July 21, 2004

Columbia, S.C. – The University of South Carolina men’s and women’s swimming & diving prograrm will send five members to the 2004 Olympics in Athens, Greece for competition. Included among the group is one current swimmer, junior Tamas Bathazi and junior diver Tracey Richardson. The 2004 Olympic Games run from August 13-29.

“We’re thrilled to have several of our athletes competing at the Olympics,” said USC head swimming coach Don Gibb. “It puts you in an elite class when you have athletes representing South Carolina with that caliber of competition. It is a tribute to this group, who have worked hard and earned this opportunity. We are excited to watch them and what they are capable of.”

Bathazi as well as former USC swimmers Zsolt Gaspar, Tamas Szucs and brother Istvan Bathazi will compete for Hungary in the swimming competition. Tamas Bathazi, Szucs and Istvan Bathazi will all compete in the 800 meter freestyle relay with Szucs also competing in the 200 freestyle. Gaspar is expected to swim the 50 freestyle, 100 butterfly, 400 freestyle relay and 400 medley relay. Gaspar, Szcus and Istvan Bathazi are former All-Americans at South Carolina with Gaspar and Szucs each earning SEC titles in the 2001 season in the 50 freestyle and 200 freestyle respectively.

Junior diver Tracey Richardson, who redshirted last season, is set to dive on the three-meter board for Great Britain. Richardson was an SEC champion and earned All-American honors in the 2002-03 season as a sophomore.