The Bolivian Swimming Federation (FEBONA) has nominated a roster of 4 swimmers for the 2019 FINA World Aquatics Championships. Athletes were chosen based on the results of the National Interclubs Championships that concluded on April 30th.
While no Bolivians hit the requisite FINA “B” standards for the World Championships, FINA rules allow countries with no qualifiers to send up to 4 athletes (2 men and 2 women). Each swimmer is allowed to swim 2 events each (for a maximum of 1 swimmer per event).
Bolivia, in selecting its athletes, chose the 4 with the highest FINA points totals.
Bolivian Roster, 2019 FINA World Championships:
- Karen Milenka Torrez Guzman – La Paz (50 free – 740 FINA points)
- Gabriel Alejandro Castillo Sulca – Santa Cruz (50 back – 728 FINA points)
- Alexis Ann Margett Rodriguez – Santa Cruz (100 fly – 695 FINA points)
- Santiago Roberto Cavanagh Peper – Santa Cruz (50 breast – 694 FINA points)
Karen Torrez and Santiago Cavanagh both return from the 4-swimmer team that Bolivia sent to the 2017 World Championships. At that meet, Torrez placed 38th in the 50 free (26.16) and 39th in the 100 free (57.28). She was also the country’s flag-bearer at the 2012 Summer Olympics.
Cavanagh, meanwhile, was 49th in the 50 breaststroke (29.29) and 53rd in the 100 breaststroke (1:04.58) at the 2017 World Championships.
The only swimmer of the quartet to earn their top FINA points result in an Olympic event was Alexis Margett, who trains in the United States at the University of Michigan. Raised in California, the 20-year old swimmer was a top-20 recruit in the high school class of 2017 in the United States. She finished 9th in the 100 fly at this year’s Big Ten Championships (52.71) as a sophomore.
Torrez is the Bolivian Record holder in the 100 fly, set just last year, and Bolivia did not yet announce which of the two would get to swim the race at the World Championships.
The team will be coached by Maria Luisa Vanessa Mejia Loza.
The 2019 FINA World Aquatics Championships will run from July 12th-28th in Gwangju, South Korea. Bolivia has never had a finalist at a long course World Championship meet.
