Hajkova Joins Hurricanes for Spring Semester
CORAL GABLES, Fla. – University of Miami head swimming coach Andy Kershaw announced the addition of Karolina Hajkova to the Hurricanes for the spring semester.
Hajkova, a native of Bratislavia, Slovakia with extensive international experience, was a member of the Slovakia National Team and competed at the 2017 World Championships.
“Karolina will be a great addition to our program this semester, and I am confident that her contribution will multiply exponentially every day she spends here,” Kershaw said. “We have talked a lot about what it means to be a Hurricane and to practice and compete with a team-first, person-second attitude. She is very excited to be engaged in that type of approach, and I think she will make those around her better just as they will make her better.”
Hajkova has been a member of Slovakia’s Short Course European Championships team every year since 2013, and finished 15th in the 50-meter backstroke at the European Long Course Championships in 2016.
She holds the Slovakian national record in the 200 backstroke and figures to make an immediate impact at The U.
Hajkova’s top times (short course meter, long course meter, converted to yards) are 27.9/28.7/24.3 in the 50 back, 59.9/1:02.7/53.9 in the 100 back, 2:09.7/2:13.7/1:56.1 in the 200 back and 25.7/26.9/22.5 in the 50 free.
“With backstroke already being one of our deeper events, I can’t wait to see what all of that means for her future,” Kershaw said. “Her talent level fits in well to the ACC, and her experience at elite-level competitions should be a benefit to all of us.”
Miami opens its spring schedule on January 12 for a tri-meet with Alabama and host Florida State in Tallahassee, Fla.
