Ivan Puskovitch is an American distance and open water swimmer. He is only the 5th man to qualify to represent the United States at the Olympic Games after qualifying for the 2024 Paris Olympic Games in the 10 km event.
High School
Growing up just outside of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Puskovitch competed for the Episcopal Academy Aquatic Club (EAAC) while also attending the Eposcopal Academy. Throughout his career, Puskovitch found his greatest success in open water swimming, qualifying to represent the United States at the 2017 and 2019 World Junior Championships in the 7.5km distance. Puskovitch was also the 2018 US Junior National Champion in the 7.5km race.
Puskovotch also finished 8th in the 5km race at the 2019 US Open Water National Championships, falling 2-spots short of qualifying for the 2019 World Championships in the event.
In mid-2018, Puskovitch announced his commitment to swim at USC in the fall of 2019, becoming the school’s first recruit from the class of 2019.
International Career
Rise to the US National Team
Puskovitch finished 5th in the 10km race and 3rd in the 5km race at the 2023 US Open Water National Championships, enough to earn a spot on the 2023-2024 US National Team. This marked his first time making the senior-level national team.
Shortly after Nationals, Puskovitch announced that he would be transferring to West Virginia University to pursue his master’s degree. In the meantime, he said that he would be commuting to train with Mo Khadembashi at Team Santa Monica, one of the country’s top club programs for open water swimming.
Puskovitch’s decision quickly paid dividends as only a few weeks later he finished as the top American in the 10km race at the Portugal stop of the 2023 World Aquatics Open Water World Cup, booking his ticket to represent the US at the 2024 World Championships.
2024 World Championships
With at least 13 Olympic qualifying spots on the line, Puskovitch raced confidently at his first World Championships, maintaining his spot within the pack. After 10 kilometers of racing, he finished 14th overall, enough to earn a spot to swim the event as a representative of the United States at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games.
Not only was his finish his highest senior-level international finish of his career, but Puskovitch also became only the 5th American man to qualify for an open water event at the Olympic Games with his performance. Puskovitch also became the first member of the University of West Virginia’s swimming and diving team to ever qualify for the Olympics.
