Dreams that have been five years in the making will come true for many members of the Pack as swimming action at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games begins on Saturday. NC State will be represented by nine past, current and former swimmers as they compete for their respective countries on the biggest international stage.

Current swimmers Sophie Hansson (Sweden), Nyls Korstanje (Netherlands), Andrea Podmanikova (Slovakia) and Kacper Stokowski (Poland) all earned qualification for the Olympics following the 2020-21 collegiate season.

NC State alumni Simonas Bilis (Lithuania), Anton Ipsen (Denmark), Andreas Vazaios (Greece) will also be in action, as will incoming Wolfpackers Alexander Norgaard (Denmark) and Noe Ponti (Switzerland).

Vazaios will be making his third Olympic Games appearance, and Tokyo 2020 will mark the second such international competition for Hansson, Bilis and Ipsen. All other members of the Pack are first-time Olympians.

Even with the 13-hour time difference between Tokyo and the East Coast, all swimming semifinals and finals will be contested in primetime in the United States. From Saturday, July 24 through Saturday, July 31, preliminary heats will run beginning at 6 a.m. EST with the finals session each night going on air at 9:30 p.m. EST. NBC carries all linear and digital coverage of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.

QUICK HITS ON THE PACK:

• Hansson (100 brst, 200 brst): 4x NCAA gold medalist in 2021 ... swept the breaststroke events at 2021 NCAA Championships and 2021 ACC Championships ... 17x All-American at NC State ... won 100-meter breaststroke at 2021 European Championships and set national record in that event ... competed at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games
• Korstanje (100 fly): 11x All-American at NC State ... 7x ACC champion ... national record holder in 100-meter butterfly ... gold medalist at 2017 European Championships
• Podmanikova (100 brst, 200 brst): All-American in both breaststroke events in 2021 ... finished on the podium in both events at the 2021 ACC Championships ... 2019 FINA Swimming World Cup bronze medalist ... owns national records in 50, 100 and 200-meter breaststroke events
• Stokowski (100 back): 5x All-American in 2021 ... NCAA silver medalist in the 100 backstroke ... won ACC title in that event and also ACC A finalist in the 200 backstroke ... 4x European Junior Champion ... national record holder in 100-meter backstroke
• Norgaard (800 free, 1500 free): participated in 2019 World Championships ... owns national record in 1,500-meter freestyle
• Ponti (100 fly, 200 fly): 2019 European Junior Championships gold medalist ... national record holder in 800-meter freestyle as well as 50, 100 and 200-meter butterfly events
• Ipsen (800 free, 1500 free): 2018 NCAA Champion in the mile ... 10x All-American and 9x ACC Champion during his NC State career ... owns national records in 800-meter freestyle and 400-meter individual medley ... competed in the 2016 Olympics
• Vazaios (200 IM): 4x NCAA gold medalist during his career, including a pair of individual wins in the 200 butterfly ... 13x All-American and 6x ACC Champion ... national record holder in the 200-meter freestyle and 200-meter individual medley ... participated in the Olympics in 2012 and 2016
• Bilis (relay only): 2016 NCAA Champion as part of the Pack's 400 freestyle relay team ... 19x All-American and 16x ACC Champion at NC State ... national record holder in 50-meter and 100-meter freestyle events ... competed in the Olympics in 2016

Follow NC State swimming & diving on Twitter for the latest updates from Tokyo.

PACKed men's 4x100 free relay coming up this morning!

In the prelims:
🐺 @nylskorstanje leading off for Netherlands
🐺 Ponti swimming for Switzerland
🐺 Vazaios leading off for Greece

— NC State Swimming & Diving (@packswimdive) July 25, 2021

NC State Swimming & Diving @packswimdive 17m

PACKed men's 4x100 free relay coming up this morning! In the prelims: Wolf face
@nylskorstanje leading off for Netherlands Wolf face
Ponti swimming for Switzerland Wolf face
Vazaios leading off for Greece

Another LTB for the Pack. Kacper Stokowski checks in at 53.99 in the 100 backstroke prelims for the fastest time of his career!

First finals session of #Tokyo2020 in the books for @HanssonSophie Sweden takes sixth in 3:34.69. Our Wolf with a solid ancho

And an absolutely incredible race by Andrea Podmanikova to round out our Pack's attack in this event!

The Slovakia native touches in a personal-best 1:08.36 to win her heat 👏

— NC State Swimming & Diving (@packswimdive) July 25, 2021

OLYMPIC DREAM | What a journey for @nylskorstanje to get to the GAMES. Thank you @WolfpackSWD and NC State Swimming and Diving for letting me be apart of the journey. pic.twitter.com/L3vnHkJ5dM

— Bobby Guntoro (@bobbygunt) July 24, 2021

That'll do it from this morning's session!

Plan to tune back in at 9:30 PM tonight to catch @HanssonSophie in the 100 breaststroke semis!

That'll do it from this morning's session!

