WASHINGTON — Howard University senior Latroya Pina will compete for an African nation’s first-ever swim team in the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Japan.
.@HUSwimming‘s Pina Set to Compete in 2020 Summer Olympics #BleedBlue #HowardForward https://t.co/99hclgWMfq
— Howard Athletics (@HUBisonSports) August 21, 2018
Pina was selected to represent the Cape Verde National Swim Team in the Confederation Africaine de Natation Championship Meet, which is scheduled for Sept. 10-16 in Algiers, Algeria.
The team from the island nation off the West African coast — which also includes Pina’s siblings, Troy and Jayla — has an automatic berth to the 2020 Games.
Pina, a Massachusetts native, was a standout member of the Howard swim team during the 2017-18 season, earning HU Bison of the Month in January after winning the women’s 100 breaststroke and 200 individual medley against Marymount. Against Catholic University, Pina won the same two events and two relays.
“We are excited for Latroya [Pina] and have no doubt she will make Howard University and Cape Verde very proud,” said HU Swimming and Diving head coach Nicholas Askew in the school’s announcement.
In addition to her prowess in the pool, Pina played nine matches for the Howard women’s lacrosse team and received multiple academic honors, including a spot on 2018 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Commissioner’s All-Academic Team.
The Tokyo Games start on July 24, 2020.
