Just after receiving a verbal commitment from Brazilian Olympian Brandonn Almeida, the University of South Carolina picked up a pledge from Venezuela’s Rafael Dávila for the 2017-18 season.
“I am excited to announce that I verbally committed to the University of South Carolina. The team and the coaches are like a family and South Carolina has what I was looking for an amazing distance group and a great business school. I Can’t wait for next year!! GO COCKS”
Both Dávila and Almeida would have contributed to the Gamecocks’ results in the 200/500/1650 freestyle events at 2016 SEC Championships, and their arrival will bolster the already-solid distance freestyle group in Columbia, led by current juniors Akaram Mahmoud and Tom Peribonio.
Dávila represents Venezuela in international competition but he trains at Island Swimming Club in British Columbia, Canada. He competed under the Venezuelan flag at 2015 FINA World Junior Swimming Championships in Singapore, placing 8th in the 400m free, 14th in the 800m free with a personal-best 8:10.58, 19th in the 1500m free, and 34th in the 200m free. He also represented Venezuela at the 2015 Pan American Games in Toronto, where he finished 11th in the 400m free. His best 200/400/1500m times come from Canadian Olympic Trials last April.
As a 10th grader Dávila represented Gainesville High School in the 2013 FHSAA Class 3A Championships. He finished third in the 500 free (4:30.46) and 10th in the 200 free (1:43.79).
Dávila’s top LCM times (converted using our Speedo Time Converter) are:
| LCM | SCY converted | |
| 200 free | 1:50.85 | 1:36.98 |
| 400 free | 3:53.28 | 4:21.37 |
| 800 free | 8:10.58 | 9:09.66 |
| 1500 free | 15:27.53 | 15:09.34 |
Dávila, whose sweet spot is the 400/500 free, is a nice complement to Almeida, who excels at the longer end of the range. Dávila would have scored in the B/C finals of the 200/500 freestyles at 2016 SEC Championships, and 13th in the 1650.
If you have a commitment to report, please send an email to [email protected]
Stud!