Nationality American & Albanian College team La Salle University Height 1.9 m | Name Frank Leskaj Sport Swimming | |
Born April 16, 1971 (age 52) ( 1971-04-16 ) Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA Strokes Breaststroke & Freestyle | ||
Frank Leskaj ( also known as Frank Lescas), (born April 16, 1971 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) is an American swimmer who swam for Albania at the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona by swimming in the 50m Freestyle, 100m Freestyle, and the 100m Breaststroke. Frank was the first Albanian swimmer to compete in the Olympics as well as the first Albanian-American to represent Albania.
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Leskaj's all four grandparents were Albanian, and after contacting the Albanian officials he was allowed to represent the country in the 1992 Summer Olympics. The most isolated of the former Iron Curtain countries, Albania had competed in only one Olympics prior to 1992, the 1972 Summer Games, because the government feared contact with foreigners would corrupt its athletes. But in April, Albania elected its first non-communist government since 1945, which allowed the formation of an eight-person Olympic team: four weightlifters, two shooters, one heptathlete and Leskaj.
Leskaj made his first trip to Albania in July 1992. He stayed with a cousin in Tirana, the capital, for a week.There he received all the Albanian Swimming Federation had to offer: 4 leks (nine cents) per day for food, and access to the federation's finest facilities. "There were two 50-meter pools, a 25-meter pool, a diving well and a baby pool—but no water," said Leskaj. "Only the 15-meter-wide diving pool was filled, but there was no chlorine, no skimmer. I couldn't see the bottom. I didn't want to see the bottom."
After two days of countless turns in the diving well, Leskaj began practicing in the Adriatic Sea. At the Summer Olympics, he finished last in all three of his heats: the 50m & 100m freestyles and the 100m breaststroke.
Results
Post Swimming
As of July 2012, Leskaj, has become a senior adviser for the Illyrian Swimming Association in an attempt to promote the development and growth of the sport for young Albanian swimmers. His participation in supporting Albanian swimmers world-wide will assist in evolving the sport to international standards. He now works at The Navicor Group.