Pedro Oliveira

Class:
Sophomore
Hometown:
Rio Maior, Portugal
High School:
Augusto Cesar da Silva Ferreira

Junior: Pedro returns to the Cardinal lineup after a summer that included him competing in the World University Games Oliveira was a major point producer for the Cards in 2010-11. He swam the third leg of the record-setting 400-medley relay team at the NCAA Championships, recording a split time of 47.87. He was named the BIG EAST Swimmer of the Week during the week of Nov. 10. During the BIG EAST Championships, he competed in the 200- and 400-medley relays, the 500-free, the 200-back, and the 200-fly. He swam the butterfly leg of the 200- and 400-medley relay teams and helped lead both to first-place finishes. In the 200, he had the fastest split time of 21.99, and in the 400, his split of 48.46 was third best in the field. Oliveira swam to a fifth-place finish in the 500-free with a time of 4:25.24. In the 200-back, he touched in third at 1:44.56. Oliveira added another first-place finish in the 200-fly with a time of 1:45.23. All of these finishes made the national B-cut. Oliveira ended the year as a four-time All-BIG EAST performer.

Sophomore: Pedro qualified for his second straight NCAA. He finished 16th in the 200-fly with a time of 1:44.35 and 12th in the 400 medley relay with the team time of 3:09.88 in Columbus, Ohio. He is has a 24th world ranking in 2010 in the 200 butterfly with a time of 1:56.16. Pedro is also the Portuguese national record holder in the 200-butterfly and the 200 backstroke with times of 1:56.16 and 2:00.62 respectively. At the European Swimming Championship in Budapest, Hungary last summer, Pedro finished 16th in the 200-backstroke with a time of 2:02.13 (LCM). Pedro was named All-BIG EAST with three league crowns to his credit. He swam the 800-freestyle relay with a 1:38.32 split and a total team time of 6:29.99 for second place. He swam the butterfly leg of the 400-medley relay with a time of 48.06 and a total time of 3:10.95, coming in first place. In the 200-backstroke he finished second with a time of 1:45.27. He won the 200 butterfly with a time of 1:45.35. All of the times posted by Pedro qualified for the national B cut.

Freshman: Swimming for his native Portugal, Pedro swam in the 2009 FINA World Championships in Rome. He finished 14th in the world in the 200-meter fly with a new national record of 1:56.17. He also swam the 200-meter backstroke with a time 2:01.49 and set a personal best of 56.69. Pedro earned All-BIG EAST honors as a freshman. He set three school records in his first year as a Card. He set the new school mark in the 200-fly when he won the BIG EAST with a time of 1:43.51. He also set a school record in the 200-back when he won in 1:44.8. He also helped set a school record as part of the 800-free relay, swimming third with a split of 1:38.28 as the Cardinals posted a 6:30.69 and finished as runnerup. At the NCAA's, he finished 16th. He also was named a BIG EAST Swimmer of the Week.

Prior to U of L: Pedro arrived at Louisville as a 2008 Beijing Olympian where he swam for Portugal and finished 24th in the 200-meter fly. He qualified for the Olympics at the Melbourne World Championships in 2007. He qualified 28th in 200-back (2:00.62) and set national record for Portugal in 200-m back. He has extensive international experience having competed in the Portuguese Nationals, the World Championships and the Beijing Olympics. He is the national champion in the 200-fly (LCM) and the 200-back (2:03.06 LCM). He swam for Swim Club CN Rio Maior in Rio Maior, Portugal for Coach Vladimir Smirnov. He won two silver medals in the European Junior Championships in the 200-back in both 2005 and 2006.

Personal: He is the son of Antonio and Albertina Oliveira. He was born January 7, 1988. He is majoring in exercise science.