Ambrose "Rowdy" Gaines IV (born February 17, 1959) is an American former competitive swimmer, U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame member, three-time Olympic gold medalist, and member of the International Swimming Hall of Fame. He is referred to as "The Voice of Swimming", has covered swimming at the Olympic Games since 1992 in Barcelona and is currently a swimming analyst for television network NBC.[1][2]
Gaines was born in Winter Haven, Florida to Jettie Ann and Ambrose "Buddy" Gaines, who met there as water skiers at Cypress Gardens in the 1950s.[3] Gaines tried several sports during his teenage years, but turned to swimming as a Winter Haven High School junior[4] at age 17.[5] He received a swimming scholarship to Auburn University. At Auburn, he became a five-time NCAA champion under the training of head coach Richard Quick.
Career
From 1978 to 1984, Gaines set 10 world records. At the time, he was the world record holder in the 100-meter and 200-meter freestyles. The 1980 boycott prevented Gaines from competing at the 1980 Moscow Olympics. Gaines said the boycott came at a time when he considered himself at his peak, and that he believed he missed an opportunity for four gold medals.[6]
Gaines qualified for the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, California. He won gold in the 100-meter freestyle and two gold medals for relays, swimming the anchor legs for the U.S. team in the 4×100-meter freestyle relay and 4×100-meter medley relay.[7]
Gaines said he experienced mental health issues after missing out on the 1980 Games and had "some real trouble post-Olympics, and...some big struggles, especially the year after."[8]
At the 2011 Short Course Masters Nationals, Gaines broke his national record in the 50–54 division 50 yard freestyle (21.36).[9] On July 16, 2011, Gaines broke the 50–54 Age Group record in the long course 100m freestyle with a time of 54.6.[10]
Gaines is the executive director of Rowdy’s Kidz, a wellness initiative developed and supported by The Limu Company that reaches out to children across the country.[4]
Gaines and his wife, Judy, reside in Lake Mary, Florida, with their four daughters.[4]
Jennifer Beth Thompson is an American former competition swimmer and anesthesiologist.
Matthew Nicholas Biondi is an American former competitive swimmer and water polo player. As a swimmer, he is an eleven-time Olympic medalist, and former world record-holder in five events. Biondi competed in the Summer Olympic Games in 1984, 1988 and 1992, winning a total of eleven medals. During his career, he set three individual world records in the 50-meter freestyle and four in the 100-meter freestyle.
Michael Groß, usually spelled Michael Gross in English, is a former competitive swimmer from Germany. He is 201 centimetres tall, and received the nickname "The Albatross" for his especially long arms that gave him a total span of 2.13 meters. Gross, competing for West Germany, won three Olympic gold medals, two in 1984 and one in 1988 in the freestyle and butterfly events, in addition to two World Championship titles in 1982, two in 1986 and one in 1991.
Natalie Anne Coughlin Hall is an American former competition swimmer and twelve-time Olympic medalist. While attending the University of California, Berkeley, she became the first woman ever to swim the 100-meter backstroke in less than one minute—ten days before her 20th birthday in 2002. At the 2008 Summer Olympics, she became the first U.S. female athlete in modern Olympic history to win six medals in one Olympiad, and the first woman ever to win a 100-meter backstroke gold in two consecutive Olympics. At the 2012 Summer Olympics, she earned a bronze medal in the 4×100-meter freestyle relay.
Michael Steward Heath is an American former competition swimmer who specialized in freestyle events. He is a three-time Olympic gold medalist, and a former world record-holder in two relay swimming events. A native of Texas, he won two national collegiate championship competing for the University of Florida. During his elite swimming career, Heath won ten medals in major international championships, including seven golds, two silvers and a bronze, spanning the Olympic Games, FINA World Championships, and Pan Pacific Championships.
Tracy Anne Stockwell, OAM,, née Tracy Anne Caulkins, is an American former competition swimmer, three-time Olympic gold medalist, five-time world champion, and former world record-holder in three events.
Helene Emma Madison was an American competition swimmer, Olympic champion, and former world record-holder.
Neil Scott Walker is an American former competition swimmer, four-time Olympic medalist, and former world record-holder in multiple events.
Richard John Carey is an American former competition swimmer, three-time Olympic champion, and former world record-holder in three events. Carey specialized in the backstroke. At the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, he won three gold medals. He broke nine world records, five individually, and also was a double world champion. He was named as the Swimmer of the Year in 1983 by Swimming World magazine.
Stephen Edward Clark is an American former competition swimmer for Yale University, Olympic champion, and former world record-holder.
Ethelda Marguerite Bleibtrey, also known by her married name Ethelda Schlatke, was an American competition swimmer, three-time Olympic gold medalist, and former world record-holder in multiple events.
Susan Christina von Saltza, also known by her married name Christina Olmstead, is an American former competition swimmer, Olympic champion, and former world record-holder in four events.
Charles Buchanan Hickcox was an American competition swimmer, three-time Olympic champion, and former world record-holder in six events.
David Erwin Larson is an American former competition swimmer who is an Olympic gold medalist and former world record-holder. Larson is a Georgia native who became an All-American college swimmer for the University of Florida. He was known for his success as a member of American relay teams in international competition at the Pan American Games and the Olympics – and for setting two world records in the 4×200-meter relay event on the same day at the 1984 Olympics.
Mariechen M. Wehselau, also known by her married name Mariechen Jackson, was an American competition swimmer, Olympic champion, and world record-holder.
Martha Maria Norelius was a Swedish-born American competition swimmer, Olympic gold medalist, and former world record-holder in five different freestyle swimming events.
Susan "Sue" Jane Pedersen, also known by her married name Susan Pankey, is an American former competition swimmer, four-time Olympic medalist, and former world record-holder in two events.
Lillian Debra Watson, commonly known by her nickname Pokey Watson, and later by her married name Lillian Richardson, is an American former competition swimmer, two-time Olympic champion, and former world record-holder in three events.
Garrett Weber-Gale is an American competition swimmer, two-time Olympic gold medalist, and world record-holder in two events.
Cynthia Lee Woodhead, commonly known by her family nickname "Sippy", is an American former competition swimmer, world champion, Olympic medalist, and former world record-holder. She won three gold medals at the 1978 World Championships, when she was only 14 years old, and set seven world records during her career.
References
↑ "Rowdy Gaines". www.teamusa.com. August 4, 2024. Retrieved August 5, 2024.
1 2 "Rowdy Gaines". NBC Sports Pressbox. Archived from the original on July 29, 2021. Retrieved July 29, 2021.
↑ "Results". Archived from the original on May 4, 2011. Retrieved May 2, 2011.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link). 2011 Spring National Championships. usms.org
This page is based on this Wikipedia article Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply. Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.
