| Swimmer Jon Wong a man of three countries |
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| Written by Noah Finz | |
| Wednesday, September 19, 2007 | |
 Of all the UConn athletes competing at the international level this summer, all but one of them represented the United States. That one exception is swimmer Jon Wong, who comes to UConn from Canada, but represented Jamaica in this summer's Pan American Games.
"It was actually an experience of a lifetime, I loved it," said Jon, who hopes to have more international competition. Jon's quite an international guy. He goes to school here in the states, his family lives in Toronto, but they still have a home in Jamaica where Jon was born. It's why Jon swims for the Jamaican national team. "I have a bunch of coaches that are helping me out all along the way." "He was so fortunate to qualify," said UConn swimming and diving head coach Bob Goldberg. "He just put everything together in Canada this summer, came off a great year of training here, and was able to get the spot for Jamaica and compete against the best in the world at the Pan Am games -- It just brings a whole new dimension to our program." Wong's event is the 200 meter freestyle. He posted the best time in all of Jamaica and finished in the top 20 at the Pan Am games. It's an accomplishment the sophomore swimmer realizes is a pretty big deal. "I actually got a moment like that, like once I got home, as soon as I got home a bunch of family and my friends would all be like, how was the Pan America games, and I really got to thinking, wow it was a really big deal. I loved it. I never felt anything like that." "The best thing Jon brings to us is just a real zest for life," says Goldberg. "He is just a kid who is always upbeat and ready to go. Loves to train, loves to work hard, wants to be a doctor, all the right things. Just a joy to have in the program." The men's swim team opens their 2007-2008 season with the Husky Invitational on October 13th. |
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