Hugo Gonzalez is a competitive swimmer who represents Spain internationally. Gonzalez is talented in all 4 strokes, and was known for his IM events. He is a 3-time world junior championships medalist.
College
Auburn
2017-2018
Hugo came to Auburn in the fall of 2017 and made an immediate impact. At the mid-season Georgia invite, Gonzalez broke multiple school records, including 3:39.28 in the 400 IM. At the SEC Championships, he continued to impress, shattering the SEC champ record in the 400 IM with a 3:35.76, as well as taking 2nd in the 200 IM (1:40.76, behind Caeleb Dressel’s NCAA record 1:38.13) and 3rd in the 200 back (1:40.82).
At the NCAA championships, Gonzalez was off his season best times, placing 1oth in the 200 IM (1:42.41), 30th in the 400 IM (3:46.19), and 27th in the 200 back (1:41.41).
After his freshman season, Gonzalez announced he was leaving Auburn, initially intending to follow Auburn associate head coach Sergio Lopez to his new position as the head coach of Virginia Tech. However, Gonzalez ended up returning home to Spain, although still intending to come to Virginia Tech eventually. However, less than 2 weeks later, it was reported that Gonzalez would be ending up at the University of California, which proved to be true.
It was a mystery when exactly Gonzalez would actually be eligible and how many more years he could compete in the NCAA for Cal, and he didn’t race for the bears at all during the spring of 2019. Finally it was announced Gonzalez would compete for Cal in the fall of 2019.
California
2019-2020
Gonzalez became an impact swimmer for the Bears, and although he forwent the mid-season Minnesota Invite to successfully qualify for the Olympics, he made a return to short course form on the first day of the Pac-12 championships. In a time trial before the first full day of competition, Gonzalez recorded a 1:51.6 200 breast, a massive personal best. The next day, however, Gonzalez was dealt a DQ in the 200 IM for a false start, where he would have easily made it into the A final.
International Competition
2016 Olympic Games (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil)
At his first Olympics, Gonzalez advanced to the semi-finals of the 200 backstroke, placing 16th overall (1:59.08) after recording a personal best of 1:57.50 in the prelims. He also placed 20th in the 100 back (54.18).
2017 World Junior Championships (Indianapolis, Indiana)
In Indy, Gonzalez earned 3 gold medals and 1 silver, winning the 400 IM (4:14.65, championship record), 200 back (1:56.69, championships record) and the 100 back (54.27), as well as taking 2nd in the 50 back (25.30).
2021 European Championships (Budapest, Hungary)
Gonzalez took on 3 events in Budapest, swimming the 50 back and then taking a double in the 100 back/200 IM. In the 50, he earned bronze with a time of 24.47. 2 nights later, he swam the final of the 100 back, registering a PB of 52.90 and earning silver. Under an hour later, he swam in the 200 IM finals, dropping a 27.76 free split to touch first in 1:56.76, another PB.
202o Olympic Games
Gonzalez started his Olympic Games off with the 100 back, making it to the final and placing 6th overall with a personal best of 52.78.
