Who is Luana Alonso, the 20-year-old swimmer whose Olympic career ended due to 'inappropriate' conduct

Luana Alonso, a 20-year-old swimmer from Paraguay, drew significant media attention during the 2024 Paris Olympics after being asked to leave the Olympic Village. Despite being a skilled athlete, Alonso's Olympic journey took a dramatic turn when her behavior was deemed "inappropriate," resulting in her removal from the team’s accommodations.

Reports showed Alonso narrowly missed qualifying for the women's 100m butterfly semi-final by 0.24 seconds. However, her conduct outside the pool caused tension within Team Paraguay, leading Larissa Schaerer, head of the Paraguayan Olympic Committee, to request her departure. Schaerer highlighted that Alonso chose not to stay in the Athletes' Village and thanked her for following the instructions. This situation left Paraguayan officials disappointed and worried about the team's morale.

Earlier in the competition, Alonso announced her retirement from swimming after not advancing beyond the heats in the women's 100m butterfly event on July 27.

Who is Luana Alonso?

Luana Alonso Background and Career: Born on September 19, 2004, Luana Alonso is a competitive swimmer from Paraguay, specializing in butterfly events. She holds the national record for Paraguay in the 100m butterfly.

Education: Alonso is currently studying at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, USA. She previously attended Virginia Tech, according to US Weekly magazine.

Olympic Debut: Alonso first competed for Paraguay at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics at the age of 17, finishing 28th in her event without advancing to the semifinals.

2024 Paris Olympics: The 2024 Paris Olympics marked Alonso's second appearance at the Games. She was eliminated in the heats, finishing sixth. Alonso has also competed in the Youth Olympic Games, South American Games, and World Championships.

Luana Alonso Controversy: Before the Paris Olympics, Alonso reportedly expressed a preference for representing the United States over Paraguay in an Instagram live session. Local media claimed she spent time at Disneyland instead of supporting her Paraguayan teammates. The Daily Mail reported that her behavior, including her attire and interactions with other athletes, was seen as a distraction. Alonso, who has over 898,000 Instagram followers, denied these claims, stating, "I was never kicked out or expelled from anywhere. Please stop spreading false information."

After her Olympic elimination, Alonso confirmed her retirement from swimming, stating, "It was my last race. I am retiring from swimming."

With agency inputs