Information | Santiago, Pulido, and Peciar Symbolize SIU at 2025 World Championships

CARBONDALE, Ill. – The 2025 World Championships are at present going down in Singapore, and Southern Illinois swim and dive is represented on the occasion by Celia Pulido, Tomáš Peciar, and Alex Santiago. Peciaralready competed on the Open-Water Division of the Championships final week whereas Pulido and Santiago start their run on the occasion beginning this Saturday, July 26, at 9 p.m. CST.

“It speaks volumes about our program to have three Salukis representing their home countries at the World Championships in Singapore,” says head coach Geoff Hanson. “We are very proud of the performance that Tomas had in the open water five-kilometer last week and are excited for Celia and Alex to compete in the pool in just a few days. All three of them have worked extremely hard this summer and have big goals on the international stage. Go Dawgs.” 

Peciar, a rising-junior at SIU, already competed within the open-water division of the Championships for his dwelling nation of Slovakia. First, on July 16, he positioned 53rd within the 10-kilometer with a 2:17:48.70 mark. Then, on July 17, Peciar completed 62nd within the 5-kilometer with a time of 1:07:01.80. 

Pulido, who simply accomplished her remaining season within the pool for the Salukis and now joins the teaching workers as a graduate assistant, will symbolize her dwelling nation of Mexico within the 50-meter backstroke and 50-meter butterfly. The Leon, Guanajuato, native is coming off a improbable senior season at SIU the place she earned First-Team All-American within the 100-yard backstroke whereas additionally being named the Missouri Valley Conference Women’s Swimmer of the Year. After her time at SIU, Pulido at present holds 4 particular person faculty data and is part of 5 relay data; her identify can be stamped 5 instances throughout the person part of the MVC report e-book and 4 instances all through the relay group part. The final main worldwide occasion Pulido participated in was the 2024 Paris Olympic Game the place she completed twenty first within the 100-back. 

Santiago can be coming off his remaining season in Carbondale as he prepares to symbolize Puerto Rico on the Championships within the 50-meter freestyle and 50-meter butterfly. In his senior season, the Buffalo Grove, Illinois, native was named the MVC Men’s Swimmer of the Year and took part within the NCAA Championships within the 100-yard butterfly and 50- and 100-yard freestyle. Following his SIU profession, Santiago at present holds two particular person faculty data, 4 relay data, and is within the MVC report books eight instances throughout the person and relay sections. Santiago’s final worldwide occasion was the 2025 Puerto Rico International Open, the place he took dwelling gold within the 50-butterfly, 100-butterfly, and 100-freestyle. And whereas now not competing, Santiago will return to SIU this upcoming season as a pupil assistant. 

The 2025 World Championships start on Saturday, July 27, and run via August 3. More info concerning the occasion, together with detailed schedules and outcomes, may be discovered at https://swimswam.com/world-aquatics-releases-entry-lists-for-2025-world-championships/.

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