Texas A&M swimming commit Emma Guglielmello continues to shatter records
THE WOODLANDS, Texas (BVM) — The Woodlands High School junior Emma Guglielmello holds a handful of swimming records. But it wasn’t always easy for one of the top swimmers in Texas.
“In the first grade, I got diagnosed with dyslexia,” Guglielmello said. “I was really struggling in school, so my parents wanted me to be able to do something where I could focus on being myself and improving personally. [So] my dad was a swimmer and he decided to start teaching me how to swim because he enjoyed swimming.”
The first time Guglielmello tried out for the swim team, she didn’t make it. But she continued to work with her dad and other coaches and worked her way back to the tryouts, where she’d finally make the team.
Following her journey to the pool, Guglielmello and her family moved from Billings, Montana to Texas where she now attends The Woodlands High School and swims for the Magnolia Aquatic Club (MAC).
“I moved to the MAC when I was in the sixth grade,” Guglielmello said. “I was a pretty good swimmer, but when I went to the MAC, I definitely started to excel more at distance especially.”
As Guglielmello continued to swim for MAC, more opportunities for her to improve continued to arise. One of those unique opportunities was to start competing in Open Water races.
“My first open water meet was something close to two miles,” Guglielmello said. “This past April I had the opportunity to go to Open Water Junior Nationals in Florida and I got to swim in the ocean and compete against amazing swimmers.”
Along with the MAC and open water competition, Guglielmello also competes with The Woodlands High School swim team where she helped the Highlanders capture the their first state championship since 2018. It was also the first time the boys and girls swim teams captured both titles since the 1989-90 season.
“High school swimming is so special to me,” Guglielmello said. “To be able to win a state championship with my team meant so much to me because we’re all very close and do it for my coach, Coach Wade, he was very proud of us and pushes us to be our best.”
Moving into her junior year, Guglielmello has already accomplished a great deal for a high school athlete. With a state title in hand, she also holds a number of national records. At the Puerto Rico International Swimming Open, she broke the Puerto Rico 1500 free short course meter (SCM) record with a time of 17:16.05. Guglielmello also holds the record for her national age group (NAG) 15-17 in Puerto Rico for the 800 and 1500 freestyle long course meter (LCM) and the 400 and 800 SCM free-style.
Guglielmello also had the opportunity to compete at the West Fargo Futures event in the summer of 2021. There she placed fifth in the 800m freestyle and broke a 32-year-old Puerto Rican record.
Here she is! Emma Guglielmello received her Futures award today for her fifth-place finish in the 800 Free on Wednesday night. Emma swam to 9:02.32, which erases a 32-year-old Puerto Rican National Age Group record for 15-17 women. Congrats Emma! #goMACgo pic.twitter.com/QAv9Q0RGBz
— MagnoliaAquaticClub (@MAC_Swimming) July 30, 2021
Continuing to break records on the national stage, Guglielmello also found herself at the 2020 USA Swimming National Diversity Select Camp.
“You submit an application and they pick the fastest swimmers to go to the camp,” Guglielmello said. “You learn from inspirational people, learn about nutrition, sleep and [other] stuff like that [helps you succeed as an athlete].”
One of those inspirational athletes who Guglielmello looks up to is actually a Puerto Rican tennis player, Monica Puig. Puig was the first Puerto Rican to win a gold medal for the country in the 2016 Olympics.
“She’s definitely someone I look up to because that’s my goal for the future is to make it to the Olympics to represent Puerto Rico,” Guglielmello said.
Not only is it Guglielmello’s goal to reach the Olympics, but she would like to reach the world’s biggest stage with her little sister.
“It would mean the world [to me] if both of us were able to go to the Olympics and represent Puerto Rico,” Guglielmello said.
While Guglielmello continues to strive for her ultimate goal, she is continuing to focus on what lies in front of her. That’s two years left at The Woodlands High school and a possible career with Texas A&M. With the support group she has in her corner, there leaves little doubt that Guglielmello can accomplish that goal.
“I have the biggest support system [anyone could ask for],” Guglielmello said. “My mom and dad believe in me so much and they want me to excel at every aspect of my life…They’re always there for me and helping me be the best person I can be.”
