Mustangs In Rio

A total of nine individuals with ties to SMU are participating in the XXXI Olympiad in Rio De Janeiro.

Olympics Logo

Olympics LogoDALLAS (SMU) – A total of nine individuals with ties to SMU are participating in the XXXI Olympiad in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil, through Aug. 21. Six swimmers, one track athlete, a coach  and a martial artist make up the Mustang cohort at the first-ever South American games.  They are:

ISABELLA ARCILA // SWIMMING // COLOMBIA
50 FREESTYLE

Arcila is a former freestyle and backstroke specialist for the Mustangs. She posted her Rio Olympic Standard Time and Colombian record of 25.52 in the 50 free at the XXI Caribbean Islands Swimming Championships.
As a Mustang, Arcila earned All-America honors in the 100 distance in 2015, and has six additional honors under her belt in relay events. Arcila garnered seven individual conference championships, set three conference meet records and amassed 24 all-conference honors in individual and relay events over four years.

JULIAN FLETCHER // SWIMMING // BERMUDA
100 BREASTSTROKE

Fletcher, who holds SMU's seventh fastest 100-yard breaststroke time in program history, broke his own Bermudian National Record in the 100-meter distance clocking a 1:02.47 at the country's National Championships, placing him under the Rio Selection Time of 1:02.69.

JACKIE GALLOWAY // TAEKWONDO // UNITED STATES
WOMEN +73kg

Galloway is a mechanical engineering major. Four years ago, the Texas-born dual citizen was an alternate on Mexico’s Olympic team, narrowly missing her chance to compete in the London games. A graduate of Wylie High School, she won a silver in the 2016 Pan American Championships and a gold in the 2015 Pan American Games. Read more.

JONATHAN GOMEZ // SWIMMING // COLOMBIA
200 BUTTERFLY

Gomez, who will begin competition with the Mustangs this fall, achieved his Olympic Qualifying Standard in the 200-meter butterfly at the CISC Championships, turning in a time of 1:56.72, under the 1:56.97 A standard. Gomez is a transfer from Saint Peter's University in New Jersey, where he was named the Most Outstanding Swimmer of the 2014 MAAC Championships after winning three events and breaking the meet record in the 200-yard butterfly. As a sophomore, he bested his 200 fly time by two seconds, and was conference champion in the 400-yard individual medley.

LOVISA LINDH // ATHLETICS // SWEDEN
800 METERS

Lindh was named to the Swedish Olympic Track & Field Team after claiming the bronze medal in the 800 meters this summer at the European Athletics Championships in Amsterdam. The SMU alum ran a personal-best time of 2 minutes, 00.37 seconds, breaking her previous personal-best time (2:00.51) set earlier this season. She will run in one of the preliminary heats of the 800 meters in Rio.
As a Mustang, the Swedish middle-distance runner was a three-time Conference USA champion in the indoor and outdoor 800 meters (2011) and as a member of the distance medley relay team (2011).

RACHEL NICOL // SWIMMING // CANADA
100 BREASTSTROKE

Nicol competed in her first Olympics as one of two swimmers in the 100-meter breaststroke representing Canada. She posted a second-place finish at the country's trials in April to secure her position on the team. During her time at SMU, she was a three-time All-America selection. She also holds the current program record in the 200-yard breaststroke.
Nicol placed fifth In 100-Meter Breaststroke . . . read more.
Nicol, Canada Fifth In 4x100 Medley Relay Olympic Final . . . read more.

NINA RANGELOVA // SWIMMING // BULGARIA
100 FREESTYLE // 200 FREESTYLE

Current volunteer assistant coach Rangelova was a member of the Mustang squad from 2010-2014 earning seven All-America honors. Rangelova reached the Rio A cut in the 200-meter freestyle and will swim that event, as well as the 100-meter distance in Rio. This will be the third Olympics for the Bulgarian, as she competed in the preliminary round of the 200 free at the Beijing Games in 2008 and the 100, 200 and 400 free heats at the 2012 London Games.

MATEA SAMARDZIC // SWIMMING // CROATIA
100 BACKSTROKE // 200 BACKSTROKE // 400 INDIVIDUAL MEDLEY

Samardzic is set to join the SMU program for the 2016-17 season as a transfer and reached her qualifying standard in the 200-meter backstroke. She also earned her spot on start lists for the 100-distance and the 400-meter individual medley as well. Samardzic clocked a 2:09.73 in the 200 at the Croatian National Championship to achieve her Olympic Qualifying Time.

STEVE COLLINS // SWIMMING // BULGARIA
COACH

The SMU head women's swimming coach is headed to his sixth Olympic Games following his appointment to the Bulgarian staff. Collins also coached the team in 2012 and was the on the Slovakian staff in 2008, 2004, 2000 and 1996. Collins will assist in the mentoring of Rangelova at the Games.
Collins is entering his 31st year with the Mustangs and is a two-time NCAA Coach of the Year and 11-time conference Coach of the Year. In the past 20 seasons, SMU has earned 17 conference championships, and he has led the team to 15 top-10 finishes at the NCAA Championships.
Collins' swimmers at SMU have earned medals at the Olympic Games, World Championships, World University Games, European Championships, Pan American Games, Mediterranean and African Championships. He mentored 1997 NCAA Swimmer of the Year Martina Moravcova, who won two silver medals at the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney, and also competed in the 1996, 2004 and 2008 Games.

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