Alberto Eugenio Mestre Sosa (born September 30, 1964) is a former competition
swimmer who represented
Venezuela
Venezuela (; ), officially the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela ( es, link=no, República Bolivariana de Venezuela), is a country on the northern coast of South America, consisting of a continental landmass and many islands and islets in th ...
at the
1980 Summer Olympics and
1984 Summer Olympics
The 1984 Summer Olympics (officially the Games of the XXIII Olympiad and also known as Los Angeles 1984) were an international multi-sport event held from July 28 to August 12, 1984, in Los Angeles, California, United States. It marked the sec ...
.
Biography
As a 15-year-old at the
1980 Summer Olympics in Moscow, Mestre competed in the qualifying heats of the 100-meter and 200-meter freestyle events, but he did not advance.
[Sports-Reference.com, Olympic Sports, Athletes]
Alberto Mestre
Retrieved August 16, 2012. Three years later, Mestre enjoyed significant success at the
1983 Pan American Games
The 1983 Pan American Games were held in Caracas, Venezuela from August 14 to August 29, 1983. The games were the first major international competition to include relatively accurate steroid testing.Taylor, William N., ''Anabolic Steroids and the ...
in Caracas. He won a silver medal in the 200-meter freestyle, a bronze in the 100-meter freestyle, and three more bronzes as a member of Venezuela's third-place relay teams in three different relay events. Married Adriana Vivas, and has two children Alberto and Alfonso Mestre, both competitive swimmers.
After the 1983 Pan American Games, Mestre enrolled in the
University of Florida
The University of Florida (Florida or UF) is a public land-grant research university in Gainesville, Florida. It is a senior member of the State University System of Florida, traces its origins to 1853, and has operated continuously on its ...
in Gainesville, Florida, where he trained with coach
Randy Reese and swam for the
Florida Gators swimming and diving
The Florida Gators swimming and diving program represents the University of Florida in the aquatics sports of swimming and diving. The program includes separate men's and women's teams, both of which compete in Division I of the National Coll ...
team in
National Collegiate Athletic Association
The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) is a nonprofit organization that regulates student athletics among about 1,100 schools in the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico. It also organizes the athletic programs of colleges ...
(NCAA) competition from 1983 to 1986.
Florida Swimming & Diving 2009–2010 Media Guide
'', University Athletic Association, Gainesville, Florida, pp. 87, 88, 89, 90, 93, 97, 107, 113, 114, 117 (2009). Retrieved July 19, 2014. He was a member of three NCAA national champion relays, helping to propel the Gators to NCAA national team championships in 1983 and 1984.
[ Mestre received seventeen All-American honors in four years.][ He graduated from the University of Florida with a bachelor's degree in exercise and sport science in 1987, and was later inducted in the University of Florida Athletic Hall of Fame as a "Gator Great."][F Club, Hall of Fame]
Gator Greats
Retrieved December 15, 2014.
At the 1984 Summer Olympics
The 1984 Summer Olympics (officially the Games of the XXIII Olympiad and also known as Los Angeles 1984) were an international multi-sport event held from July 28 to August 12, 1984, in Los Angeles, California, United States. It marked the sec ...
in Los Angeles, Mestre again competed in the 100-meter and 200-meter freestyle, advancing to the finals in both events, and finishing sixth and fifth, respectively.[ He also was a member of Venezuela's relay teams in the 4x100-meter freestyle, 4x200-meter freestyle, and 4x100-meter medley relay events, competing in the qualifying heats of those three events.][
]
See also
* Florida Gators
* List of University of Florida alumni
This list of University of Florida alumni includes current students, former students, and graduates of the University of Florida in Gainesville, Florida. Honorary degree recipients can be found on the List of University of Florida honorary degree r ...
* List of University of Florida Athletic Hall of Fame members
The University of Florida Athletic Hall of Fame includes over 300 former Florida Gators athletes who represented the University of Florida in one or more intercollegiate sports and were recognized as "Gator Greats" for their athletic excellence d ...
* List of University of Florida Olympians
This List of University of Florida Olympians includes over 150 students and alumni of the University of Florida who have competed or coached in the Olympic Games, as well as current or former Florida Gators coaches who have coached in the Olym ...
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Mestre, Alberto
1964 births
Living people
Florida Gators men's swimmers
The Hill School alumni
Venezuelan male freestyle swimmers
Olympic swimmers of Venezuela
Swimmers at the 1979 Pan American Games
Swimmers at the 1980 Summer Olympics
Swimmers at the 1983 Pan American Games
Swimmers at the 1984 Summer Olympics
Pan American Games silver medalists for Venezuela
Pan American Games bronze medalists for Venezuela
Pan American Games medalists in swimming
Competitors at the 1982 Central American and Caribbean Games
Competitors at the 1986 Central American and Caribbean Games
Central American and Caribbean Games gold medalists for Venezuela
Central American and Caribbean Games medalists in swimming
Medalists at the 1983 Pan American Games