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Abduljabar Adama from Lagos, Nigeria, and Mantas Kauspedas of Klaipeda, Lithuania, have both signed scholarship agreements with the University of Tennessee. The pair train together at Mount Kelly Swimming in England and will head to Knoxville in August 2026.
They will join #10 Whitaker Steward, #11 Drew Eubanks, #15 Miles Blackson-Dunbar, and Kauã Pereira (Brazil) in Tennessee’s class of 2030.
Abduljabar Adama
Adama burst onto the international scene this past summer, winning Nigeria’s first-ever World Aquatics medal at World Juniors in Otopeni, Romania. The 17-year-old earned a silver in the men’s 50 fly with 23.64. He finished .10 behind Great Britain’s Dean Fearn and .01 ahead of Czech Republic’s Jan Foltyn. His 23.48 in the semi-finals broke the Nigerian national record.
Adama also placed 7th in the 50 free (22.39) at 2025 World Juniors (his national record of 22.21 came from heats) and took 18th in the 100 fly (54.00). He represented Nigeria at the 2024 Short Course World Championships in Budapest, placing 40th in the 50 free (22.03) and 41st in the 50 fly (23.56).
Most of his best SCM times come from Swim England’s 2025 SW Winter Championships, held at the beginning of November. There, he won the 50 free (21.64), 100 free (48.93), and 50 fly (23.37). He earned PBs in the 50/100 fly in prelims.
In total, Adama holds 13 Nigerian records:
- LCM 50 free – 22.21 (19.28)
- LCM 100 free – 50.41 (43.97)
- LCM 100 back – 1:01.10 (53.96)
- LCM 50 fly – 23.48 (20.52)
- LCM 100 fly – 53.58 (47.00)
- LCM 4×100 free – 3:26.01
- SCM 50 free – 21.64 (19.49)
- SCM 100 free – 48.79 (43.95)
- SCM 200 free – 1:55.53 (1:44.08)
- SCM 50 breast – 29.33 (26.42)
- SCM 50 fly – 23.17 (20.87)
- SCM 100 fly – 51.64 (46.52)
- SCM 100 IM – 58.32
Mantas Kauspedas
Kauspedas is also a national record-holder, with the Lithuanian marks in the LCM 50 back (24.68) and mixed 4×100 medley relay and the SCM 50 back (22.91).
At the 2024 European Aquatics Junior Championships, he won the 50 back (24.68), breaking 25 seconds for the first time in prelims with 24.95. He also swam in prelims of the 100 back (25th) and led off both the men’s 4×100 medley (54.80) and mixed 4×100 medley (54.68). The mixed relay won a bronze medal in the final.
In December 2024, he represented Lithuania at the World Aquatics Short Course Championships. He finished 11th in the semi-finals of the 50 back after clocking a PB and national record of 22.91 in a swim-off for 16th place, and 25th in the 100 back with a PB of 51.34.
Kauspedas lowered his PB in the LCM 100 back last April at the 2025 Lithuanian National Championships, where he won the 50 back (24.89) and 100 back (54.46). He competed at the LEN European Junior Championships and 22nd World Aquatics Championships this past summer. He placed 7th in the 50 back and 16th in the 100 back at Euro Juniors and 18th/35th in the same two events at Worlds.
Most recently, he won the 50 back (24.16) and 100 back (52.38) and placed 8th in the 100 free (50.67 in prelims) at Swim England’s 2025 SW Winter Championships.
Best times:
- LCM 50 back – 24.68 (21.69)
- LCM 100 back – 54.46 (47.98)
- LCM 50 free – 23.56 (20.50)
- LCM 50 fly – 24.69 (21.61)
- SCM 50 back – 22.91 (20.63)
- SCM 100 back – 51.34 (46.25)
- SCM 50 free – 22.33 (20.11)
- SCM 100 free – 50.62 (45.60)
- SCM 50 fly – 23.85 (21.48)
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Sick of reading about foreign nationals taking up the top spots in the top 10 programs, causing an even more significant displacement and effect down the chain on top of the NCAA settlement.
These fee paying schools with elite set ups in the UK are rapidly becoming feeder schools for the NCAAs. Losing track of how many have committed or gone on recruiting trips from Repton, Mount Kelly, Millfield etc. Suspect that’s why Aquatics GB made a big thing of Jacob Mills staying in the UK and heading to a performance centre.
Curious what the quality of the education/athletic overlap at a place like Loughborough is? Do they have the same academic and athletic resources as a big time NCAA program does?
Big time! Huge boost to this class and the team. Plus signed the number 1 diver in 2026 class (to go along with No. 1 girl (26) and No. 1 boy (27) Diving on a roll!)
Matea Gigovic is a girl and Abdul won silver in 50 fly, not 50 back.
The Lady Vol Machine is not finished yet – The Man Vols still have. much work to do but they keep creeping up on the field.