Rex Tullius

Rex Tullius

Rex Tullius
Personal information
BornRexford Tullius
(1987-03-10) March 10, 1987 (age 39)
Sport
SportSwimming
StrokesBackstroke
College teamFlorida Gators
Medal record
Representing  United States
Pan American Games
Gold medal – first place 2011 Guadalajara 4 × 200m freestyle relay
Summer Universiade
Silver medal – second place 2011 Shenzhen 200m backstroke
Silver medal – second place 2011 Shenzhen 4 × 100m medley relay

Rexford 'Rex' Tullius (born March 10, 1987) is a swimmer from Port Orange, Florida. He won gold in the 4 × 200-meter relay as part of the US team at the 2011 Pan American Games, is a five-time All-American, and represented the US Virgin Islands at the 2016 Summer Olympics.

Tullius grew up in Port Orange, Florida, enrolling at the University of Florida in 2005. Representing their swim team, he competed throughout college in various regional and national competitions. He medaled in and won several events during his time there, reaching All-American status five times across various events. In 2011, Tullius competed internationally for the United States. He won gold at the Pan American Games in the 4 × 200 m relay after swimming in the heats for the US team, and two silvers at the Summer Universiade in the 200 m backstroke and as part of the US team in the 4 × 100 m medley relay.

In 2015, Tullius began representing the US Virgin Islands in international competition. He broke the US Virgin Islands records in the 100 m and 200 m backstroke events at the 2015 World Aquatics Championships, and he broke the national record again in the 200 m backstroke at the 2016 Summer Olympics with a time of 1:59.14.

Early life

Rexford Tullius was born on March 10, 1987.[1] He came to be known as "Rex".[2] Tullius grew up in Port Orange, Florida,[3] attending Spruce Creek High School and the Daytona Beach Swim Club,[2][4] where he was coached by Steve Lochte (Ryan Lochte's father).[5] He competed in several regional and national championships while in high school, including at the 2005 Junior Nationals where he finished sixth in the 200-meter backstroke.[3]

Early college career

In 2005, he enrolled at the University of Florida and joined the Florida Gators swim team coached by Gregg Troy.[4][6][7] Tullius competed for them at various regional and national championships such as the NCAAs and the SEC Championships, receiving his first All-America honor at the 2008 NCAA Championships after swimming a time of 1:46.13 in the 200-yard backstroke.[3][6] During his time at the University of Florida, Tullius went on to earn All-American status four more times across various events.[8][9]

At the 2008 US Olympic Trials, Tullius beat his personal best by three seconds to finish fourth in the 200-meter backstroke,[10][11] which was two spots away from making the US Olympic team; he later stated that this performance left him "hungry" to get on the team in the future.[11] Tullius continued training with the University of Florida swim team as a post graduate.[12] He medalled at several national- and regional-level competitions from 2009 to 2010, including winning gold in the 200-yard backstroke at the 2009 SEC Championships,[13] silver in the 100-yard backstroke at the 2009 US Short Course Championships,[14] and gold in the 200-yard freestyle and silver in the 200-yard backstroke at the 2010 Short Course Championships.[15]

International medals

At the 2011 US Long Course Championships, Tullius finished second in the 200-meter backstroke with a time of 1:57.48, which ranked him 14th in the world in the event. This performance earned him an invitation to compete for the US at the 2011 Pan American Games,[16] and later that year he was announced as part of the US national team.[17]

At the 2011 Summer Universiade, Tullius represented the US team which won silver with a time of 3:37.92 in the 4 × 100 m medley relay,[18][19] and he won an individual silver in the 200 m backstroke with a time of 1:58.66.[20] Later that season at the Pan American Games, he competed in the 200 m backstroke, where he finished fourth,[21][22] and he swam in the heats of the 4 × 200 meter freestyle relay as part of the US team.[23] Since the US went on to win the event, Tullius was awarded a gold medal as part of the team.[1] In 2012 he again competed at the US Olympic trials in the 200 m backstroke, where he finished sixth, which was not fast enough to make the Olympic team.[24]

Olympic debut representing the US Virgin Islands

After moving on from competitive swimming and earning a master's degree in construction management at the University of Florida, Tullius began working for a property development company on Saint John in the US Virgin Islands. After a friend suggested it to him, Tullius discovered he met the requirements to compete for the Islands, so he began training for international competition again.[2]

