Our favorite Olympians didn’t just become great overnight! They all began their love for the water at a young age and consistently worked at their craft. Take a look at some “then” and “now” photos of our clinicians and favorite athletes to see where they have come from.
Try to guess their identities from the clues given below!
Answers are listed in order at the bottom of this article.
1. Clue
He has represented Great Britain at the Olympics and FINA world championships and specializes in the 50 and 100 meter freestyle sprints. He moved to Australia to attend Southport School in 2006 and moved to Auburn, Alabama for his undergraduate degree. He swam for coaches David Marsh and Brett Hawke as an Auburn Tiger.
Then…
And now…
2. Clue
She was born and raised in California and specializes in distance freestyle events. She attended the University of Arizona and was an Olympic gold medalist who represented the U.S. in the 2012 Olympic Games.
Then…
And now…
3. Clue
She hails from San Antonio, Texas and attended the University of Arizona in Tucson. She placed 5th in two consecutive Olympic Trials in the 100-meter breaststroke and married an Olympic backstroker. She is a 9-time NCAA medalist.
Then… And now…
4. Clue
She was a national record-holder from the Bahamas and has represented her country in several international championships. She was the first Bahamian to ever qualify in the final heat in the Olympics, specializing in sprint freestyle races.
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And now…
5. Clue
She swam for Duke in college and specialized in long-distance freestyle and open-water events. She was the World Champion in the 5 km team and bronze in the 5 km open water events at the 2011 World Aquatics Championships in Shanghai, China.
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And now…
6. Clue
He attended Stanford University and earned 14 NCAA All-American honors. He is a two-time silver medalist at the World University Games and placed third in the 200-meter butterfly at the 2012 U.S. Olympic Team Trials.
Then… And now…
7. Clue
She is from Los Angeles, California and began playing water polo at the age of six and has represented Team USA since 1998. She is the most decorated athlete in the sport of water polo and was named Female Water Polo Player of the Decade for 2000-2009 by the FINA Aquatics World Magazine.
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And now…
8. Clue
She specializes in freestyle and long-distance events, winning a total of five medals in the Open Water Championships, Pan Pacific Championships, and Pan American Games. She was a member of the 2012 USA Olympic team and competed in the 400-meter freestyle. She is the first American to make the Olympic team in both open water and pool events.
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9. Clue
Hailing from Palos Heights, Illinois, she attended the University of Tennessee and won the 100-yard butterfly at the 2008 NCAA Championships. She later won a silver medal in the 100-meter butterfly at the 2008 Summer Olympics.
Then… And now…
10. Clue
This Olympic swimmer also ran cross country and track in high school, earning varsity in all three sports. She attended Western Kentucky University and finished second at NCAAs in 2011 in the 100-yard butterfly. She qualified for the U.S. Olympic Trials in 2008 in the 100 and 200-meter butterfly.
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And now…
11. Clue
Hailing from Louisville, Kentucky, this swimmer initially competed for the University of Florida in Gainesville but transferred to the University of Arizona for his senior year. He won the NCAA title in the 200-yard breaststroke for Arizona and went on to qualify for the U.S. Olympic Team in 2012 in the 200-meter breaststroke, finishing sixth overall.
Then… And now…
12. Clue
He began swimming at the age of seven in Knoxville, Tennessee. Earning the High School Swimmer of the Year in 2002, he had a promising career at the University of Michigan. He was a three-time NCAA national champion and 13-time All-American, setting three Big Ten conference and six school records. He qualified for the U.S. Olympic Team in 2012 in the 200-meter butterfly and won gold in the 4 x 200-meter freestyle relay.
Then… And now…
13. Clue
Born in Hilo, Hawaii, he quickly rose to fame in sprint freestyle events and was named the National Boys’ High School Swimmer of the Year in 2008. He swam for the University of Texas at Austin and won the NCAA championship titles in the 100, 50, and 4 x 100-yard freestyle events. He won a gold medal at the 2016 Olympics in the 4 x 100-meter freestyle relay.
Then…
And now…
14. Clue
He was a multi-sport athlete in high school, competing in track, golf and football. Hailing from Cincinnati, Ohio, he was a one-time NCAA champion in the 50-yard freestyle. He has medaled in several international competitions as well.
Then… And now…
15. Clue
She went to high school in New York and attended Stanford University on a scholarship. She made a big mark on the world of swimming by winning five NCAA titles in the 400 and 200-yard individual medley races throughout her collegiate career. She set her first World Record in the 400-meter IM in 2008 and her second in the 200-meter IM in 2009.
Then… And now…
16. Clue
She attended the University of Georgia and became the first woman in NCAA history to win the 50, 100, and 200-yard freestyle events at the national meet. She is a four-time Olympic silver medalist and competed for Team USA in 2004, 2008, and 2012.
Then… And now…
17. Clue
This American swimmer specialized in freestyle and long-distance events, winning a total of 15 medals in major international competition. She was a member of the 2012 U.S. Olympic Team and competed in the 800-meter freestyle.
Then… And now…
18. Clue
She broke her back and had surgery only three months before the 2012 US Olympic Trials. Specializing in sprint freestyle events and was a member of the U.S. Olympic Team in 2012, earning a gold medal in the 4 x 200-meter freestyle relay.
Then…
And now…
19. Clue
This swimmer became the first Puerto Rican of African descent to qualify for the U.S. Olympic Team in 2004 and became the first black American swimmer to set an American and world record.
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20. Clue
This American swimmer was a former Olympic gold medalist, world champion, and world-record holder who represented the U.S. at the 2004 and 2008 Summer Olympics. He specialized in the 100-meter breaststroke.
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And now…
21. Clue
This swimmer has been nicknamed “Dutch” and “Gentle Giant.” He specializes in backstroke and freestyle events and is a six-time Olympic medalist. He earned a gold in the 4 x 100-meter freestyle and 4 x 100 meter medley relays and earned a silver medal in the 100-meter backstroke at the 2008 Summer Olympic Games.
Then… And now…
22. Clue
She attended the University of Georgia and won the NCAA Division I women’s team championship in 2013. She specializes in backstroke and freestyle events and was a part of the American record women’s 4 x 100-meter freestyle relay team.
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And now…
23. Clue
This water polo player was the US men’s national water polo goalkeeper at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games. The U.S. won the silver medal and he was named to the Olympic all-star team.
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24. Clue
This American swimmer specialized in sprint freestyle events and was an American Record holder in the 50 freestyle in short course meters. He swam for Arizona State University and won a gold medal in the men’s 4 x 100-meter medley relay at the 2003 Pan American Games.
Then… And now…
25. Clue
This native buckeye has won a total of 10 medals in major international competition and specializes in backstroke. He held the world record in the 100-meter backstroke short course from 2009-2015 and was a member of the 2012 U.S. Olympic team, winning gold and silver medals.
Then… And now…
26. Clue
Hailing from the state of Michigan, this freestyler is a four-time Olympic medalist and attended the University of Michigan. He has three brothers who have also been successful swimmers.
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And now…
27. Clue
Born and raised in San Jose, California, this swimmer specializes in breaststroke events and was a member of the 2012 U.S. Olympic team. He placed fifth in the 200-meter breaststroke in the 2012 Games.
28. Clue
He swam for the North Baltimore Aquatic Club and specializes in butterfly events. He won the U.S. national championship in the 200-meter butterfly, qualifying for the 2013 World Aquatics Championships in Barcelona. He was named Swimmer of the Year by the Atlantic Coast Conference that same year.
29. Clue
He attended Auburn University and specializes in butterfly events. He was a member of two world champion relay teams from the U.S. and earned a gold medal at the 2012 Olympic Games on the 4 x 100-meter medley relay.
Then… And now…
Answers
- Adam Brown, 2. Alyssa Anderson, 3. Annie Grevers, 4. Arianna Vanderpool-Wallace, 5. Ashley Twitchell, 6. