Former Coronado High School swim standout Samuel Quarles, who is now a University of California, Berkeley Golden Bear swimmer, will be competing in the 2024 U.S. Olympic Team Trials on June 21 in Indianapolis.
“To be going to the Olympic Trials is really a dream come true,” Quarles said.
“To be going to the Olympic Trials is really a dream come true,”
Samuel Quarles
After a successful career swimming for the Islanders, Quarles accepted a scholarship offer to UC Berkeley over the University of Texas, the University of Florida, the University of Southern California, and the University of Virginia.
Quarles credited his time with the Islanders with teaching him valuable lessons that he has applied during his time competing in the now defunct Pac-12.
“While I was at Coronado I learned a lot about camaraderie from the team aspect but I also learned a lot about attention to detail,” he said.
This learned attention to detail is not just applicable to his collegiate career. The rising college sophomore has been putting this philosophy into practice during his training back home on the island with Sea to Desert Swim Association.
“…the regimen has definitely been intense,” he said. “Before getting into my taper, or rest period, I was doing eight swims and three lifts per week and now I am doing six swims and some out of water work all for about two hours each.”
This type of intense dedication to his craft is what has helped Quarles continue to separate himself from the pack, even with the higher level of competition at the Division I level.
“I finaled in all of my events at conference championships,” Quarles said of his freshman season at UC Berkeley. “I was 19.84 in the 50 which was my first time under 20 and I was 46.22 in the 100 fly for a best time as well. [I] had a great time getting to know my class and meet people from around the world while truly learning how to balance academics.”
At the Olympic Trials, Quarles will compete in the 100-meter butterfly and potentially take a shot at the time trial 50-meter freestyle, which he said he aims to race in under 53 seconds.
Quarles said the opportunity to compete at this level is not something he takes lightly.
“Since I was little I have wanted the chance to compete with the best in the world and this meet really is the fastest meet outside of the Olympic Games,” he said.
