Why Experience Matters With a Pool Contractor: Philippines National Record Holder Gian Santos (2024) Commits to Columbia

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Filipino-American swimmer Gian Santos is headed to Columbia University to swim for the Lions in the class of 2028 next fall. Santos lives in Rancho Santa Margarita, California, and represents the Philippines in international competition. He specializes in sprint, mid-distance, and distance freestyle and in the 200/400 IM. Santos hold the Boys 16-18 NAG Record in the Philippines for the 400 IM (4:31.50).

His family shared with SwimSwam that Santos committed to Columbia last summer after Junior Nationals but wasn’t able to visit the campus until the completion of Junior World Championships. They had a memorable adventure in Jerusalem looking for the Lion’s Gate – one of the seven gates of the Old City – which they had to walk “quite a distance to find.” (The second photo in his Instagram post is the result of their efforts.)

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Santos is wrapping up his senior year at Tesoro High School, where he was captain of the swimming and diving team in 2023-24. At the recent CIF-Southern Section Division 1 Championships, he placed 4th in the 200 free (with a PB of 1:36.85) and 4th in the 500 free (4:29.63).

Santos swam for the Philippines at the 2023 World Aquatics Junior Swimming Championships in Netanya, Israel, last September. Philippines swam as NIA (Neutral Individual Athletes) which meant they could swim relays. (By contrast, their Fukuoka swimmers were classified SMF – Suspended Member Federation). Santos competed in prelims of the 50 free, 200 free, 400 free, 200 breast, 200 IM, and 400 IM and contributed to the mixed free relay that set a Philippines Junior National record.

Best SCY times:

400 IM – 3:55.39
200 IM – 1:50.45
200 free – 1:36.85
500 free – 4:26.53
50 free – 20.66
100 free – 45.38

Santos swims club for Irvine Novaquatics. He is a USA Swimming Scholastic All-American and a NISCA All-American. He will join Holden Carter, Jerry Yan, Ryan Makouar, and Stephen Zhukov in the Columbia class of 2028 next fall.

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