Brazilian Junior Record-Holder Fantoni Verbally Commits to Indiana

Gabriel Fantoni from Belo Horizonte, Brazil, has made a verbal commitment to swim for the Indiana University Hoosiers next season. Fantoni will join his club teammate from Fiat/Minas, Maria Paula Heitmann, who is a freshman on the Indiana women’s squad this year.

Fantoni is a backstroker and currently holds the Brazilian junior national record in the 50 LCM back (25.44). He had a breakthrough meet at the 2016 Maria Lenk Trophy, placing 7th in the 100 back with 55.30. He was also 9th in the 200 back with 2:03.49.

Fantoni’s best LCM events (converted to SCY) include:

• 50m back – 25.44 (21.49)
• 100m back – 55.30 (46.72)
• 200m back – 2:03.49 (1:46.07)
• 100m fly – 54.92 (48.21)

Also committed to the Indiana class of 2021 are: Brock Brown, Bruno Blaskovic, Corey Gambardella, Gage Hamill, Gary Kostbade, Griffin Eiber, Jacob Steele, Jared Fitzgerald, Matthew Jerden, Nikola Miljenić, Spencer Lehman, and Thomas Vanderbrook.

As reported last fall, Correios, the state-run Post Office who was an official sponsor of the 2016 Olympic Games, announced it would be cutting funding to the Brazilian Confederation of Aquatic Sports (CBDA), Brazilian Handball Federation (CBHb), and Brazilian Tennis Federation (CBT). It is not a surprise, therefore, to see the wave of Brazilian swimmers flocking to the NCAA for the 2017-18 season. After sending just three athletes stateside this fall (Manuella Andrade to Florida State, Heitmann to Indiana, and Rodrigo Codo Berti to Indianapolis), Brazil will contribute eight, including Fantoni, in 2017-18:

• Brandonn Almeida (South Carolina)
• Caio Pumputis (Georgia Tech)
• Felipe Ribeiro (Florida State)
• Gabriel Cardenes (Arizona)
• Gustavo Santos (East Carolina)
• Luiz Gustavo Borges (Michigan)
• Ana Guilia Zortea (Florida State)

If you have a commitment to report, please send an email with a photo (landscape, or horizontal, looks best) and a quote to [email protected]