Editorial Coverage Sponsored By FINIS
MIAMI (July 9, 2016) – On Friday, July 8, FIU’s Naomi Ruele received her official selection letter for the 2016 Olympics in Rio (Aug. 5-21) from FINA (Fédération Internationale de Natation). The selection makes Ruele just the second female and the first swimmer ever to represent Botswana in the Olympics.
Ruele qualified to represent her home country Olympic Games on March 20. At the Georgia Tech Aquatic Center, Ruele swam a qualifying time of 26.07 in the 50 Free during the official FINA approved time trial.
During her 2015-16 season at FIU, Ruele, the Conference USA Swimmer of the Year, finished either first or second in the 50 Free 12 times. She has posted times under 23 seconds five times, including a 22.33 in the prelims of the C-USA Championships and her record-setting time of 22.23 in the finals.
Ruele was perfect during the C-USA Championships, winning gold in each of the seven events in which she swam in (three individual, four relays). Named the C-USA Swimmer of the Meet, she also set two school records during the championships (100 Free and 200 Free Relay).
Swimming events for the Summer Olympics begin Aug. 6.
Florida International University contributed this report.
- OFFICIAL SITE FOR RIO
- RIO COMPETITION SCHEDULE
- WHERE TO WATCH LIVE VIDEO OF OLYMPICS
- USA MEN'S SWIMMING TEAM
- USA WOMEN'S SWIMMING TEAM
- USA DIVERS GOING TO RIO
- USA WOMEN WATER POLO TEAM
- SWIMMING MEDAL PREDICTIONS
- FULL DAY 1 RESULTS
- FULL DAY 2 RESULTS
- FULL DAY 3 RESULTS
- FULL DAY 4 RESULTS
- FULL DAY 5 RESULTS
- FULL DAY 6 RESULTS
- FULL DAY 7 RESULTS
- FULL DAY 8 RESULTS
- WOMEN'S 10K OPEN WATER RESULTS
- MEN'S 10K OPEN WATER RESULTS
- FULL OLYMPIC SWIMMING RESULTS
Samantha Paxinos who is a born and bred citizen of Botswana has already swum for Botswana in the Olympics!
Botswana has long been represented at the Olympics. In fact as far back as 2008 Botswana was represented at the Beijing Olympics by two swimmers one male and the other female.