Peter Wetzlar to Represent Zimbabwe at FINA World Championships

BUDAPEST – Kentucky sophomore Peter Wetzlar will make Zimbabwe history this month as the first male swimmer from the country to qualify and compete at the FINA World Championships, which will run July 14-30 in Budapest, Hungary. 

“It’s exciting for Peter to represent Zimbabwe at his first major international competition,” said Kentucky head coach Lars Jorgensen. “Peter has worked extremely hard this summer and I am confident he will do great things.”

Selected based on the FINA points system, Wetzlar is set to compete in the sprint freestyle events. Earlier this year he lowered the Zimbabwe record in the 50-meter freestyle to 23.02 and was just off UK graduate and fellow Zimbabwean Sean Gunn’s record of 50.87 in the 100m free which was set at last year’s Rio Olympics. 

A native of Harare, Zimbabwe, Wetzlar enjoyed a successful freshman season this past year, placing in the top 25 in both the 50- and 100-yard freestyle races at the Southeastern Conference Championships. His best finish came in the 100 free, placing 12th overall with a personal-best time of 43.33, a mark that ranks fifth on UK’s all-time performers list and is the fastest by a Kentucky swimmer since 2012. 

Wetzlar has previous international experience having competed in the Junior All-Africa Games, the 2016 Short Course World Championships, African Youth Olympic Games, the 2015 Junior World Championships and the All-African Games.

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