Students from Bolles Compete in Olympics

JACKSONVILLE, FL -- Several current and former students from the River City are now in Beijing swimming in the Summer Olympics.

Two current students at the Bolles School as well as eight alumni are all competing in the 2008 Olympic swimming competitions.

Swimmers with ties to Bolles, have competed at every Summer Olympics since 1972. Prior to this year, there were 76 Bolles students and alumni that competed in the games since 1972.

In that time, swimmers from the Bolles School have won a total of 13 gold, silver and bronze Olympic Medals.

Many of the Bolles students and alumni are representing their home countries. Most of the students came to the United States to attend school at the Bolles School and live on campus as part of the boarding program.

Bolles senior, Ryan Arabejo, is representing the Philippines in Men's 1500 meter freestyle. Another Bolles senior, Danielle Beaubrun, is swimming for St. Lucia in the Women's 100 meter breaststroke.

2002 Bolles graduate, George Bovell is swimming for Trinidad and Tobago in the Men's 100 meter freestyle and the Men's 50 meter freestyle.

Nicholas Bovell, '04,' is swimming for Trinidad and Tobago in the men's 200 meter individual medley.

Anja Carman, who graduated in 2004 is competing in the Women's 100 meter backstroke and the Women's 200 meter backstroke for Slovenia.

Rodion Davelaar, who graduated from Bolles in May is swimming in the Men's 50 meter freestyle for the Netherlands Antilles.

Recent Bolles grad, Nimrod Shapira Bar-Or is representing Isreal in the Men's 200 meter freestyle and Men's 100 meter freestyle.

Arianna Vanderpool, who graduated from Bolles in May, is swimming for the Bahamas in the Women's 100 meter freestyle and Women's 50 meter freestyle.

Shaune Fraser, a 2006 Bolles graduation is representing the Cayman Islands in three events: Men's 200 meter freestyle, Men's 100 meter freestyle, Men's 100 meter butterfly.

2005 Bolles graduate, Yi Ting Siow is representing Malaysia in the Women's 200 meter individual medley and the Women's 200 meter backstroke.

There are two swimmers who trained as part of the Bolles Sharks swimming team who are also in the Olympic games. Omar Pinzon is swimming for Colombia in five different swimming events. Daniel Coakly is representing the Philippines in the Men's 50 meter freestyle.

There are also several 2008 Olympic coaches who are current or former coaches for the Bolles School swim team.

Current Bolles Head Coach Sergio Lopez, who is an olympic medalist, is the head coach for the Netherland Antilles.

Former Bolles Head Coach Gregg Troy is the assistant coach for the USA's mens swimming team.

Bolles assistant coach Jason Calanog is the assistant coach for the Philippines team.

People on the First Coast can keep track of the Bolles swimmers by clicking here for updates.

Or get the inside details of what it is like to be at the 2008 Summer Olympics by reading the Bolles blog with entries from the swimmers and coaches. Click here to read the blog.