International Swimming Success at the Dubai Open Championship
At the British School of Bucharest, students are encouraged to pursue their ambitions both inside and beyond the classroom. As a leading private international school in Bucharest, we believe that academic commitment and competitive sport can develop side by side through discipline, balance and perseverance.
Our student Robert recently competed at the Dubai Open Championship, an international swimming competition that brought together more than 800 participants, including eight current Olympians and world champions.
The competition also included more than 25 champions from countries such as Japan, Australia, UAE, South Africa, Russia, Hong Kong, Turkey, the Netherlands and Sweden. In this highly competitive international environment, Robert delivered a series of notable performances.
He won his 50m butterfly heat and achieved 15th place overall in the 50m butterfly. In the 100m butterfly, he recorded a personal best of 1:03 — two seconds faster than his previous national performance. He also registered Personal Best times in all of his races, including the 50m and 100m freestyle events.
In competitive swimming, where positions among the top 25–30 athletes can be separated by hundredths of a second, improvements of one or two seconds represent significant progress. These results mark an important step forward, particularly as Robert continues to move beyond the effects of last year’s injury, both physically and mentally.
Learning from the Experience
During official workshops and personal encounters at the event, Robert connected with world champions and gained insights into healthy lifestyle choices, nutrition routines, sports routines, school routines and the importance of discipline and resilience.
A Shared Milestone
The Dubai Open Championship was also an important moment for the family, as his brother Alex qualified for the 50m freestyle at the same competition.
Alex recorded a personal best and overcame the psychological barrier of competing internationally. In an environment with over 800 participants, he demonstrated strong focus, engaged confidently and formed friendships with swimmers from around the world. While basketball remains a passion for him, this experience reaffirmed his potential in swimming.
Sport at the British School of Bucharest
Sport forms an integral part of the holistic education offered at the British School of Bucharest. Within our international school environment in Bucharest, students are supported in building resilience, confidence and discipline through competitive opportunities alongside their academic studies.
We are proud of these achievements and look forward to supporting both Robert and Alex as they continue their sporting journeys.
