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Casper Puggaard from Kastrup, a suburb of Copenhagen, Denmark, has signed a contract to swim and study at the University of California, Berkeley, beginning next fall. He wrote on social media:
“I am thrilled to finally announce my verbal commitment to continue my academic and athletic career at University of California, Berkeley! The recruiting period has been a long, but amazing journey, and I cannot thank everybody, that has been a part of it enough… THANK YOU ALL! It is something I will never forget. A big thank you to my family and friends for their guidance to get me where I am today, and an even bigger thank you to my Mom for helping me, supporting me, and being there for me both in my high and lows. I could not have done it without you! A big thank you to all the coaches at Berkeley especially Coach Dave, for giving me the opportunity to be a part of the team at Cal, to become a bear🐻 Looking forward to be swimming with the amazing team Cal has to offer! GO BEARS 💛🐻💙”
Puggaard set a Danish national and Nordic record in the LCM 100 fly in July 2024 at the Danish Championships, winning with 51.50. He had become the first Danish swimmer to break 52 seconds in the 100 fly at the 2024 Danish Open in April, when he clocked a 51.87 in prelims. He is also the Danish Junior record-holder in the 50 fly (23.49) and a member of the Danish squad that broke the Nordic record in the 4×100 medley relay (he split 50.8 on the fly leg) at the 2024 European Championships in June.
In 2023, Puggaard represented Denmark at both the European Junior Championships in Belgrade and World Junior Championships in Netanya. At Euro Juniors, he won the 50 fly (23.67) and 100 fly (52.67) and was a member of the winning mixed 4×100 medley and the runner-up men’s 4×100 medley relays. At Junior Worlds, he won the 50 fly (23.50) and 100 fly (52.30).
The 20-year-old Puggaard will suit up with Caiden Bowers, Dar Lavrenko, Ian Platts-Mills, Julien Rousseau, Kenneth Barnicle, Matteo Palmisani, Norvin Clontz, Ryan Erisman, Martin Wrede, Max Goettsch, and Nathan Wiffen next fall. His converted 100 fly time would be Cal’s second-fastest so far this season, behind only Dare Rose (44.55), and it would have been just .14 shy of qualifying for the B final at last year’s NCAA Championships. Rose is in his fifth and final year at Cal, so Puggaard will fill an immediate need upon arrival.
Best LCM times (converted)
- 50 fly – 23.49 (20.53)
- 100 fly – 51.50 (45.13)
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