo, Puerto Rico), who competed at Florida from 2006-10. The former Gator also captured a bronze as part of the Puerto Rican 400 free relay women's team.
The Central American and Caribbean Games take place every four years and are the oldest regional games under the umbrella of the International Olympic Committee. The first CAC Games took place in Mexico in 1926, and since then have featured countries from Central America, the Caribbean, Mexico, Bermuda and Puerto Rico, along with the South American countries of Surinam, Guyana, Colombia and Venezuela.
Bradley Ally, Barbados
Gold – 200 IM#, 400 IM#
Rodion Davelaar, Netherland Antilles
Silver – 50 Breast*
Brett Fraser, Cayman Islands
Silver – 200 Back
Silver – 200 Free
Shaune Fraser, Cayman Islands
Gold – 200 Free#
Bronze – 100 Free
Roberto Gomez, Venezuela
Gold – 400 Free Relay#
Bronze – 50 Free
Coral Lopez, Puerto Rico
Bronze – 400 Free Relay
Raul Martinez, Puerto Rico
Bronze – 800 Free Relay
Omar Pinzon, Colombia
Gold – 50 Back#, 200 Fly, 200 Back#, 800 Free Relay#
Bronze – 200 IM, 400 Medley Relay
#Meet Record
*Personal Best
- UF -
