Panthers represent at the 2012 Summer Olympics

When the world’s top athletes convene next week in London for the Summer Olympics, Panther Arlene Semeco will be among them. The graduate student and swimmer has qualified for the 50-meter and 100-meter freestyle events as a member of Team Venezuela.

This will be the third Olympics for Semeco, who competed in Athens in 2004 and Beijing in 2008. She made it to the semi-finals in the 50 free in 2008, and says her previous experiences have given her more confidence heading into London.

“I need to practice what I know in the water and do what I do best, which is swim.”

Semeco trains approximately six hours a day – five hours in the pool, divided between morning and afternoon workouts, and one hour of “dry land” work, which consists of weight training or running. She is a member of the Coral Springs Aquatics team and is a teammate of four-time U.S. Olympian Dara Torres.

An all-consuming training schedule makes it difficult to juggle school and swimming, but Semeco has managed to combine the two – literally. A master’s student in dietetics and nutrition, she’s finished her coursework and is completing her master’s research project on the nutrition knowledge and reported food practices/beliefs of adolescent competitive swimmers.

The scholar-athlete’s post-Olympic plans include completing her master’s and becoming a registered dietician. Her ultimate goal is to become a sports nutritionist.

Her immediate plan, however, is to immerse herself in the Olympic experience, soaking it up for perhaps for the last time. Semeco says it has been well worth the years of sacrifice.

“It doesn’t matter where it’s held, the entire city is dedicated and geared toward you, the athlete,” she says. “It’s amazing. Once you get there, the hardest part is over – qualifying. Now you can just enjoy the experience. I have friends around the world, and we meet every four years at the Olympics. It’s just really special.”

Semeco won’t be the only Panther at the Olympics. Keep your eye out for these FIU alumni who will be competing in London:

Iva Ciglar

Former FIU point guard Iva Ciglar ’08 helped the Croatian women’s basketball team make history. Her nine points in the second half against Canada helped lead Croatia to a 59-56 win against Canada and its first-ever spot in the Olympics. Ciglar finished her FIU career fifth in three-pointers made (120) and fourth in assists (399).

Ifeoma Dieke

Defender Ifeoma Dieke ’03 will be hitting the pitch for Great Britain. A member of Scotland’s national women’s soccer team, Dieke is American born but moved to Scotland with her family when she was 3 years old. She plays currently for Vittsjo GIK of the Swedish Damallsvenskan. She earned first team All Sun Belt Conference honors while playing soccer for FIU.

Ronald Forbes

Ronald Forbes ‘08 will be representing the Cayman Islands in the 110-meter hurdles. This will be his second appearance at the Olympic Games. Forbes, who trains in Miami, is looking to improve upon his performance in Beijing where he made it to the quarter-final round. While competing for FIU, he earned All-American honors in the 110-meter hurdles.

Architecture alumna Ileana Rodriguez ’08, M.Arch ’11 will fulfill a childhood dream next week when she slips into the pool at the Aquatic Centre in London and competes for Team USA in the 2012 Paralympic Games. The two-time FIU grad expects to swim in the 100 freestyle and 100 breaststroke events.

The Cuban native has spent the last two-and-a-half years living and training at the U.S. Olympic Training Center (USOTC) in Colorado Springs.

Ileana Rodriguez

“It’s interesting. I’ve always thought of myself as ‘the little Cuban,’ but here I am training with the best athletes in the world. Sometimes it seems surreal,” said Rodriguez, shortly after being named to Team USA in July. “Michael Phelps was here the other day, and he was kidding around with me. I went back to my room and pinched myself.”

Rodriguez had a taste of representing her country in 2011 when she competed in the Pan American Games. She’s looking forward to representing America again.

“I’m very proud to represent the United States,” she said. “This is the country that has given me the opportunity to pursue my dreams. I love Cuba, but I’m happy to represent the United States.”