Maritza Correia
Encyclopedia
Maritza Correia (born December 23, 1981) is an Olympic-swimmer from the United States
. When she qualified for the USA Olympic Team in 2004, she became the first Puerto Rican
of African descent to be on the USA Olympic Swimming Team. She also became the first Black
United States
swimmer to set an American and World swimming record.
. Her parents, Vincent and Anne, had moved there from Guyana
. In 1988, when Correia was seven years old, she was diagnosed with severe scoliosis
. Her doctor recommended that Maritza take swimming classes and use swimming as a treatment for her condition. In 1990, her family moved and settled in Tampa, Florida
.
Correia attended Tampa Bay Technical High School and joined the school's swimming team. In 1999, she became the U.S. National Champion in the 50m freestyle in the 18 and under category. She was also a six time Florida High School State Champion in the 5 different events. Correia was a member of the 1997 USA National Junior Team that competed in Sweden
and of the 1999 USA Short Course World Championship Team which competed in Hong Kong
.
In 1999, Correia joined the University of Georgia
Lady Bulldogs Swimming and Diving Team. She aided the team when they won their title in the 400m freestyle relay. She earned a share of the SEC Commissioner's Trophy for high point honors. First and only swimmer in SEC history to win an SEC title in all Freestyle events. During her college career she was a 27-time All-American, and 11 Time NCAA Champion
in Sydney. She went to the Olympic Trials, but she missed making the team. This was one of the lowest points of her career; she suffered depression
, became disappointed at the sport of swimming, and needed psychological help. However, a 2000 Team USA member who remains very close friends with her, along with a psychologist, helped her come out of her depression, and re-emerge as a top swimmer.
In 2001, Correia won a gold medal in the 800m freestyle and two bronze medals in the medley and 400m freestyle relay as a member of the U.S. Team at the 2001 World Championship celebrated in Japan
.
In 2002, Correia became the national champion in both the 50y and 100y freestyle and was a member of two winning relay teams at the NCAA
Championships celebrated in Austin, Texas
. She set the NCAA, American and U.S. Open records with a time of 21.69 in the 50 y freestyle, surpassing Amy Van Dyken
's mark of 21.77 set in 1994. She earned seven All-America
n certificates and she was awarded the Commissioner's Cup as the high point scorer in the SEC Championships.
In 2003, Correia earned a gold medal swimming on prelim 400 m free relay at the World Championships. In 2004, she won a gold medal swimming prelims at the 400 m free relay at the Short Course World Championships and earned an Olympic silver medal swimming prelims of the 400m free relay at the 2004 Olympic Games celebrated in Athens, Greece.
as a Sociology major and graduated in 2005. In 2005 she won three golds at the 2005 Summer Universiade
in Izmir, Turkey.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. When she qualified for the USA Olympic Team in 2004, she became the first Puerto Rican
Puerto Rican citizenship
Puerto Rican citizenship was first legislated by the U.S. Congress in Article 7 of the Foraker Act of 1900 and later recognized by the Puerto Rican constitution...
of African descent to be on the USA Olympic Swimming Team. She also became the first Black
Black people
The term black people is used in systems of racial classification for humans of a dark skinned phenotype, relative to other racial groups.Different societies apply different criteria regarding who is classified as "black", and often social variables such as class, socio-economic status also plays a...
United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
swimmer to set an American and World swimming record.
Early years
Correia was born and raised in San Juan, Puerto RicoSan Juan, Puerto Rico
San Juan , officially Municipio de la Ciudad Capital San Juan Bautista , is the capital and most populous municipality in Puerto Rico, an unincorporated territory of the United States. As of the 2010 census, it had a population of 395,326 making it the 46th-largest city under the jurisdiction of...
. Her parents, Vincent and Anne, had moved there from Guyana
Guyana
Guyana , officially the Co-operative Republic of Guyana, previously the colony of British Guiana, is a sovereign state on the northern coast of South America that is culturally part of the Anglophone Caribbean. Guyana was a former colony of the Dutch and of the British...
. In 1988, when Correia was seven years old, she was diagnosed with severe scoliosis
Scoliosis
Scoliosis is a medical condition in which a person's spine is curved from side to side. Although it is a complex three-dimensional deformity, on an X-ray, viewed from the rear, the spine of an individual with scoliosis may look more like an "S" or a "C" than a straight line...
. Her doctor recommended that Maritza take swimming classes and use swimming as a treatment for her condition. In 1990, her family moved and settled in Tampa, Florida
Tampa, Florida
Tampa is a city in the U.S. state of Florida. It serves as the county seat for Hillsborough County. Tampa is located on the west coast of Florida. The population of Tampa in 2010 was 335,709....
.
Correia attended Tampa Bay Technical High School and joined the school's swimming team. In 1999, she became the U.S. National Champion in the 50m freestyle in the 18 and under category. She was also a six time Florida High School State Champion in the 5 different events. Correia was a member of the 1997 USA National Junior Team that competed in Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
and of the 1999 USA Short Course World Championship Team which competed in Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
.
In 1999, Correia joined the University of Georgia
University of Georgia
The University of Georgia is a public research university located in Athens, Georgia, United States. Founded in 1785, it is the oldest and largest of the state's institutions of higher learning and is one of multiple schools to claim the title of the oldest public university in the United States...
