Samy Helmbacher

Class:
Sophomore
Event(s):
BR/IM
Hometown:
Rosheim, France
High School:
Lycee Freppel

Pitt School Record Holder
200 Breast: 1:55.34, ACC Championships, 3/2/19
200 IM: 1:44.03, ACC Championships, 2/28/19
400 IM: 3:42.30, ACC Championships, 3/1/19
*as of the end of 2019/20

Three-Time France National Champion (200 IM, 400 IM twice)
French National Team: 2019 World University Games, 2018 Mediterranean Games
2019 NCAA Championships Qualifier (200 IM, 400 IM, 200 Breast)
2019 ACC Championships Bronze Medalist (400 IM)
Two-Time All-ACC Academic Team (2019, 2020)

2019-20 Season

Finished his Pitt career with another outstanding season
Tallied six event victories during the regular season
Advanced to two championship finals at his final ACC Championships
ACCs: 4th in the 400 IM, 6th in the 500 Free, 13th in the 200 Breast
Swam on the 400 Free and 800 Free Relay squads at ACCs as well
Led the Pitt men’s team to its best ever ACC finish and points total
Named to the All-ACC Academic Team once again
Garnered CSCAA Honorable Mention Academic All-America honors

2018-19 Season

Cemented his status as an elite college swimmer with a stellar junior year
Recorded 10 event victories in dual meets for the Panthers
Won the 400 IM at the inaugural ACC-Big Ten Challenge
Finished the season with three Pitt records: 200 Breast, 200 IM and 400 IM
Brought home a medal from the ACC Championships
ACCs: 3rd in the 400 IM, 9th in the 200 IM, 9th in the 200 Breast
Qualified for the NCAA Championships for the first time
NCAAs: 19th in the 400 IM, 41st in the 200 Breast, 43rd in the 200 IM
Named to the All-ACC Academic Team for the first time
Won two more French national titles in the 200 IM and 400 IM
Represented France at the 2019 World University Games in Naples, Italy
Advanced to the 200 IM final and finished fifth at the event

2017-18 Season

Posted a breakout sophomore season in the pool for Pitt
Broke three Pitt records: 200 Free, 200 IM and 400 IM
Competed in 10 individual events, posting top times in each
Recorded numerous top-three finishes during dual meets
Finished the campaign with a strong ACC Championships
ACCs: 9th in the 400 IM, 12th in the 200 IM, 27th in the 200 Breast
Helped Pitt’s 800 Free Relay break the school record as well
Won his first French national title in the 400 IM in the summer of 2018
Represented France at the 2018 Mediterranean Games in Tarragona, Spain
Finished fifth in the 400 IM and 12th in the 200 IM at the event

2016-17 Season

Was an immediate contributor to the Panthers as a freshman
Regular top-five finisher during dual meets in various events
Scored in his debut at the ACC Championships
Posted top times in all three of his individual events in Atlanta
ACCs: 18th in the 400 IM, 30th in the 200 Breast, 38th in the 200 IM
Raced well at the 2017 French Championships in Strasbourg
Placed fourth in the 400 IM and sixth in the 200 IM

High School

Brought his immense potential to Pitt all the way from France
Swam for Dauphins d'Obernai
Specialized in the medley, free and breast strokes as a senior
Qualified for France's Junior Championships & Summer Championships in 2015-16
Qualified for the European Junior Swimming Championships in the 400 IM in 2015-16
Selected for the Gavroche Plan, designed to help young French athletes prepare for the 2020 Summer Olympic Games in Tokyo
Won several regional championships throughout his prep career
Coached by Philippe Schweitzer

Personal

Born Oct. 3, 1998
Son of Michel and Géraldine Helmbacher
Has four siblings: Céline, Maur, Fabrice and Nicolas
Industrial Engineering major

Samy Helmbacher’s Career Performances
Event	Time	Date	Venue
50 Free	21.55	11/17/2018	Ohio State Invite
100 Free	43.97	11/19/2017	Ohio State Invite
200 Free	1:35.35	2/27/2019	ACC Championships
500 Free	4:29.59	1/19/2018	Pitt vs. Denison
100 Back	52.17	9/27/2019	Pitt vs. Carnegie Mellon
200 Back	1:48.02	11/19/2017	Ohio State Invite
100 Breast	55.31	1/5/2019	Pitt vs. West Virginia
200 Breast	1:55.34	3/2/2019	ACC Championships
100 Fly	49.79	1/17/2020	Pitt vs. Denison
200 Fly	1:49.21	1/27/2018	Western PA Invite
200 IM	1:44.03	2/28/2019	ACC Championships
400 IM	3:42.30	3/1/2019	ACC Championships