David López-Zubero facts for kids
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Born | 11 February 1959 Syracuse, New York |
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| Height | 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 75 kg (165 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Sport | Swimming | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Strokes | Freestyle, Butterfly | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Club | Club Náutico Metropole | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| College team | University of Florida | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Medal record
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David López-Zubero Purcell (born 11 February 1959), also known as David Zubero, is a famous former competitive swimmer. He proudly represented Spain in three Summer Olympics. He won a bronze medal at the 1980 Olympic Games. David was born in the United States. He swam for Spain in international events. He has citizenship in both Spain and America.
Contents
Early Life and School
David Zubero was born in Syracuse, New York. He went to the Bolles School in Jacksonville, Florida. At Bolles, he was part of the high school swim team. He finished school there in 1977.
College Swimming Career
David then went to the University of Florida in Gainesville, Florida. He joined the Florida Gators swimming and diving team. He swam for the Gators from 1977 to 1981. His coach was Randy Reese. David competed in the 200-yard individual medley finals every year.
In 1979, David was part of the Gators' 800-yard freestyle relay team. They set an American record. They also tied the NCAA (National Collegiate Athletics Association) record. This team won the national title for that event. In 1981, he was on another national championship 800-yard freestyle relay team. During his four years as a Gator swimmer, David earned fourteen All-American honors. This means he was recognized as one of the best college athletes in the country.
David graduated from the University of Florida in 1983. He earned a degree in microbiology and cell science. In 2002, he was added to the University of Florida Athletic Hall of Fame. This is a special honor for great athletes from the university.
Olympic and International Achievements
David Zubero represented Spain in three Summer Olympics in a row. He started with the 1976 Olympics. At the 1980 Summer Olympics in Moscow, he won a bronze medal. This was for the 100-meter butterfly event. He also swam in the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. There, he tied for twelfth place in the 100-meter butterfly. He also swam for the Spanish men's team in the 4x100-meter freestyle relay. His team finished eleventh.
David also won medals at other big swimming events:
- At the 1983 European Aquatics Championships in Rome, he won a silver medal in the 100-meter butterfly.
- At the 1979 Mediterranean Games in Split, he won two gold medals. These were for the 200-meter freestyle and the 100-meter butterfly.
- At the 1983 Mediterranean Games in Casablanca, he won two more gold medals. These were for the 100-meter butterfly and the 200-meter medley.
Family and Later Life
David Zubero has a younger brother named Martin López-Zubero. Martin is also a famous swimmer. He won an Olympic gold medal in 1992 for the 200-meter backstroke. Martin also went to the University of Florida and swam for Spain.
In the 1990s, David worked as an assistant coach. He coached at the Pine Crest School in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. He also earned a master's degree in science education. He got this degree from Nova Southeastern University.
See also
- List of Olympic medalists in swimming (men)
- List of Spanish records in swimming
- List of University of Florida alumni
- List of University of Florida Olympians
- List of University of Florida Athletic Hall of Fame members
