Famous Swimmers and Profiles of Other Famous Aquatic People

Thirty-three members of USA Swimming's National Team will make 66 appearances at clubs, charities and schools across the nation in the pre-Olympic year of 2011. While the USA Swim Team members' appearances vary greatly in style and substance, all appearances aim to encourage kids to take up swimming as a healthy and positive activity while...

Brooke Abel, USA Synchronized Swimmer, is in the team competions at the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympic Games.

Adrian, Nathan

Olympic Swimmer Natalie Coughlin offers some insight into her swimming and her recipes using California Dried Plums.

Brian Alexander is a power driver on the 2008 USA Water Polo Team at the Beijing Olympic Games.

Olympic Swimming Gold Medalist Amanda Beard answers some questions about swimming and life.

Elizabeth "Betsey" Armstrong is a goalkeeper for the 2008 US Olympic Water Polo Team.

Tony Azevedo is an attacker on the 2008 USA Water Polo Team at the Beijing Olympic Games.

Ryan Bailey is a center on the 2008 USA Water Polo Team at the Beijing Olympic Games.

Beard, Amanda

Layne Beaubien is a defender on the 2008 USA Water Polo Team at the Beijing Olympic Games.

Beisel, Elizabeth

Berens, Ricky

Breeden, Elaine

Brandon Brooks is a goal keeper on the 2008 USA Water Polo Team at the Beijing Olympic Games.

Burckle, Caroline

Patricia "Patty" Cardenas is an attacker for the 2008 US Olympic Water Polo Team.

First American to set an American record and win an American title in each of four swimming strokes. (Women's History)

The "Hero of Galveston" saved 907 people over his 40 year career. He was listed in the "Guinness Book of World Records" for the number of lives he saved as a deaf lifeguard.

Coughlin, Natalie

Kameryn "Kami" Craig is a center for the 2008 US Olympic Water Polo Team.

Crocker, Ian

Janet Culp, USA Synchronized Swimmer, is in the team competion at the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympic Games.

Dara Torres will be recognized on Tuesday by the International Committee for Fair Play for her sportsmanship during the Olympic Games in Beijng in 2008.

Inge de Bruijn Links from your About.com Guide to Swimming

It isn’t often that a young person does something alone that captures the attention of the whole world. On August 6 in 1926, 19-year old New Yorker Gertrude Ederle became the first woman to swim the English Channel. She chose a day so rough that steamship trips were canceled.

Erika Figge is an attacker for the 2008 US Olympic Water Polo Team.

Gangloff, Mark

Natalie Golda is a defender for the 2008 US Olympic Water Polo Team.

Shane Gould won five Olympic swimming medals (three gold, a silver and bronze) at the 1972 Munich Games. At one stage of her career she held every women's world freestyle record.

Alison Gregorka is a defender for the 2008 US Olympic Water Polo Team.

Grevers, Matt

Brendan Hansen

Hardy, Jessica

Brittany Hayes is a left-handed attacker for the 2008 US Olympic Water Polo Team.

Hersey, Kathleen

Adam Hewko, is a driver on the 2008 USA Water Polo Olympic Team.

Jaime Hipp is a goalkeeper for the 2008 US Olympic Water Polo Team.

Hoelzer, Margaret

Hoff, Katie

Kate Hooven, USA Synchronized Swimmer, is in the team competion at the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympic Games.

Thomas Hopkins is a driver on the 2008 USA Water Polo Team at the Beijing Olympic Games.

Peter Hudnut is a defender on the 2008 USA Water Polo Team at the Beijing Olympic Games.

Tim Hutten plays the 2-Meter Defense position on the 2008 USA Water Polo Team at the Beijing Olympic Games.

Jendrick, Megan

Jensen, Larsen

Christina Jones, USA Synchronized Swimmer, is in the team and duet competions at the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympic Games.

Jones, Cullen

Joyce, Kara Lynn

Wednesday, August 24th marks the birthday of one of Hawaii’s most famous — Duke Kahanamoku. A powerful swimmer, he won five medals at four different Olympics, retiring from competition at the age of 42.

Keller, Klete

Becky Kim, USA Synchronized Swimmer, is in the team competions at the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympic Games.

Meghan Kinney, USA Synchronized Swimmer, is an altenate for the team competion at the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympic Games.

JW Krumpholz is a center on the 2008 USA Water Polo Team at the Beijing Olympic Games.

