University of California, Los Angeles, Athletics
Guvenc, Hallaselkä, to Compete in 2024 World Aquatics Championships
January 31, 2024 | Swimming & Diving
LOS ANGELES – Two members of the UCLA Swimming and Diving team will compete at the 2024 World Aquatics Championships in Doha, Qatar. Junior Gizem Guvenc (Turkey) will compete in the 4x200m free relay, and freshman Lauren Hallaselkä (Finland) will take part in the one-meter and three-meter diving competitions.
"It's always our goal to see Bruins representing our team on the biggest stages in our sports," head coach Jordan Wolfrum said. "Sending Lauren and Gizem to Doha to represent their home countries is a great honor for UCLA and our program."
Guvenc, a junior from Kadikoy, Turkey, who also qualified in the 100m free, will be taking part in her second World Aquatics Championships (formally FINA Championships). In her sophomore season in 2022-23 at UCLA she earned CSCAA All-America honors in the 800 free relay after helping UCLA to a 15th place finish at the 2023 NCAA Championships.
Guvenc has excelled in the past on the global stage for Turkey, helping the squad to a new national team record back in 2019 in the 4x100m free relay, and qualified for the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo. During her prep career, Guvenc set a number of Turkish national records and age-group records; she's the national record-holder in both 200 LCM freestyle (1:58.24) and 200 SCM freestyle (1:55.91), and was also on relay squads that set Turkish national records in the 4x100 LCM free relay, 2x200 LCM free relay, 4x50 SCM free relay, 4x100 SCM free relay, 4x200 SCM free relay, and 4x50 SCM medley relay.
Hallaselkä, a freshman from Helsinki, Finland, will be competing in her third World Aquatics Championships. She has had a strong start to life in Los Angeles, winning multiple dual meet events and invitations throughout the fall and winter. The freshman won the 3-meter diving championship at the Bruin Diving Invitational back on Jan. 14, won the 1-meter championship at the Trojan Diving Invitational on Nov. 17, and third in the 3-meter championship at the Trojan Diving Invite on Nov. 18.
Prior to arriving at UCLA, Hallaselkä competed at the 2023 European Games, the 2023 World Aquatics Championships, 2022 European Championships, 2022 World Championships, and 2018 Junior European Championships. She excelled at the 2022 Euros, finishing seventh in the 3-meter springboard competition. She also earned a silver medal in 3M and a bronze in 3M synchro at the 2018 Junior Europeans.
Guvenc's Schedule
4x200m relay
Prelims – Wednesday 2/14 – 10:30 p.m.
Semifinals/Finals – Thursday 2/15 – 8 a.m. PT
Hallaselkä's Schedule
1-Meter Diving
Prelims – Thursday 2/1 – 11 p.m.
Finals – Friday 2/2 – 8 a.m.
3-Meter Diving
Prelims – Wednesday 2/7 – 11 p.m.
Semifinals – Thursday 2/8 – 11 p.m.
Finals – Friday 2/9 – 7:30 a.m.
*all times are Pacific
"It's always our goal to see Bruins representing our team on the biggest stages in our sports," head coach Jordan Wolfrum said. "Sending Lauren and Gizem to Doha to represent their home countries is a great honor for UCLA and our program."
Guvenc, a junior from Kadikoy, Turkey, who also qualified in the 100m free, will be taking part in her second World Aquatics Championships (formally FINA Championships). In her sophomore season in 2022-23 at UCLA she earned CSCAA All-America honors in the 800 free relay after helping UCLA to a 15th place finish at the 2023 NCAA Championships.
Guvenc has excelled in the past on the global stage for Turkey, helping the squad to a new national team record back in 2019 in the 4x100m free relay, and qualified for the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo. During her prep career, Guvenc set a number of Turkish national records and age-group records; she's the national record-holder in both 200 LCM freestyle (1:58.24) and 200 SCM freestyle (1:55.91), and was also on relay squads that set Turkish national records in the 4x100 LCM free relay, 2x200 LCM free relay, 4x50 SCM free relay, 4x100 SCM free relay, 4x200 SCM free relay, and 4x50 SCM medley relay.
Hallaselkä, a freshman from Helsinki, Finland, will be competing in her third World Aquatics Championships. She has had a strong start to life in Los Angeles, winning multiple dual meet events and invitations throughout the fall and winter. The freshman won the 3-meter diving championship at the Bruin Diving Invitational back on Jan. 14, won the 1-meter championship at the Trojan Diving Invitational on Nov. 17, and third in the 3-meter championship at the Trojan Diving Invite on Nov. 18.
Prior to arriving at UCLA, Hallaselkä competed at the 2023 European Games, the 2023 World Aquatics Championships, 2022 European Championships, 2022 World Championships, and 2018 Junior European Championships. She excelled at the 2022 Euros, finishing seventh in the 3-meter springboard competition. She also earned a silver medal in 3M and a bronze in 3M synchro at the 2018 Junior Europeans.
Guvenc's Schedule
4x200m relay
Prelims – Wednesday 2/14 – 10:30 p.m.
Semifinals/Finals – Thursday 2/15 – 8 a.m. PT
Hallaselkä's Schedule
1-Meter Diving
Prelims – Thursday 2/1 – 11 p.m.
Finals – Friday 2/2 – 8 a.m.
3-Meter Diving
Prelims – Wednesday 2/7 – 11 p.m.
Semifinals – Thursday 2/8 – 11 p.m.
Finals – Friday 2/9 – 7:30 a.m.
*all times are Pacific
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