Brazil has added Nicholas Dos Santos to the roster for the 2011 Pan American Games, which begin in just under a month’s time in Guadalajara Mexico, in replacement for Marcos Macedo. Dos Santos will swim as a member of the 400 free relay.
Dos Santos is one of four swimmers who tested positive for furosemide at this year’s Maria Lenk Trophy that resulted in the negation of those results and cost him a spot on the World Championships team. The quartet will now be made up of Cesar Cielo, Bruno Fratus, Dos Santos, and Nicolas Oliveira. That is a formidable squad that will be looking to win their 4th-straight Pan Ams title in the race – the last American victory was in 1995, with a relay comprised of Gary Hall Jr., Tom Jager, Josh Davis, and Jon Olsen (how’s that for a relay?).
They will square off against this year’s group of Americans that will include Scot Robison and Bobby Savulich, with Will Copeland and Bryan Lundquist most likely to fill in the other two spots in the finals.
Macedo requested to be released from his duties at the Pan Am Games after admission to med school, but he will take a hiatus from his studies in the spring to focus on Olympic training. Auburn swimmer Marcelo Chierighini would also be on this relay, but he too is sitting out to focus on his educational pursuits.
