PISCATAWAY, N.J. (Aug. 28, 2017) – Junior Vera Koprivova represented Rutgers swimming and diving and her native Czech Republic at the 2017 World University Games in Taipei, Taiwan Aug. 20-27, highlighted by a Top 16 world finish in the 200-meter backstroke.
 
Accompanied by her head coach at Rutgers, Petra Martin, who also served as an assistant coach for the Czech Republic National Team at The Games, Koprivova embraced the experience as an opportunity to grow.
 
"Vera has grown a lot over the last few months as an individual and as an athlete," Martin said. "The World University Games were another step in her journey to keep progressing and finding herself. The week and a half in Taipei was beneficial to her experience as a world competitor and an ambassador of the RU Swimming and Diving team culture."
 
Koprivova and Martin set ambitious goals at the 29^th Summer Universiade. The Scarlet Knights sought a Top 16 finish in Koprivova's strongest event, the 200-meter backstroke, which was first on the slate on opening day of The Games. The Rutgers junior touched the wall at 2:14.64 in her heat, earning a trip back to the semifinals on Sunday evening. She bettered her time (2:14.18) in the semis and placed 13^th.
 
"The World University Games were an important piece of the journey ahead and I know that Vera will be better for it," Martin said. "A 13th place finish in the 200 back marked the first time for her to achieve Top 16 at a world competition, and now we want more."
 
The junior backstroker also competed in the 50 back (25^th place), 100 back (28^th) and two relays with the Czech Republic. In the 800-meter freestyle relay, Koprivova and her countrywomen placed 10^th, aided by her leadoff leg of 2:03.55, the fastest on the squad.
 
Martin recognized the two-fold opportunity at hand at The World University Games. There was the unique chance to wear her county's colors and the Block R on one of the biggest stages. This was also time to prepare for the upcoming 2017-18 season in the Big Ten.
 
The Scarlet Knights' head coach credited Rutgers' fans and family for cheering on Koprivova across the world. Texts, e-mails and Facebook messages at all hours helped the Rutgers swimmer through a challenging week.
 
"She experienced conditions that were not perfect, and she experienced a different team environment with the national team than what we have at Rutgers," Martin said. "That all helped her become tougher, stronger, more confident and ready to be level headed under any circumstance."
 
Koprivova and Martin head back to Piscataway to prepare for a new season, which begins on Oct. 6 at the Florida Gulf Coast Classic in Fort Myers. She earned her place in RU's record book when she touched the wall with a time of 1:53.74 in the 200 backstroke at the 2017 NCAA Championships. Koprivova also contributed to two relay school records at the 2017 Big Ten Championships in both the 400 freestyle and 400 medley relays.
 
One of five NCAA qualifiers for Rutgers this past season, Koprivova was named Big Ten Swimmer of the Week on Nov. 23 after she collected five NCAA B cuts, three first-place finishes and a pool record in the 400 medley relay during the Frank Elm Invitational at the RU Aquatics Center.
 
 
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