KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Six Tennessee swimmers have advanced to the 2024 Paris Olympics, bringing the University of Tennessee's total number of qualifiers to 11, according to a release from Tennessee Athletics.
The six recently qualified swimmers are Gui Caribe, Brooklyn Douthwright, Ella Jansen, Kayky Mota, Julia Mrozinski and Regan Rathwell. They will represent the countries of Brazil, Canada and Germany.
This will be the first time each swimmer will compete at the Summer Olympics, Tennessee Athletics said. They will hit the pools at the Paris La Defense Arena on Thursday, July 27.
To qualify to compete in the Olympics, swimmers must compete in a series of national and international competitions. One of these must also be the Olympic Trials. To qualify for the event, the swimmer must get under a certain time. This time varies by event.
Gui Caribe (Brazil)
Sophomore Caribe secured his spot on the Brazil national roster for the summer Olympics during the Brazilian Swimming Championships.
He punched his ticket in the sprint freestyles, clocking a 21.88 in the 50 free and a 48.16 in the 100 free. Caribe is coming off a breakout season with the Vols, finishing as the national runner-up in the 100 free and taking sixth in the 50 free at NCAAs in March.
He's garnered All-America recognition 12 times since arriving on Rocky Top and boasts 11 SEC medals, including two gold, UT said.
Brooklyn Douthwright (Canada)
Douthwright will have the opportunity to shine at the Paris Games as a member of Team Canada's 4x100 free relay.
At the Canadian Olympic Trials, Douthwright placed third in the women's 100 free with a time of 53.71. She shaved 1.44 off her 100 free from when she competed at the Bell Canadian Swimming Trials in 2023.
She was also a part of the team to finish fifth in the 800 free relay at the 2023 World Aquatics Championships for Canada.
While on Rocky Top, she has won eight SEC medals in addition to being an SEC Champion in the 200 free in 2023.
Douthwright is a seven-time All-American and was the NCAA runner-up in the 200 free last season, according to a release. She boasts six top-10 times in UT history, including the third-fastest 200 free mark.
Ella Jansen (Canada)
A top-ranked recruit in the class of 2024, Jansen has already punched her ticket to the Olympics before even arriving at UT, Tennessee Athletics said.
Jansen qualified for the Paris Summer Games during the Canada Olympic Trials in May. Swimming the 400 IM, Jansen finished second in the event during trials with a 4:38.88 effort time, while her mark of 4:37.35 from the World Aquatic Junior Championships in September was good enough to secure her spot in Paris.
During the 2024 Doha World Championships, Jansen helped Canada to a bronze medal in the 400 free relay on the opening night of the competition and finished 10th overall in the 400 IM.
Kayky Mota (Brazil)
Mota is a Tennessee alumnus who won the men's 100 fly and was the only swimmer to qualify for the Olympics in this event.
He had a qualifying time of 51.43 when the school competed in the 100 fly at the World Aquatics Championship in 2023.
Mota has tallied two top-10 finishes in the 100 fly in the last two years. A member of the Vols team from 2019-2021, he earned All-SEC Second Team accolades, along with two bronze medals.
He has earned three All-American certificates and boasted seven top-10 times in UT history, according to UT.
Julia Mrozinski (Germany)
Competing at the German Swimming Championships in April, Mrozinski won silver in the 200 free with a time of 1:57.22, shattering her previous effort in the event by more than a second.
During her time at UT, the junior has tallied seven All-America certificates along with two SEC Championships in the 500 free and 800 free relay, according to Tennessee Athletics.
Mrozinski has been named to the All-SEC team all three years of her career thanks to her five total medals at the SEC Championships.
Regan Rathwell (Canada)
Dealing with injuries throughout her time on Rocky Top, Rathwell overcame adversity and made her dreams a reality when she earned her spot on the Canadian National Team for the Paris Olympics, Tennessee Athletics said.
The sophomore will swim the 200 back after posting a 2:09.38, a full second under the Olympic qualifying time, during the Canadian Olympic Trials in May.