Lady Bulldogs Swimming and Diving Team. She aided the team when they won their title in the 400m freestyle relay. She earned a share of the SEC Commissioner's Trophy for high point honors. First and only swimmer in SEC history to win an SEC title in all Freestyle events. During her college career she was a 27-time All-American, and 11 Time NCAA Champion
Olympics
Correia hoped to participate at the 2000 Summer Olympics2000 Summer Olympics
The Sydney 2000 Summer Olympic Games or the Millennium Games/Games of the New Millennium, officially known as the Games of the XXVII Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event which was celebrated between 15 September and 1 October 2000 in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia...
in Sydney. She went to the Olympic Trials, but she missed making the team. This was one of the lowest points of her career; she suffered depression
Clinical depression
Major depressive disorder is a mental disorder characterized by an all-encompassing low mood accompanied by low self-esteem, and by loss of interest or pleasure in normally enjoyable activities...
, became disappointed at the sport of swimming, and needed psychological help. However, a 2000 Team USA member who remains very close friends with her, along with a psychologist, helped her come out of her depression, and re-emerge as a top swimmer.
In 2001, Correia won a gold medal in the 800m freestyle and two bronze medals in the medley and 400m freestyle relay as a member of the U.S. Team at the 2001 World Championship celebrated in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
.
In 2002, Correia became the national champion in both the 50y and 100y freestyle and was a member of two winning relay teams at the NCAA
National Collegiate Athletic Association
The National Collegiate Athletic Association is a semi-voluntary association of 1,281 institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals that organizes the athletic programs of many colleges and universities in the United States...
Championships celebrated in Austin, Texas
Austin, Texas
Austin is the capital city of the U.S. state of :Texas and the seat of Travis County. Located in Central Texas on the eastern edge of the American Southwest, it is the fourth-largest city in Texas and the 14th most populous city in the United States. It was the third-fastest-growing large city in...
. She set the NCAA, American and U.S. Open records with a time of 21.69 in the 50 y freestyle, surpassing Amy Van Dyken
Amy Van Dyken
Amy Van Dyken is an American swimmer who has six career Olympic gold medals. Four of these gold medals came in the 1996 Summer Olympics, making her the first American woman to accomplish such a feat and the most successful athlete at the 1996 Summer Olympics...
's mark of 21.77 set in 1994. She earned seven All-America
All-America
An All-America team is an honorary sports team composed of outstanding amateur players—those considered the best players of a specific season for each team position—who in turn are given the honorific "All-America" and typically referred to as "All-American athletes", or simply...
n certificates and she was awarded the Commissioner's Cup as the high point scorer in the SEC Championships.
In 2003, Correia earned a gold medal swimming on prelim 400 m free relay at the World Championships. In 2004, she won a gold medal swimming prelims at the 400 m free relay at the Short Course World Championships and earned an Olympic silver medal swimming prelims of the 400m free relay at the 2004 Olympic Games celebrated in Athens, Greece.
Currently
Correia attended the University of GeorgiaUniversity of Georgia
The University of Georgia is a public research university located in Athens, Georgia, United States. Founded in 1785, it is the oldest and largest of the state's institutions of higher learning and is one of multiple schools to claim the title of the oldest public university in the United States...
as a Sociology major and graduated in 2005. In 2005 she won three golds at the 2005 Summer Universiade
Swimming at the 2005 Summer Universiade
The swimming competition during the 2005 Summer Universiade, also known as the XXIV Summer Universiade, took place in the Manisa Özel Ýdare Swimming Complex in Izmir, Turkey from August 12 till August 17, 2005. The swimming competition is one of the fourteen sports of the 23rd Universiade...
in Izmir, Turkey.
Highlights
- 2004 Olympic Silver Medalist- 400FR
- First African American Female to make the US Olympic Swim team
- 2000 NCAA Champion, 200 m free, 400 m free, 400 m MR
- 2001 NCAA Champion 800 y Free Relay
- 2002 NCAA Champion 50 y free, 100 y free, 200 y free relay, 400 y free relay
- 2003 NCAA Champion 50 y Free, 100 Free
- All-American 2000-03- 27 time All American
- World Record Holder in the 400MR SCM at 2000 NCAA Championships
- American, NCAA, U.S. Open Record Holder 50 y freestyle 21.69 in 2002
- American, NCAA, U.S. Open Record Holder 200 y freestyle relay 1:28.74 in 2002
- American, NCAA, U.S. Open Record Holder 400 y freestyle relay 3:13.71 in 2002
- 2001 and 2003- Two time world Champion in 400 Free Relay
- 2005 Four Gold Medals at the World University Games- 50 free, 400 FR, 400MR, and 800 FR
- 2006 Silver Medalist at World Championships- 100 Free
- 2007- Two time Pan American Games Champion- 400 FR and 400 MR
See also
- List of famous Puerto Ricans
- Pan American Games records in swimmingPan American Games records in swimmingListed below is a complete list of the Pan American Games records in swimming, ratified by the Pan American Sports Organization .-Men:-Women:...
External links
- USA Swimming
- Swim Champions Fitter and Faster Tour - www.swimchampions.com/champions/detail/maritza-correia/
- Arluck Promotions Agency - www.arluckpromotions.com/athlete-management/.../maritza-correia/
- Parting the Waters- http://www.dotellproductions.com/