Auburn Will Gain European Juniors Gold Medalist Sonnele Ozturk in January

Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick

European Junior Championship gold medal winner Sonnele Ozturk of Germany has signed a financial aid agreement to join the Auburn women’s swimming and diving team in January, head coach Brett Hawke announced.

Ozturk, from Falkensee, Germany, won a silver medal at the 2011 European Youth Olympic Festival in the 200 back and a gold medal at the 2013 European Junior Championship in the same event.

At the 2013 European Short Course Championship, she took fifth-place in the 200 back and was she was a member of the German National Team at the 2013 European Championships. She has competed in the World Cup in each of the past three years.

“With her converted times from last year Sonnele would be a finalist at SECs and finish in the top 20 at NCAAs,” associate head coach Sergio Lopez said. “Her potential is great not only in the backstroke events but also in the freestyle.”

Ozturk’s converted 100 back time would be a 53.39 while her 200 back converted time would be a 1:52.93, which would place her as the fifth-fastest performer in school history.

Ozturk’s most recent competition was at the Swimcup Eindhoven in the Netherlands in April. At that meet she took third in the 200-meter back (2:11.73) and eight in the 100-meter back (1:02.76) while also finishing top-16 in both the 400m free (4:22.96) and 50m back (29.82).

The above press release courtesy of Auburn Swimming and Diving

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Love Beach Market

6 years ago

Oh yeah