In his international debut competing for the US Virgin Islands, Tullius won both the 100 m and 200 m backstroke events at the 2015 Central American and Caribbean Swimming Championships, breaking the 100 m competition record.[2] Later in the season, he competed at the 2015 World Aquatics Championships, where he finished 37th with a time of 55.88 in the 100 m backstroke and 26th in the 200 m backstroke with 2:01.22, not progressing out of the heats in either event.[25][26] Both of these times were US Virgin Islands records.[2][27]

Having swum times fast enough to qualify for the 2016 Summer Olympics, Tullius temporarily moved to Singapore to train with other Olympic qualifiers prior to the Games under the Singapore national team coach Sergio Lopez.[2][28] At the Games, representing the US Virgin Islands, Tullius competed in the 200 m backstroke, where he swam a national record of 1:59.14 to finish 20th in the heats, which was not fast enough to progress to the semifinals.[29][27] On competing at the Olympics, Tullius said: "It's one of those few experiences a person can look forward to where almost every human emotion can be felt and decades worth of work can be put to the test."[2]

Business career

Tullius continued to work as a property developer through his Olympic training.[2] In 2021, he became the Vice President of Strategic Partnerships at Premier,[30][31] a design and development firm,[32] and as of 2025, he is the Senior Vice President of Development at the same company.[33]

