By Claire Wong on SwimSwam
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Georgia Tech has added a duo of international swimmers to its roster for the upcoming season, bringing the GT’s total number of international swimmers to five entering the 2026–27 season. The additions include Turkey’s Meriç Uygun and Saudi Arabia’s Kawtar El Barodi.
The Yellowjackets took 13th at ACCs this past season, totaling 274 points. Their top three individual scorers were all divers, and their highest scoring swimmer was Nina Stanisavljevic, whose 6 points came from her 19th place finish in the 50 free. Stanisavljevic will not be returning to Georgia Tech for her junior season however, as she has transferred to LSU.
Meriç Uygun
As a Turkish National Team member, Uygun is the highest profile recruit of Georgia Tech’s class of 2030. She most recently competed at the Turkish LC Championships, where she took home gold in the 200 breast with a PB of 2:28.25. She claimed another podium finish thanks to her 2:17.91 200 IM, which was good for third place. Uygun’s other results included a PB in the 400 IM (5:01.35) and a 21st place finish in the 100 breast (1:13.51).
Her time in the 200 IM was a second off her best of 2:17.35, a mark she had set just a week prior at the Acropolis Swim Open. There, Uygun also hit a 0.52 second PB in the 100 breast (1:10.73), dipping under 1:11 for the first time.
Back in December, Uygun had a huge meet at the Turkish Open Age Championships (SCM), becoming a 2x champion and 4x medalist. She won the 200 breast (2:23.39) and 200 IM (2:10.96), and took bronze in the 100 IM (1:01.62) and 400 IM (4:46.52).
Best times LCM (SCY Conversion)
100 breast — 1:10.73 (1:01.3) 200 breast — 2:28.25 (2:09.7)Best times SCM (SCY Conversion)
200 IM — 2:10:96 (1:57.9) 400 IM — 4:46.52 (4:18.1)While conversions are never 100% accurate, Uygun projects to be an immediate difference maker for Georgia Tech. Her SCY converted times would have led GT’s roster in every event last season and scored at ACCs. The cut off times for a B-final were 1:57.7/2:10.1 in the 200 IM and breast, respectively, while a 1:02.2 in the 100 breast and a 4:16.8 in the 400 IM earned second swims.
Uygun will be a huge boost to the Yellow Jackets’ relays as well since their top breaststroker, Anna Deedy, has graduated. Notably, Phoebe Wright, who was their top 200 IMer last season, was also a senior.
Kawtar El Barodi
El Barodi hails from Saudi Arabia and is also a breaststroke specialist. After taking nearly a year off from competing, she swam at the Lausanne Swim Cup in March and swam to three top 25 finishes. She posted a best time in the 50 breast (34.16) and hit times of 1:16.59 in the 100 breast and 2:33.37 in the 200 IM.
Her performance in the 100 breast was around 2 seconds off her 1:14.54 PB, a time she swam at the French Junior Championships back in April of 2025. That’s also the meet her best time in the 200 IM (2:30.25) came from.
The final meet El Barodi swam in 2025 was at the Georgia Senior State Championships in July, where she took 10th in the 200 breast with a best time of 2:44.74 and established her former PB in her 50 breast (34.45). Other highlights from that meet included an 8th place finish in the 100 breast (1:15.97) and a 15th place finish in the 100 free (1:01.04).
Best times LCM (SCY Conversion)
50 breast — 34.16 (29.7) 100 breast — 1:14.54 (1:04.9) 200 breast — 2:44.74 (2:24.81)Like Uygun, El Barodi will provide a much needed boost to GT’s breaststroke group. While her times are not fast enough to score at ACCs, she will add another depth piece; her times would have ranked 4th in both breaststrokes in comparison to Georgia Tech’s roster this past season.
Uygun and El Barodi will be joined by Georgia natives Sophie Hamilton and Julia Pou, along with Greece’s Iliostalakti Salakidou. This five-strong recruiting class comes in after the women had just three freshmen last year and a total of 22 athletes on their roster.
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