Gianluca Urlando is a competitive swimmer who represents the US internationally.
College (Georgia)
2020-2021
At his first SEC Championships, Urlando won his first SEC title in the 200 fly (1:40.93) and placed 4th in the 200 IM (1:42.81) and 100 fly (45.15). He also swam on Georgia’s 3rd place 800 free relay, 2nd place 200 free relay, and 4th place 400 free relay.
At the NCAA Championships, he placed 8th in the 100 fly (44.99) and 4th in the 200 fly (1:39.75). He also swam on UGA’s 200, 400, and 80o free and 400 medley relays.
2021-2022
Luca’s momentum continued during his sophomore year. At the SEC Champs, he took wins in the 200 IM (1:41.19), 100 fly (44.41), and 200 fly (1:39.00).
He carried that into the NCAA Championships, where he placed 3rd in the 200 IM (1:39.22), 2nd in the 100 fly (43.80), and 2nd in the 200 fly (1:38.82), all personal bests. Surprisingly, Luca’s most exciting swim didn’t come in an individual race. Leading off Georgia’s 400 medley relay (which went on to place 12th overall), Urlando swam a 43.35 100 back, breaking the NCAA, US Open, and American record in the event.
National/International Competition
2018 Summer Nationals
In Irvine at the 2018 Summer Nats, Gianluca had a breakout meet, highlighted by a 3rd place finish in the 200 fly on night 1 of the competition. His time of 1:55.21 was the 2nd fastest ever done by a 15-16 year old in the event, trailing only Michael Phelps (1:54.58). With this performance he qualified for the Junior Pan Pacs team.
2018 Jr Pan Pacific Championships
In Fiji, Urlando won gold medals in the 100 and 200 fly as well as the 400 medley and mixed medley relays. In the 100 fly, his winning time of 52.40 broke the 15-16 NAG in the event. He also finished 2nd in the 200 IM (2:00.60) behind Carson Foster and led off the 4×200 free relay B squad in a best time of 1:50.08.
2018 Winter Junior Nationals – West
Urlando finished out his sensational year in Austin, where he won and set National Age Group Records for 15-16 in the 100 fly (45.62), 100 back (45.66), and 200 fly (1:40.91, breaking Michael Phelp’s NAG of 1:42.10). He also claimed gold in the 200 IM (1:42.99) and went best times in the 200 free (1:34.38), 50 free (20.01, 5th), and 200 back (1:42.11). The 4×200 free relay he led off also broke the 15-16 NAG.
2018 15-16 Male Swimmer of the Year
For his accomplishments in the pool, Gianluca Urlando was awarded the Swimmer of the Year Swammy Award for the 15-16 Male category.
2019 College Station Sectionals
Swimming on the opening night of the College Station Sectionals, Urlando led off DART’s 800 free relay with a 1:47.73. That took almost 8-tenths of a second off the old record of 1:48.57 that was set just a year ago by another high school phenom: Carson Foster of the Mason Manta Rays in Ohio. He also posted times of 1:55.76 200 fly, 52.51 in the 100 fly, 49.97 in the 100 free (relay lead off), and 2:00.34 (personal best) in the 200 IM.
2019 Mel Zajac Jr. International
In Vancouver at the Mel Zajac Jr. International in June, 2019, Luca Urlando dropped a huge personal best in the 200 fly, clocking a 1:54.35. This was not only far-and-away the top time done by an American so far that season, but it was also the fastest time done by an American since Michael Phelps‘ gold medal winning swim at the 2016 Olympic Games.
2019 TYR Pro Swim – Clovis
At what was close to a home meet for Urlando, he made it count. The 17-year-old went another best time in the 200 fly, this time in a new boys 17-18 National Age Group Record of 1:53.84. The swim lowered an iconic record that had stood since 2003 – Michael Phelps clocked a 1:53.93 in the semi-finals at the 2003 World Championships. This marked Urlando as the third fastest American in history, only trailing Phelps (1:51.51 – WR) and Tyler Clary (1:53.64), as well as 11th all-time.
2019 National Championships
At the 2019 National Championships, Urlando won his first long course national title, touching 1st in the 200 fly with a time of 1:54.92 to win by over 1 second. Urlando also placed 9th in the 200 free with a personal best of 1:46.51 and 8th in the 100 fly in 52.31. These showings qualified him to swim all 3 of those events individually at the 2019 World Junior Championships.
2019 World Junior Championships
Before the start of the meet, Urlando was voted as 1 of 5 captains for the USA’s roster.
On day 1, Urlando swam on the 4×100 free relay in finals, where he split 48.73 on the 2nd leg to help break the world junior record in a time of 3:15.80. On day 2, Urlando won his 1st individual gold of the meet, touching first in the 200 free in a time of 1:46.97.
On day 3, Urlando helped USA to gold once again, this time leading off the mixed 4×100 free relay in 49.66 en route to a new world junior record of 3:25.92. The next day, Urlando was 2nd on the 4×200 free relay, which broke another world junior record. Urlando split 1:47.13 en route to a final time of 7:08.37.
Urlando rounded out his individual swims with a win in the 200 fly, touching for a gold medal performance in 1:55.02.
2019 Swammy Awards
For his accomplishments in 2019, Urlando earned the Age Group Swimmer of the Year (17-18) Swammy Award.
2022 World Championship Trials
On Day 1 in Greensboro, Urlando made his first Senior international team, winning the 200 fly in a time of 1:54.10 and qualifying for World Championships. He also went on to place 8th in the 200 free (1:47.99) and 5th in the 100 fly (51.76).
