Six Florida swimmers have earned selections to their respective national teams after impressive post-collegiate season performances in long course competition. With the focus turned on qualifying for this summer's Pan Pacific Championships, Commonwealth Games or European Championships, the following Gator student-athletes took gold or silver at their respective country's' national championships.
Eduardo Solaeche-Gomez (Madrid, Spain), Sebastien Rousseau (Cape Town, South Africa), Dan Wallace (North Berwick, Scotland), Mitch D'Arrigo (Rome, Italy), Corey Main (Auckland, New Zealand) and Sinead Russell (Burlington, Ontario, Canada) have all achieved the combined national finishes and international cuts to make their respective national teams.
Solaeche-Gomez broke the Spanish record in the 200-meter individual medley (1:58.99) and the UF program record in the 100-meter breaststroke (1:01.56). Both swims earned the rising senior national championships.
"It was a pleasure for me to be able to go home and break the national record in front of all of my family and friends," Solaeche-Gomez said. "All of the hard work that we have been doing all season at Florida is paying off. After winning SECs and taking third at NCAAs, the motivation for the entire group to improve this summer is really high. For me, it keeps me going and allows me to test my limits."
Wallace, fresh off of an SEC Championship 500-yard freestyle and NCAA runner up finishes in the 500-yard freestyle and 400-yard IM, placed in the top-two in the 200-meter IM (1st-1:59.95), 400-meter IM (2nd- 4:16.40) and 400-meter free (2nd-3:59.38). Wallace was a finalist at the 2013 World Championships in the 400 IM.
"This summer I will be swimming in four events, including a relay," Wallace said. "It will be tough and I will be ready for it. Last summer I only swam in one event. I've gotten better all-around as a swimmer and feel that I am more prepared for a meet schedule like this. We practice all year preparing for tough doubles and big swims, and I think the practice I've done at Florida this year will allow me to perform well in all my events this summer."
Russell, a 2012 Canadian Olympian, captured a pair of backstroke titles at Canadian nationals. The rising junior touched in the 50 back in a time of 28.49 and the 100 back in a minute flat. Russell placed second in the 200 back with a swim of 2:09.58.
D'Arrigo, the SEC Male Freshman Swimmer of the Year, brought home the 200 free title at the Italian Spring Championships in a time of 1:47.18. This season D'Arrigo picked up a trio of SEC silver medals and recorded a trio of NCAA First-Team All-American (top-8) swims at NCAAs. D'Arrigo was the highest freshman finisher in two events at NCAAs.
Main swept the backstroke events at New Zealand Nationals, stopping the clock in the 100 back in 54.47 and in the 200 back in 2:00.40. The rising junior was the SEC runner up in the 200-yard backstroke.
Rousseau, the 2014 SEC Swimmer of the Meet, cranked out a 400 IM time of 4:18.17 for second at the South African nationals. Rousseau wrapped up his Florida career in March with 14 NCAA All-American honors.