Lezak, Jason

Lochte, Ryan

Magnuson, Christine

John Mann is a center on the 2008 USA Water Polo Team at the Beijing Olympic Games.

Marshall, Christine

Rick Merlo is a 2-Meter Defender on the 2008 USA Water Polo Team at the Beijing Olympic Games.

Olympic Swimmer and World Record Holder Michael Phelps Michael Phelps, who won seven gold medals and set five world records last March at the FINA World Championships in Melbourne, Australia, was voted USA Swimming’s 2007 Athlete of the Year last week at the United State Aquatic Sports Convention in Anaheim, Calif. Phelps also won the organization’s ConocoPhillips Performance Award for the second straight year.

Direct from the Beijing Games where he won a record eight Gold Medals, world champion swimmer Michael Phelps celebrated his unprecedented achievement with an all-American homecoming parade in his honor at Walt Disney World Resort.

Michael Phelps and Katie Hoff took home top honors tonight at the USA Swimming Foundation’s Golden Goggle Awards, as the two Maryland natives were named Male and Female Athlete of the Year. The Golden Goggle Awards, held at The Beverly Hilton and hosted by late night talk show host Carson Daly (NBC’s “Last Call with Carson Daly”), celebrated the swimming accomplishments of 2007, a year in which USA Swimming had one of its most successful international seasons to date.

Olympic champions Michael Phelps and Natalie Coughlin were in attendance to accept top honors tonight at the USA Swimming Foundation's Golden Goggle Awards. Phelps and Coughlin took home the awards for Male and Female Athlete of the Year, respectively. The Golden Goggle Awards, held at the New York Hilton and hosted by Bob Costas, celebrated the accomplishments of 2008 Olympic Swim Team at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, China.

Merrill Moses is a goalkeeper on the 2008 USA Water Polo Team at the Beijing Olympic Games.

Andrea Nott, USA Synchronized Swimmer, is in the team and duet competions at the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympic Games.

Nymeyer, Lacy

39 year-old Olympian Dara Torres recently set two World Masters swimming records during the Fort Lauderdale Annual Masters Challenge Swim Meet. Both records are the fastest ever swum by any female masters swimmer.

A photo of Michael Phelps smoking from a marijuna pipe or pot bong appeared in the British tabloid News of the World on Sunday. The authenticty of the photo was not denied by Phelps. The photo was apparently taken while Phelps was visiting the University of South Carolina in November 2008, three months after the Olympics.

What are former Olympic swimmers up to now? There have been many great swimming stars in the Olympics over the years - find out what your favorites have been doing since they achieved Olympic glory.

Jon von Tetzchner, the CEO of Opera Software (makers of the Opera Browser) had planned to swim from Norway to the USA if enough people downloaded the new version of the Opera Web Browser. He tried, but due to an accident the attempt was stopped.

Annabelle Orme, USA Synchronized Swimmer, is in the team competion at the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympic Games.

Aaron Peirsol

Jillian Penner, USA Synchronized Swimmer, is in the team and duet competions at the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympic Games.

Heather "Petie" Petri is an attacker for the 2008 US Olympic Water Polo Team.

Phelps, Michael

Polar swimming sensation Lewis Gordon Pugh is set to tackle his toughest challenge yet - a series of three long distance swims in Antarctica in water temperatures expected to be close to freezing. Amongst other swims, Lewis Gordon Pugh was the first person to swim around North Cape in Norway, around the Cape of Good Hope, down a Norwegian fjord and across an African Great Lake. The Norwegian press often refer to him as the "Ice Bear."

Jeff Powers is a defender on the 2008 USA Water Polo Team at the Beijing Olympic Games.

Kim Probst, USA Synchronized Swimmer, is in the team competion at the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympic Games.

Long-distance swimming legend Lewis Gordon Pugh was the first person to swim around North Cape, around the Cape of Good Hope, down a Norwegian fjord and across an African Great Lake.  However, he is perhaps most well known for his exploits in the Arctic.  In 2005 he became the first person to undertake a long distance swim near the North Pole.    

Maritza Correia, 2003 NCAA Champion in the 50 and 100 freestyles, and a gold medalist from the freestyle relay at the 2003 World Championships, has added her answers some questions about swimming - and life - that could help other swimmers.

Swimmer Jeff Rouse, multiple Olympic Gold Medalist and Swimming World Record setter, took some time to answer some questions about swimming - and life - that could help other swimmers.

