Delta State Student to Swim in World University Games
CLEVELAND, Miss., Aug. 1. DELTA State University swimmer Cagri Sapmaz is slated to represent his country of Turkey in the 2003 Korea Universiade Games this August in Daegu, Korea.
Sapmaz is expected to compete in the 100 and 200-meter backstroke. Swimming events are scheduled to take place August 24-26 and 28-29. DSU fans can follow Sapmaz during the games on the Internet at SwimInfo.com.
"We are very excited to have a swimmer represent Delta State in international competition," said Head Coach Ronnie Mayers. "Cagri has worked hard the last to years and is deserving of this achievement."
The word Universiade is a combination of "University" and "Olympiad" and is an international sporting event that is staged every two years under the supervision of the FISU. Amateur students between the ages of 17-28 are allowed to participate.
Sapmaz helped the Statesmen to a seventh place finish at the 2003 NCAA Division II Swimming and Diving Championships, qualifying in the 100 and 200-yard backstroke. He earned All-American honors in the 100 and 200-backstroke and the 400-Medley Relay, the 200 and 800-Freestyle Relays.
The junior from Izmir, Turkey is the Statesmen's top-returning swimmer in 2003-04. He transferred to Delta State from the University of Missouri Rolla where he finished fourth in the 100-backstroke NCAA Division II Championships as a freshman.