Krystal Lara

Krystal Denise Lara (born March 18, 1998) is a Dominican competitive swimmer who specializes in the 100 butterfly, 100 backstroke, and 200 backstroke. Her first international debut was at the 2018 Central American and Caribbean Games where she won a bronze and silver medal in the 100 and 200 backstroke respectively.

Krystal Lara
Personal information
Full nameKrystal Denise Lara
National teamDominican Republic
BornMarch 18, 1998
Staten Island, New York
Alma materStuyvesant High School
Height5ft 5in (165 cm)
Sport
SportSwimming
Event(s)Butterfly and Backstroke
College teamNorthwestern University
ClubAsphalt Green Unified Aquatics (Eastside)

Early life

Lara was born in Staten Island, New York, and is the daughter of Frederick and Alexandra Lara. She has double nationality through her father who is Dominican. Her mother was born and raised in Colombia. Lara attended Stuyvesant High School in New York City and was a member of the swim club Asphalt Green Unified Aquatics. She holds multiple records in her high school swim team, the Stuyvesant Penguins, where she was known as "Krystal the Pistol." She is currently a student-athlete at Northwestern University on an athletic scholarship. [1] [2]

Career

Lara's first national stage was at the 2016 U.S. Olympic Trials where she qualified in the 100 meter backstroke. She placed 86th with a time of 1.03.59.[3]

At her first 2018 Campeonatos Nacionales FEDONA, Dominican Republic Swimming Nationals, Lara broke 5 national records which include the 100 freestyle, 50 backstroke, 100 backstroke, 200 backstroke, and 100 butterfly. [4] She re-broke these records at the 2018 Central American and Caribbean Games in Barranquilla, Colombia. Lara won bronze in the 100 backstroke, clocking a 1.01.39, just 0.05 shy from silver and 0.09 from gold. In the 200 backstroke she won silver with a time of 2.13.82, also 0.12 away from gold. Lara missed the podium in the 100 butterfly, placing fourth with a time of 1.00.48. [5]

Lara broke a 28 year medal drought when she won the bronze medal in the 100 backstroke. [6] She also became the first Dominican swimmer in history to win a silver medal in these games. [7]

References
  1. Waggoner, Jim. "Stuyvesant senior swimmer Krystal Lara signs with Northwestern". SI Live. Staten Island Advance. Retrieved 6 August 2018.
  2. Remnick, Noah (March 27, 2016). "Her Parents Thought Swimming Lessons Were a Good Idea". The New York Times. Retrieved 2 August 2018.
  3. D'Amodio, Joe. "Islander Krystal Lara places 86th at U.S. Swimming Trials". SI Live. Staten Island Advance. Retrieved 2 August 2018.
  4. Bienvenido, Carmona. "Krystal Lara impone récords en el Campeonato Nacional de Natación 2018". El Nacional. El Nacional. Retrieved 5 August 2018.
  5. "Central American and Caribbean Games Swimming Results". Resultados. Retrieved 5 August 2018.
  6. Martinez, Rafael. "Krystal Lara gana bronce en natación tras 28 años sin medallas en Juegos Centroamericanos". El Nacional. El Nacional. Retrieved 5 August 2018.
  7. Caceres, Jose. "Krystal Lara gana plata en 200 m dorso". Hoy Digital. Hoy Digital. Retrieved 5 August 2018.
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