Annie Zhu
Born Sept. 1, 1994 in Brooklyn, N.Y., Annie Zhu is a breaststroke phenom that committed to the University of Georgia in fall 2011. Currently a junior, Zhu is studying Early Childhood Education. Swimming since before the age of one, she is the holder of two LCM National Records, and also holds the fastest time in the 200 breaststroke in Georgia history. Zhu learned from her parents, Kenny and Linda, who are swimmers from China and head the American Learning Swimming Center at James Madison High School, which Zhu helps with when she’s not herself swimming. Zhu has been making waves in the country from a young age, and was one of the youngest swimmers at the 2008 U.S. Olympic Trials. During the time of her commitment, she made headlines for having hit a “plateau” in some of her events, but quickly disproved that. She soon switched to North Baltimore Aquatic Club to train with Bob Bowman and, at the time, Georgia teammate, Allison Schmitt.
University of Georgia
2012-2013
During her freshman year Zhu made a huge impact on the Bulldog program. She finished fourth in the 200 breaststroke, 11th in the 200 IM and 12th in the 400 IM at the NCAA Championships to help the Bulldogs win their fifth national title.
2013-2014
Zhu finished eighth in the 200 breaststroke and 16th in the 100 breaststroke at the 2014 NCAA Championships. She posted her school record in the 200 breaststroke at the 2013 SEC Championships, touching in 2:05.99. By her sophomore year she was already a multi-time All-American.
2014-2015
Just before the Conference Championship, Zhu has posted NCAA ‘B’ cuts in the breaststroke and IM events.
International Competition
As a member of the USA Swimming Junior National Team from 2009-2013, Zhu finished third in the 200m breaststroke and fourth in the 100m breaststroke at the 2012 Junior Pan Pac Championships. A couple years earlier, she also placed fourth in the 200m breaststroke and sixth in the 100m breaststroke at the 2010 Junior Pan Pac Championships, a team that she was nominated captain.
At the 2012 U.S. Olympic Trials Zhu returned for a final in every event swam. She finished 9th in the 200m breaststroke, 12th in the 100m breaststroke, 12th in the 200m IM, and 17th in the 400m IM.
Zhu has six national age group records, all in breaststroke events.
