SAMORIN, Slovakia – Representing Cal State Bakersfield and his home country of Croatia, Roadrunner senior Vili Sivec qualified for the 2025 World Aquatics Championships Thursday while competing at the European U23 Championships. Sivec reset his own CSUB record time of 52.22 in the 100-meter Butterfly, earning a bronze medal against the elite young swimmers across Europe.

Heading into his final season as a `Runner, Sivec has qualified for the World Aquatics Championships for the second time in his career, but the trip to Singapore next month will be Sivec's first appearance on the grand stage. A year ago, he passed on the opportunity to compete at the World Championships as it would have meant leaving the Bakersfield swimming & diving team during the Big West Championships, where Sivec won two gold medals for the `Runners and set three conference records.