Fitter and Faster Swim Camps is the proud sponsor of SwimSwam’s College Recruiting Channel and all commitment news. For many, swimming in college is a lifelong dream that is pursued with dedication and determination. Fitter and Faster is proud to honor these athletes and those who supported them on their journey.
Istanbul, Turkey’s Lara Kisakol is set to attend Fairfield University in Fairfield, Connecticut starting this fall. Kisakol, who swam for Istek Sports Club, is a free/fly specialist.
Kisakol wrapped up her 2023 long course season at the Turkey Arena Clubs Swimming Championships (LCM), where she swam personal bests in the 100 fly (1:02.92), 50 fly (28.95), and 50 free (27.46). In her 100 fly, Kisakol had a huge swim to break 1:03 for the first time – and she did it by over half a second, as her previous PB sat at 1:03.60 from earlier that year. Kisakol also made huge strides in her 50 free, as her PB prior to this meet was 28.14.
A few months later at the Turkish Winter Nationals (SCM) in December, Kisakol swam 2 PBs in the only 2 events she contested in – the 100 free and 50 fly, where she swam times of 57.91 and 27.56, respectively.
Best times LCM (converted to SCY):
- 100 fly – 1:02.92 (55.42)
- 50 free – 27.46 (24.01)
Best times SCM (converted to SCY):
- 100 free – 57.91 (52.17)
- 50 fly – 27.56 (24.82)
Fairfield is a DI mid-major school that competes in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC). In 2024, the Fairfield women came in 2nd at the MAAC Championships behind Niagara University.
Kisakol will be an immediate title threat when she arrives on campus, as her converted 100 fly time would have won the event by over a second this year. Meanwhile, her converted 50 and 100 free times would have qualified for the ‘A’ final.
Kisakol’s impact will be felt on more than just the individual events however. Her 100 free would have ranked 2nd on Fairfield’s 2023-2024 roster, and her 50 free would have ranked 3rd, making her pivotal for Fairfield’s roster next year. Nora Segurola, who led the Stags with 3 individual wins at 2024 MAAC Championships and owned the fastest 50/100 free times of the women’s team, has graduated.
Fairfield will welcome several Northerners, especially New Yorkers, in their recruiting class this year. Sofia Smerechniak, Aimme Quinlan, Lauren Patalano, and Briana Racanello all hail from NY, while Ella Lepis is from New Jersey and Chloe Wukitch is from Massachusetts. Kisakol will be the sole international swimmer of Fairfield’s class of 2028.
Outside of swimming, Kisakol enjoys arts and design, specifically ceramics. She was also the head of Model UN at her high school in Istanbul.
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].
About the Fitter and Faster Swim Tour
Fitter & Faster Swim Camps feature the most innovative teaching platforms for competitive swimmers of all levels. Camps are produced year-round throughout the USA and Canada. All camps are led by elite swimmers and coaches. Visit fitterandfaster.com to find or request a swim camp near you.
FFT SOCIAL
Instagram – @fitterandfasterswimtour
Facebook – @fitterandfastertour
Twitter – @fitterandfaster
FFT is a SwimSwam partner.
