European Junior Champ Yildirimer Signs with Georgia

Braden Keith
by Braden Keith 5

November 15th, 2011 College

The class of 2011 that the Georgia men have signed is reaching elite territory, as it now can be fairly discussed amongst the greatest classes of all time (at least, on paper). The latest addition is of Turkish National Record holder Ediz Yildirimer.

Yildirimer currently trains with the Woodlands Swim Team in north Houston and attends John Cooper High School as a foreign exchange student.

He is another distance swimmer added to Georgia’s distance group which is probably already the best in the country top-to-bottom (William Freeman, Martin Grodzki, and Andrew Gemmell are all top-8 candidates and all underclassmen). Yildirimer’s yards-best times are 4:24.22 in the 500 and 15:03.66 in the 1650. The latter of those times would have been right on the cusp of scoring points at NCAA’s last year.

In long course meters, he’s gone an 8:00 in the 800 and a 15:25 in the 1500, and those two events have been his bread-and-butter internationally. He’s won the last two European Junior Championships in the 800 and bronzes in the last two 1500’s.

With this signing meaning that they will have 4 All-American-caliber distance swimmers on deck, this implies that another Georgia recruit, Matias Koski, will probably lean towards the shorter freestyles. He’s the most versatile freestyle recruit we’ve seen in years, and will probably have a schedule of 100-200-500.

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Faruk YILDIRIMER
12 years ago

Ediz will do very big works with Georgia team. Becouse He has a big goals and he certanly will succesful. He is Excellent swimmer.

Bob
12 years ago

The 4×100 free and 4×200 free relays will be majorly improved by Matias Koski and Matt Ellis this year, also Ediz Yildirimer has the talent to have a great 200 free on the relay.

joeb
12 years ago

just not sure if they have their relays covered

johnny
12 years ago

definitely icing on the cake for the best class in the country

smith
12 years ago

BRADEN- you would say this is the best recruiting class for 2011 by a long shot right? they have every event covered! this is insane they just keep coming

About Braden Keith

Braden Keith

Braden Keith is the Editor-in-Chief and a co-founder/co-owner of SwimSwam.com. He first got his feet wet by building The Swimmers' Circle beginning in January 2010, and now comes to SwimSwam to use that experience and help build a new leader in the sport of swimming. Aside from his life on the InterWet, …

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