Dugonjic Returns to Cal to Join Post-Grad Group

Slovenian swimmer Damir Dugonjic will be returning to his university stomping grounds in Berkley joining the powerful and star studded post-grad group at Cal. Dugonjic will join a group that includes Olympic gold medalists Natalie Coughlin, Nathan Adrian and Anthony Ervin.

Dugonjic experienced a great deal of success while at Cal winning the 100 breaststroke at the NCAA Championships in 2009, 2010, and 2011. He was also part of Cal’s 200 and 400 medley relays that were victorious at the NCAA Championships in 2010.

Enroute to winning the 2009 NCAA Championships in the 100 breaststroke Dugonjic set a new NCAA record posting a time of 50.86, a record that stood until Arizona’s Kevin Cordes swam a 50.74 to win the event at the 2013 NCAA Championships.

He has also experienced success on the international stage representing Slovenia at the 2008 Olympics finishing 16th in the 100 breaststroke.

In the last year while swimming with coach Matija Medvešku he finished second in both the 50 and 100 breaststroke events at the Short Course World Championships in Istanbul and finished fourth in both the 50 and 100 breaststroke at the World Championships in Barcelona.

In Barcelona Dugonjic set a new European record in the 50 breaststroke posting a time of 26.83.

Cal’s post grad group also includes Tom Shields and Martin Livamagi.

Shields won a medal of every colour at the Short Course World Championships (gold – 4 x 100 medley relay, silver – 100 butterfly and bronze – 50 butterfly) and holds the 50, 100 and 200 butterfly SCM American records, setting the 100 and 200 butterfly at the World Cup in Berlin in August.

Livamagi represented Estonia at both the 2008 (200 IM)  and 2012 Olympics (100 breaststroke and 200 IM). At the 2012 NCAA Championships Livamagi finished third in the 100 breaststroke and was a member of Cal’s 200 medley relay team that finished second.