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Breaststroke and IM specialist Bianka Barna has committed to swimming at Florida Gulf Coast University starting in the fall of 2025. Barna, who is from Hungary, currently trains with Iron Swim, the club founded by Hungarian legend Katinka Hosszu.
Barna earned a silver medal at the 2022 European Junior Swimming Championships (LCM) after helping her relay team place 2nd in the 400 medley relay with a time of 4:05.48. She swam the breaststroke leg, recording a split of 1:09.37. She also swam the 50 breast, 100 breast, and 200 breast at the meet. Overall, Hungary finished at the top of the medal table after earning the most gold medals at the Championship.
Many of Barna’s best SCM times in breaststroke and the IM were recorded in 2022 and 2023. In November 2023, at the 2nd Youth Short Course National Championship (II. Utánpótlás Rövidpályás Országos Bajnokság), Barna secured her fastest 100 breast time of 1:08.88, which converts to SCY 1:02.05, placing 1st. She also placed 2nd in the 200 breast (2:29.64) and 50 breast (32.12).
Barna achieved her fastest 200 breast time of 2:29.27 at the Hungarian Short Course National Championships in November 2022, placing 5th. This time converts to SCY 2:14.47. She also placed 8th in the 100 breast (1:10.02) and 9th in the 50 breast (32.16).
In December 2022, at the 1st Age Group National Short Course Championship (I. Korosztályos Országos Rövidpályás Bajnokság), Barna posted best times of 2:17.60 in the 200 IM and 4:50.53 in the 400 IM, which convert to SCY 2:03.96 and 4:21.73. She placed 7th in the 200 IM and 6th in the 400 IM.
Recently, in November 2024, Barna earned personal best times in short course meters (SCM) in sprint freestyle and butterfly events, including the 50 free (27.54), 100 free (59.27), and 100 fly (1:03.10), all at the 20th National Short Course Championship (XX. Országos Rövidpályás Bajnokság).
Top SCM Times & SCY Conversions
| Event | SCM |
SCY Conversion
|
| 100 Breast | 1:08.88 | 1:02.05 |
| 200 Breast | 2:29.27 | 2:14.47 |
| 200 IM | 2:17.60 | 2:03.96 |
| 400 IM | 4:50.53 | 4:21.73 |
Florida Gulf Coast University placed 3rd overall for the women at the 2024 ASUN Championships. Barna’s converted times in the 100 breast, 200 breast, 200 IM, and 400 IM all would have earned her a spot in the ‘A’ final.
In fact, Barna’s fastest converted times in the 200 breast (2:14.47), 200 IM (2:03.96), and 400 IM (4:21.73) would have been the fastest for FGCU last season. Her converted 100 breast time (1:02.05) would have been just behind Jenna Gwinn’s fastest time of 1:01.84, who has since graduated.
Barna isn’t the first swimmer from Hungary to commit to and swim for FGCU. Olympian Petra Halmai swam for the university for five years. Halmai also competed in the 100 breast (59.76), 200 breast (2:06.89), 200 IM (1:59.02), and 400 IM (4:17.22). She holds the school record for both the 100 breast and 200 breast. She represented Hungary at the 2020 Olympic Games as a member of the mixed medley relay team.
Barna will join Sydney Ringwald, Easton Glandt, Ipek Burcu Aydiner, and Libby Freeman as part of FGCU’s recruiting class of 2025. Glandt specializes in the 100 breast (1:03.80), 200 breast (2:19.59), and 200 IM (2:04.11). Aydiner also shows strength in the 200 IM and 400 IM, with SCM converted times of 2:01.65 and 4:17.44.
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