When Harvard men's swimming rising senior
Anthony Rincon walks out of the tunnel at the Paris La Defense Arena later this month, it will be a landmark moment in not just his life, but the lives of the entire Rincon family as well.
The son of Colombian immigrants Luis Rincon and Elizabeth Velasco, Anthony will represent Colombia at the 2024 Paris Olympics, an incredible chapter in the family's history. Luis and Elizabeth worked as engineers in Colombia, leaving in 1997 for Elizabeth, New Jersey, with their daughter Natalia, looking to forge a better life for their family.
"We really didn't have much," Anthony said. "My dad's goal was to just live; we didn't even dream about any of this. This whole process has been surreal, seeing how far our whole family has come. We went from living in someone else's house and dealing with food insecurity to worrying about what suit I will wear."
"We had a lot of dreams in our minds," Luis said. "As a high school teacher, I tell my students 'Don't dream, dream bigger.' Write your goals and make a commitment to your goals. Put your excuses away and go for it."
When Luis and Elizabeth first arrived in the United States, Luis volunteered as a gymnastics coach to go along with his job in newspaper delivery, while Elizabeth booked flights in a travel agency. From there, Luis learned English during his time as a coach in the gym, as he and Elizabeth defied expectations and secured teaching jobs at public high schools in New Jersey, roles they've held for over 20 years.
Anthony started swimming at three-years-old, following in his older sister's footsteps. At the age of six, he started racing. During a swimming class at the age of 12, Anthony's swim instructor asked the class to write their goals down in a journal. Anthony's goal: swim at the Olympics.
In his path to Olympic qualification, the work ethic instilled by his parents fueled and motivated him to keep pushing in the pool, trimming his times in the backstroke to move towards that goal.
"Their qualities rubbed off on me," Anthony said. "We had these values ingrained in us. If you're going to start something, do it right and get it done. That discipline that you learn from seeing your family doing everything so well translates to anything you do in life."
Rincon began competing with the Crimson during the 2021-22 season. His experience in Cambridge broadened his horizons and pushed him both athletically and academically.
"Harvard did a really job of helping me grow as a person," Anthony said. "My teammates opened me up to more perspectives and that helped me learn more about myself, what works for me and what helps me do well in life. If I bring up those around me, it's going to raise my level too."
"Anthony's parents have spoken to the team twice about their life journey from Colombia to the states," The Ulen-Brooks Endowed Coach for Harvard Men's Swimming & Diving
Kevin Tyrrell said. "They made choices that seemed impossible to others, but they made them come true through effort and grit. Our student-athletes have learned to persevere through things they believe are difficult from the Rincon's family journey."
After falling just short of qualifying for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, Anthony kept pushing to improve his times and techniques in the pool. Specializing in the backstroke, Anthony took a gap semester in the fall of 2023 to train full time in Arkansas at the Razorback Aquatic Club. Following the collegiate season, two key performances in Colombia and Canada pushed Anthony to Olympic qualification with Colombia, a lifelong dream realized.
"I was very grateful in that moment," Anthony said. "It took a village to get it done. I owe it to my parents, teammates and coaches. I didn't do it on my own."
"For many years, people called me and my wife crazy for this dream," Luis said. "But in that moment, I felt crazy. It was a crazy feeling and a crazy moment. That moment was the top of the mountain, an amazing moment."
Anthony begins his Olympic journey on Sunday, July 28, at 5:00 AM with the heats of the 100-meter backstroke.