Staciana Stitts, 2000 Olympic Gold Medalist swimmer in the 400 Medley Relay, took some time to answer some questions about swimming - and life - that could help other swimmers.

Mom, Olympic Swimmer, and author (among many other things) Dara Torres took a few minutes to answer some questions about swimming, the Olympics, and her book, Age is Just a Number.

Schmitt, Allison

Shanteau, Eric

Silver, Emily

Smit, Julia

Jesse Smith is a defender on the 2008 USA Water Polo Team at the Beijing Olympic Games.

Soni, Rebecca

Spann Jr., Scott

Jessica Steffens is a defender for the 2008 US Olympic Water Polo Team.

Stovall, Gil

Chloe Sutton

Swimmer Jessica Long (Baltimore, Md.) has been selected as the 2006 U.S. Olympic Committee (USOC) Paralympian of the Year. Long’s distinction as Paralympian of the Year is the second time in three years that a swimmer has been recognized.

Olympian Katie Hoff is the eighth swimmer to be awarded the United States Olympic Committee SportsWoman of the Year honor. She joins the list that includes swimmers like Shirley Babashoff, Kathy Heddy, Tracy Caulkins, Cynthia Woodhead, Janet Evans, Amy Van Dyken, and Jenny Thompson.

Katie Hoff has been selected as the 2007 United States Olympic Committee (USOC) SportsWoman of the Year. Michael Phelps was selected for the 2007 Outstanding Performance of the Year Award.

Torres, Dara

Swim Coach Jimi Flowers is dead following a climbing accident near Aspen, CO. Jimi was most recently coaching with the US Paralympic team.

After winning five medals, including four gold, at the 2009 FINA World Championships, two-time Olympian Ryan Lochte was named USA Swimming's 2009 Athlete of the Year at the U.S Aquatic Sports Banquet on Saturday. World Championship teammate Michael Phelps took the 2009 ConocoPhillips Performance of the Year Award for his dramatic win in the 100m butterfly at World Championships. In total, 16 awar…

Moriah van Norman is a center for the 2008 US Olympic Water Polo Team.

Tammy Van Wisse, from Victoria Australia, told me that she started swimming around the age of 11 because she was being teased for being overweight. Now she has swam the equivalent of 1 1/2 times around the world.

Vandenberg, Kim

Vanderkaay, Peter

Peter Varellas is an attacker on the 2008 USA Water Polo Team at the Beijing Olympic Games.

Vendt, Erik

Brenda Villa is an attacker for the 2008 US Olympic Water Polo Team.

Walters, Dave

Warkentin, Mark

Weber-Gale, Garrett

Lauren Wenger is a defender for the 2008 US Olympic Water Polo Team.

Wildman-Tobriner, Ben

Elsie Windes is a defender for the 2008 US Olympic Water Polo Team.

Adam Wright is an attacker on the 2008 USA Water Polo Team at the Beijing Olympic Games.

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Ziegler, Kate

Lewis Gordon Pugh completed a 1km swim in icy cold 2 degree waters across a glacial lake adjacent to the Khumbu Glacier in a time of 22 minutes and 51 seconds on Sunday, 23 May 2010. The Pumori Lake is situated at an altitude of 5,300 metres. He undertook the record-breaking swim to draw attention to the melting of the glaciers in the Himalayas...

Amanda Beard. What do you think of when you hear her name? Amanda Beard - mother, Olympic swimmer, model, charity supporter, or motivational speaker? Sure, all of that! Amanda took some time out from her busy schedule to share a few swimming (and other) thoughts.

Dara Torres, an Olympic swimmer in five different games, is also well known for her motivational speaking and work helping others realize that nothing needs to stand between themselves and their health and fitness goals. In 2010, Dara is taking some time away from swimming in 2010. She does a 45 minute aerobic workout, followed by an hour to an...

Ryan Lochte was named USA Swimming's 2010 Swimmer of the Year at the annual U.S. Aquatic Sports Awards Banquet Saturday. The two-time Olympian won...

The top swimmers in the USA, including Ryan Lochte, Natalie Coughlin and Michael Phelps, headline the nominations for the 2010 USA Swimming Foundation Golden Goggle Awards which honor the top swimming performances of the 2010. This year's awards gala will take place November 22 at the New York Marriott Marquis in New York City. This is the...

FINA has anounced their list of Best Athletes of 2010 in all aquatic disciplines: Swimming, Water Polo, Diving, Synchronised Swimming and Open Water Swimming.