NEW COMMIT: The University of Nevada – Las Vegas has earned a new commitment for the upcoming 2019-20 season from Panagiotis Bolanos, a talented backstroker from Greece.
Bolanos does his club swimming with Hellenic Aquatics and has been a National Greek Age Group record-holder in backstroke events while representing the Greek National Team. He earned a pair of best times with two semifinal appearances at the LEN Junior Championships last summer and raced all three backstroke events at the FINA World Junior Championships in 2017.
Bolanos will make an immediate impact when he suits up for the Rebels as a member of the class of 2023 as his best times (converted to yards) already rank at the top of their lineup. He would’ve scored in the A-final of both backstroke events at the 2019 Western Athletic Conference Championships where UNLV finished fifth overall in the team standings.
He told Swimming World:
“UNLV represents a great opportunity for me to develop at a higher level Athletically and Academically. Its swimming program and especially the relation I developed with the Coaches made me feel very welcomed and confident about my future swimming. On the Academic part I was attracted by the fact that UNLV has one of the TOP Ranking Globally Hospitality Programs. I would like to thank my Coach here in Greece and my Parents for all their support and encouragement since my early days in swimming. However pursuing opportunities in USA could not have been possible for me without the help, guidance and effectiveness of HELLENIC AQUATICS who played and pivotal role in coordinating with UNLV the planning and execution of the prerequisites and all other tasks. I am thrilled in moving to Las Vegas next month and looking forward to work hard with my Coaches and Teammates at UNLV.”
In LCM, his best times include:
- 50m back – 26.27
- 100m back – 55.99
- 200m back – 2:02.32
In SCY, those times convert to:
- 50 back – 22.38
- 100 back – 47.87
- 200 back – 1:46.29
Hellenic Aquatics provides guidance and support to Junior Swimmers of Greece in order to effectively to pursue Academic and Swimming opportunities of a higher level in USA. Since its establishment about 3 years ago helped 30+ Swimmers to enter Universities and Colleges all over USA. Among other Schools Greek Swimmers have been accepted in USC, Northwestern, Drexel, UChicago, Miami (FL), UNLV, Indiana State, Arkansas (Little Rock), Wagner, etc.
If you have a commitment to share, please send a photo and quote via email to hs@swimmingworld.com.