References

  1. ^ a b "Rexford TULLIUS | Profile | World Aquatics Official". World Aquatics. Archived from the original on August 5, 2026. Retrieved June 11, 2026.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h Moorester, Keely (June 9, 2016). "Spruce Creek Product Rex Tullius Fulfills Olympic Dream via U.s. Virgin Islands". Daytona Beach News-Journal. Archived from the original on July 5, 2022. Retrieved June 11, 2026.
  3. ^ a b c "Rex Tullius - Men's Swimming & Diving". Florida Gators. Archived from the original on June 5, 2026. Retrieved August 4, 2026.
  4. ^ a b "Swimming and Diving Adds 11 for 2005-06 Season". Florida Gators. May 24, 2005. Retrieved August 3, 2026.
  5. ^ Sica, James (July 9, 2018). "Steve Lochte Retires from Coaching After over Forty Years". Swimming World. Archived from the original on July 9, 2026. Retrieved August 4, 2026.
  6. ^ a b Kernan, Sean (March 26, 2009). "Tullius Trying to Start Fast Among Ncaa's Best". The Daytona Beach News-Journal. pp. 3B. Retrieved August 4, 2026.
  7. ^ "USA Swimming Announces 2009 World University Games Roster". Swimming World. September 24, 2008. Archived from the original on June 5, 2026. Retrieved August 4, 2026.
  8. ^ "Anthony Nesty Selected to Coach U.S. Men's Team at 2011 World University Games". Florida Gators. April 28, 2011. Retrieved August 4, 2026.
  9. ^ "2008-09 Year in Review: One for the Record Books". Florida Gators. May 11, 2009. Retrieved August 4, 2026.
  10. ^ "Men's 200 Metre Backstroke". Omega Timing. July 4, 2008. Archived from the original on January 23, 2025. Retrieved August 4, 2026.
  11. ^ a b Robertson, Ali (April 24, 2012). "University of Florida Graduate Student Training for Upcoming US Olympic Trials". The Independent Florida Alligator. Retrieved August 3, 2026.
  12. ^ Keith, Braden (December 21, 2010). "Peter Vanderkaay Making the Move to Train with Lochte, Troy in Gainesville". SwimSwam. Retrieved August 4, 2026.
  13. ^ Skotarczak, Jill (ed.). 2018–19 SEC Men's Swimming & Diving Record Book (PDF). Southeastern Conference. p. 16. Archived (PDF) from the original on December 12, 2024. Retrieved August 4, 2026.
  14. ^ Sioui, Adam (2009). "The Best Swimmers Succeed No Matter What They're Wearing". Swim News. No. 310. p. 22. Retrieved August 4, 2026.
  15. ^ "Five Gators Win Seven Medals at 2010 At&t Short Course National Championships". Florida Gators. December 5, 2010. Retrieved August 3, 2026.
  16. ^ Keith, Braden (August 8, 2011). "Diving Deeper into the 2011 USA Swimming National Championships". SwimSwam. Archived from the original on April 24, 2025. Retrieved August 3, 2026.
  17. ^ Keith, Braden (September 2, 2011). "USA Swimming Releases Full 2011 Pan American Games Roster". SwimSwam. Archived from the original on June 5, 2026. Retrieved August 3, 2026.
  18. ^ "Men's 4 × 100m Medley Relay" (PDF). sz2011.org. August 14, 2011. Archived (PDF) from the original on June 2, 2012. Retrieved August 4, 2026.
  19. ^ "World University Games, Swimming: Mixed Bag of Winning Countries Conclude Meet". Swimming World. August 19, 2011. Retrieved August 3, 2026.
  20. ^ "Men's 200m Backstroke" (PDF). sz2011.org. August 14, 2011. Archived (PDF) from the original on May 22, 2012. Retrieved August 4, 2026.
  21. ^ "Pan American Games: Three of Four Finals Feature Games Records, Thiago Pereira Posts Top 10 Effort". Swimming World. October 22, 2011. Archived from the original on August 11, 2025. Retrieved August 4, 2026.
  22. ^ "Men's 200m Backstroke Final A". guadalajara2011.org.mx. Archived from the original on May 23, 2012. Retrieved August 4, 2026.
  23. ^ "Medallistas". guadalajara2011.org.mx. October 19, 2011. Download the archive, extract, and see the pdf named "SWM41241200000000.C92B.ENG.pdf". Archived from the original on January 27, 2012. Retrieved August 4, 2026.
  24. ^ "Men's 200m Backstroke". Omega Timing. June 30, 2012. Archived from the original on November 9, 2012. Retrieved June 30, 2012.
  25. ^ "Heats Results" (PDF). Omega Timing. August 5, 2015. Archived (PDF) from the original on May 25, 2022. Retrieved June 11, 2026.
  26. ^ "Heats Results" (PDF). Omega Timing. August 6, 2015. Archived (PDF) from the original on July 13, 2024. Retrieved June 11, 2026.
  27. ^ a b "U.s. Virgin Islands Records" (XLSX). World Aquatics. Archived from the original on June 11, 2026. Retrieved June 11, 2026.
  28. ^ Race, Retta (December 29, 2015). "Lopez Brings Mix of Singaporean & Int'l Athletes to PSS Austin". SwimSwam. Archived from the original on October 28, 2020. Retrieved August 4, 2026.
  29. ^ "Olympedia – 200 Metres Backstroke, Men". Olympedia. Archived from the original on June 7, 2020. Retrieved June 11, 2026.
  30. ^ "Premier Makes Leadership Moves". hotelbusiness.com. May 9, 2022. Retrieved August 4, 2026.
  31. ^ Montes, Bianca (September 6, 2021). "Mohr Capital Hires Land Pro to Lead New Division". D Magazine. Archived from the original on February 2, 2026. Retrieved August 4, 2026.
  32. ^ "Hospitality & Multifamily Experts | Premier Design to Completion". www.premierpm.com. Archived from the original on May 15, 2026. Retrieved August 4, 2026.
  33. ^ "Premier Appoints Kunal Mody as Its New Senior Vice President of Development". www.hotelexecutive.com. Archived from the original on May 5, 2026. Retrieved August 4, 2026.

Content Disclaimer

Informasi ini disarikan dari Wikipedia dan disajikan kembali untuk tujuan edukasi. Konten tersedia di bawah lisensi CC BY-SA 3.0. Kami tidak bertanggung jawab atas ketidakakuratan data yang bersumber dari kontribusi publik tersebut.

  1. The information displayed on this website is sourced in part or in whole from Wikipedia and has been adapted for the purpose of restating it. We strive to provide accurate and relevant information, however:
  2. There is no guarantee of absolute accuracy. Wikipedia is an open, collaborative project that can be edited by anyone, so information is subject to change.
  3. It is not intended to constitute professional advice. The content displayed is for informational and educational purposes only. For important decisions (e.g., medical, legal, or financial), please consult a professional.
  4. Content copyright. Wikipedia is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License (CC BY-SA). This means that content may be reused with appropriate attribution and shared under a similar license.
  5. Responsible use. Any risk arising from the use of information from this website is entirely the responsibility of the user.