Plan to tune back in at 9:30 PM tonight to catch @HanssonSophie in the 100 breaststroke semis!

— NC State Swimming & Diving (@packswimdive) July 25, 2021

No surprise here. @HanssonSophie is FINALS BOUND in the 100 breaststroke!

She takes fourth in the semis with a 1:05.81 that's just off her Swedish record that she lowered this morning (1:05.66).

No surprise here. @HanssonSophie is FINALS BOUND in the 100 breaststroke!

She takes fourth in the semis with a 1:05.81 that's just off her Swedish record that she lowered this morning (1:05.66).

— NC State Swimming & Diving (@packswimdive) July 26, 2021

Gooooood morning, #WPN.

newcomer Noe Ponti makes his #Tokyo2020 individual debut in the 200 fly coming up shortly!

Gooooood morning, #WPN.

🐺🐺 newcomer Noe Ponti makes his #Tokyo2020 individual debut in the 200 fly coming up shortly! pic.twitter.com/U7oKMMqiu8

— NC State Swimming & Diving (@packswimdive) July 26, 2021

Wolfer79 said:

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Gooooood morning, #WPN.

newcomer Noe Ponti makes his #Tokyo2020 individual debut in the 200 fly coming up shortly!

Gooooood morning, #WPN.

🐺🐺 newcomer Noe Ponti makes his #Tokyo2020 individual debut in the 200 fly coming up shortly! pic.twitter.com/U7oKMMqiu8

— NC State Swimming & Diving (@packswimdive) July 26, 2021

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Noe shines in our only prelim of the morning!

He claims his 200 butterfly heat in 1:55.05 and lowers his own Swiss record! He'll qualify for tonight's semifinal with the fifth-best time out of these heats.

#GoPack

Repping our Pack well on the biggest stage. We couldn't be prouder.

@HanssonSophie takes sixth in the #Tokyo2020 100 breaststroke final with a time of 1:06.07.

#GoPack https://t.co/0egOz5glvE

Noe ends our night in the 200 butterfly semis. He clocks a 1:55.37 to place 10th across the two heats.

Noe ends our night in the 200 butterfly semis. He clocks a 1:55.37 to place 10th across the two heats.

— NC State Swimming & Diving (@packswimdive) July 27, 2021

Let's get this distance free party started!@A_Ipsen and Alexander Norgaard ready for their first action of #Tokyo2020! The 800 free heats go off shortly on USA Network.#GoPack pic.twitter.com/vd06ZePiTK

— NC State Swimming & Diving (@packswimdive) July 27, 2021

Noe Ponti and Switzerland into tonight's 4x200 free relay final!

The squad throws down a new national record of 7:06.59 with help from Ponti's 1:47.11 third leg.#GoPack

— NC State Swimming & Diving (@packswimdive) July 27, 2021

Norgaard (7:53.50) and Ipsen (7:54.98) wrap up their first race of #Tokyo2020. We'll see them back in action later this week in the 1500 free!

Norgaard (7:53.50) and Ipsen (7:54.98) wrap up their first race of #Tokyo2020. We'll see them back in action later this week in the 1500 free!

— NC State Swimming & Diving (@packswimdive) July 27, 2021

Not bad for the first #Olympics final of Noe's career!

His 1:46.93 split helps Switzerland to a sixth-place finish and a new Swiss record of 7:06.12.

#GoPack // #OlympiansMadeHere

Not bad for the first #Olympics final of Noe's career!

His 1:46.93 split helps Switzerland to a sixth-place finish and a new Swiss record of 7:06.12.#GoPack // #OlympiansMadeHere pic.twitter.com/tniLuPRAcY

— NC State Swimming & Diving (@packswimdive) July 28, 2021

PUMPED to watch Andreas swim in his third #OlympicGames!

🏊‍♂️ 200 brst prelims (Hansson & Podmanikova), 200 IM prelims (Vazaios)
📺 USA Network pic.twitter.com/QRskg8OgEE

— NC State Swimming & Diving (@packswimdive) July 28, 2021

Another #Tokyo2020 semifinal for @HanssonSophie! 2:23.82 to rank 12th out of the 200 breaststroke prelims.

Andrea Podmanikova also competes in this prelim, clocking in at 2:29.56 in her second individual race of the Olympics.

Another #Tokyo2020 semifinal for @HanssonSophie! 2:23.82 to rank 12th out of the 200 breaststroke prelims.

Andrea Podmanikova also competes in this prelim, clocking in at 2:29.56 in her second individual race of the Olympics.

— NC State Swimming & Diving (@packswimdive) July 28, 2021

Our three-time Olympian goes 1:58.84 in the 200 IM prelims. Proud of you, Andreas!

Our three-time Olympian goes 1:58.84 in the 200 IM prelims. Proud of you, Andreas! pic.twitter.com/d0la1ZvJCb

— NC State Swimming & Diving (@packswimdive) July 28, 2021

Sophie's individual #Tokyo2020 slate wraps up in the 200 breaststroke semis!

2:24.28 to place 10th https://t.co/DQrW92LJdj

Two 🐺🐺 into the 100 fly semis!!

5. Noe Ponti (51.24), just off own 🇨🇭 record
11. @nylskorstanje (51.54), new 🇳🇱 record#GoPack

— NC State Swimming & Diving (@packswimdive) July 29, 2021

Just minutes off his individual race, @nylskorstanje gets to be a part of the first 4x100 mixed medley relay in #Olympics history!

Netherlands (3:43.25) moves on to Friday's final with help from a 51.86 fly leg by Nyls.

#GoPack

Busy morning in the pool for our Pack! Simonas Bilis set for his first swim of #Tokyo2020.

1500 free prelims (Ipsen & Norgaard), 4x100 medley relay prelims (Hansson, Stokowski, Vazaios, Bilis)
USA Network https://t.co/07fsdpRCX7

See you in the 100 fly final, Noe!

50.76 Swiss record to rank third out of the semis!

#GoPack // #OlympiansMadeHere https://t.co/sXRUxc7oqy

Anton Ipsen (15:01.58) and Alexander Norgaard (15:28.70) wrap up action in the 1500 free. Our final individual event prelim of #Tokyo2020!

Anton Ipsen (15:01.58) and Alexander Norgaard (15:28.70) wrap up action in the 1500 free. Our final individual event prelim of #Tokyo2020!

— NC State Swimming & Diving (@packswimdive) July 30, 2021

.@HanssonSophie helps Sweden to another relay final!

Her 1:05.61 breaststroke split set up the team for a 3:56.23 and No. 5 finish in the prelims.

#GoPack

.@HanssonSophie helps Sweden to another relay final!

Her 1:05.61 breaststroke split set up the team for a 3:56.23 and No. 5 finish in the prelims.#GoPack

— NC State Swimming & Diving (@packswimdive) July 30, 2021

Incoming Wolfpack swimmer Noe Ponti made history for his country on Friday night as he earned a bronze medal in what was the first-ever 100-meter butterfly finals appearance by a Swiss swimmer.

Ponti clocked in at 50.74 in his third-place finish, which established a new national record in the event. He put together an incredibly fast trio of butterfly swims over the last two days, going just off the Swiss record in the prelims (51.24) and lowering the record once in the Thursday night semis (50.76) before bettering it in the final.

His mark in the finals was just over a second off the winning time, a 49.45 world record set by Caeleb Dressel of the United States. NC State has now had a medalist in each of the last four Olympic Games. Ponti's performance followed Ryan Held's gold medal in the 4x100-meter freestyle relay from 2016, Cullen Jones' pair of silver medals from 2012 and Jones' 4x100-meter freestyle relay gold from 2008.

Nyls Korstanje joined Ponti in Thursday night's butterfly semifinal race, ranking in the top 16 in his individual Olympics debut. The Netherlands native set a new Dutch record in the prelims (51.54) and put together another solid swim in the semis (51.80) to rank 12th in the world.

Korstanje also impressed as a member of the mixed 4x00-meter medley relay team for Netherlands as the event was swam at the Olympics for the first time. In the prelims, the squad went 3:43.25 boosted by Korstanje's 51.86 butterfly leg. Netherlands then lowered that time in the finals, touching in 3:41.25 for sixth place. Korstanje dropped his leg to 51.34 in his first-ever Olympic final.

Alexander Norgaard and Anton Ipsen both saw action in the 1,500-meter freestyle prelims on Friday morning, with Ipsen clocking in at 15:01.58 and Norgaard finishing in 15:28.70 as they represented Denmark.

Friday's earlier session also marked the prelims for the 4x100-meter medley relay, which will close out the swimming portion of the 2020 Olympic Games on Saturday night. Kacper Stokowski (54.67 backstroke split) was part of a 3:32.62 Polish record that placed sixth, and Sophie Hansson (1:05.61 breaststroke split) helped her Swedish team advance to the finals.

Hansson and Team Sweden will compete in the final swimming session that begins at 9:30 p.m. EST on Saturday night. The races will be broadcast live on NBC, with the women's medley relay scheduled to go off around 10:15 p.m. EST.

🥉 kinda mood!! #GoPack // #OlympiansMadeHere pic.twitter.com/pRCCCT8S8Y

— NC State Swimming & Diving (@packswimdive) July 31, 2021

Third finals swim for
@HanssonSophie
as she and Sweden take fifth in a new national record (3:54.27)!

#GoPack // #OlympiansMadeHere

A solid close to #Tokyo2020

Third finals swim for @HanssonSophie as she and Sweden take fifth in a new national record (3:54.27)!#GoPack // #OlympiansMadeHere pic.twitter.com/rLgF9XzFjv

— NC State Swimming & Diving (@packswimdive) August 1, 2021