British breaststroke champion Oscar Bilbao is taking his talents to the United States so he can join the Arizona State University swim program this fall. The experienced international competitor last appeared in the 2023 Commonwealth Youth Games as an English representative. In that event, he won three individual gold medals and a fourth as one leg of the country's 4x100 mixed medley relay team. According to SwimSwam's conversions, the athlete's championship times at the Youth Games would have earned him 3 Top 10 finishes at the most recent Big 12 Swimming and Diving Championships.
A young star ready for the next step
Bilbao's sweep at the Commonwealth Youth Games was a sign that he's ready for stiffer competition. During his youth career, Bilbao did whatever it took to place himself around the best coaching and competition possible. This included moving to Dubai when he was younger to join Hamilton Aquatics. Now, it seems joining the Sun Devils in the United States is the best way for Bilbao to elevate himself to the next level.
As some may know, a spot in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics could be waiting for Oscar if he dominates against the NCAA's best and brightest. In 2024, 1,238 athletes from 253 NCAA universities represented their homelands at the Paris Games. However, none of the United Kingdom's swimmers and divers represented an NCAA school during the competition. This means Bilbao can start a new trend if he is able to make Team Great Britain's prestigious swim squad.
If you want to keep track of Oscar's career at Arizona State, his official team profile can be found here. Also, swimming buffs can visit Bilbao's Swimcloud page to find his past results. Let's root for the future of UK swimming and give the Sun Devils all the love they can get this season!