Eugene Botes
Botes at Hidden Hollow Swim Club
Personal information
Full nameEugene Botes
National team South Africa
Born (1980-06-09) 9 June 1980
Vanderbijlpark, South Africa
Height1.93 m (6 ft 4 in)
Weight101 kg (223 lb)
Sport
SportSwimming
StrokesButterfly
ClubSuburban Swim Club (U.S.)[1]
College teamPennsylvania State University
(U.S.)
CoachCharlie Kennedy (U.S.)[1]

Eugene Botes (born 9 June 1980) is a South African former swimmer, who specialized in butterfly events.[2] He became the first swimmer to represent his country South Africa in international tournaments, while playing for the Penn State Nittany Lions in his senior season. He also holds a dual citizenship between South Africa and the United States.[1]

Botes qualified for two swimming events at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens. He established a South African record and a FINA A-standard entry time of 53.20 (100 m butterfly) from the USA National Championships in College Park, Maryland.[3][4] In the 100 m butterfly, Botes challenged seven other swimmers on the sixth heat, including top medal favorites Andriy Serdinov and Denys Sylantyev of Ukraine. He edged out Mexico's Joshua Ilika Brenner to notch a seventh spot and thirtieth overall by 0.15 of a second in 54.15.[5][6]

Botes also teamed up with Gerhard Zandberg, Terence Parkin, and Karl Otto Thaning in the 4×100 m medley relay. Swimming the butterfly leg in heat two, Botes recorded a time of 54.57, but the South Africans rounded out the field to last place and thirteenth overall with a final time of 3:43.94.[7][8]

Botes is also a graduate of computer science at the Pennsylvania State University in University Park, Pennsylvania. He previously trained for the Suburban Swim Club under his long-time coach and mentor Charlie Kennedy. Botes trained at Media, Pennsylvania's Hidden Hollow Swim Club where he also served as head lifeguard.[1]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Penn State Swimmer Eugene Botes Qualifies For 2004 Summer Olympics". Penn State Athletics. 27 April 2004. Retrieved 27 April 2013.
  2. ↑ Evans, Hilary; Gjerde, Arild; Heijmans, Jeroen; Mallon, Bill; et al. "Eugene Botes". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on 18 April 2020. Retrieved 27 April 2013.
  3. ↑ "Swimming – Men's 100m Butterfly Startlist (Heat 6)" (PDF). Athens 2004. Omega Timing. Retrieved 27 April 2013.
  4. ↑ Whitten, Phillip (8 August 2003). "US Nationals, Day 4 Finals: You Guessed It: Phelps Does it Again!". Swimming World Magazine. Retrieved 27 April 2013.
  5. ↑ "Men's 100m Butterfly Heat 6". Athens 2004. BBC Sport. 19 August 2004. Retrieved 14 March 2013.
  6. ↑ Thomas, Stephen (19 August 2004). "Men's 100 Butterfly, Day 6 Prelims: Crocker Blasts Back into Form as Fastest Qualifier; Serdinov and Phelps Right on his Tail". Swimming World Magazine. Archived from the original on 27 December 2013. Retrieved 11 April 2013.
  7. ↑ "Men's 4×100m Medley Relay Heat 2". Athens 2004. BBC Sport. 15 August 2004. Retrieved 31 January 2013.
  8. ↑ Thomas, Stephen (20 August 2004). "Men's 400 Medley Relay, Prelims Day 7: USA Looks Absolutely Unbeatable; Expect a World Record!". Swimming World Magazine. Archived from the original on 16 January 2014. Retrieved 27 April 2013.


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