Pilar Shimizu

Collegiate career

Shimizu swam for Johns Hopkins University for two seasons, from 2013 to 2015. During her freshman season, she was part of the 200 yard medley relay team that won the Bluegrass Mountain Conference Championship and the NCAA championship. The team received First Team All-America honors as well, and holds the school record, with a time of 1:41.94.

In her second season, the 200 yard medley team took home bronze at the Bluegrass Mountain Conference Championship, and competed for the NCAA Championship. She was the youngest Guamanian Olympian in history at the time of competition. Shimizu established the national record for the 100 meter breaststroke (set 20 years prior by Tammie Kaee) during the Games, with a time of 1:15.76.

After swimming for Johns Hopkins for two years, Shimizu decided to train with a private club that would better prepare her for the Olympics. She held the Guamanian national record for the event at the time of competition. She finished her event with a time of 1:16.65, which was not sufficient to advance. She set a personal best for the year, but did not surpass the national record. Shimizu said that although this was her second Olympics, she was just as nervous as the first time. Two years later, she won two more bronze medals, in the 50 meter and 100 meter events. She also earned a silver medal in the 100 meter breaststroke, with a time of 1:16.05. Adeline Williams won the 100 meter breaststroke with a Pacific Games record time of 1:11.05.