Carlton Bruner

Favorite or funniest or most embarrassing swimming memory: Too many to list. This one is not necessarily a Dynamo memory, but during a Dunwoody High School swim meet at the Chamblee pool, we arrived early before our start time. There was another high school dual meet finishing up on their last relays. After walking into the little room overlooking the pool, I tried to switch the lights on, but accidently switched OFF the pool lights! (There were no windows, so the pool went pitch dark – WHILE the other teams were swimming their relays! Whoops!!!) I quickly switched the lights back on, but back then the lights had ballasts that took 5-10 minutes to warm up before they were fully lit. Needless to say, I got in a little bit of trouble, and they had to pause things until the lights warmed back up to complete those relays.

Your pinnacle/ peak performance: My peak/pinnacle performance was in 1500 free at 1996 Olympic Trials meet… Any fun details that make the memory special are welcome! I won Trials that year, getting to swim at the Olympic Games in Atlanta! (At the prior Olympic Trials in 1992, I finished 3rd in the 1500 by about a second. Just missing the team in ’92 and then coming back in ’96 and winning means a ton to me.

How has your time at Dynamo impacted your life: I spent the better part of 10 years swimming for Dynamo. Everything from one of the best training facilities in the country to training everyday with national level swimmers to being coached by legendary coaches all shaped my journey in swimming AND has followed me throughout my life. The foundations I was taught both in and out of the water shaped who I am today and are the core principals I use today in my coaching career.

Where are you today? I currently live in Greenville SC coaching at Team Greenville, coaching the top age groupers and our Senior level group. I have 2 children, both swimmers at their respective colleges.

Are you open to helping other Dynamo alums with networking? Happy to be included in future alumni communications, reunions, and events.