Personal information | |
---|---|
Full name | Ismael Jafet Ortiz Zuñiga |
Nickname(s) | Da Ish |
Nationality | Panama |
Born | October 22, 1982 Panama City, Panama |
Height | 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) |
Weight | 73 kg (160 lb) |
Sport | |
Sport | Swimming |
Stroke(s) | Freestyle |
Club | Pine Crest Swim Club (USA) |
College team | Drury University (2005-'07) |
Ismael Jafet Ortiz Zuñiga (born October 22, 1982 in Panama City) is a swimmer from Panama. He participated in the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens,[1] competing in the Men's 100-meter Freestyle. His heat time was 51.74 seconds, which was not enough to advance to the semi-finals. Ortiz also represented his native country at the World Championships (long course) in 2001 and 2003.
"...I found out I wasn’t going when I read the newspaper! How do you think one feels when your own country doesn’t even tell you that you’re not going?"
Despite qualifying to represent Panama in the 2008 Olympics with a time below 23.00 seconds, domestic political circumstances prevented him from competing in the games, causing a small public outcry in his home country.[2][3]
He swam for the USA's Drury University from 2005-2007.[4] He graduated with a degree in Fine Art in 2008, and currently teaches youth swimming in Miami.[5]
Ortiz is also an avid sailor according to the Dever post. His skills are leaps and bounds above of the typical Drury Swimmer.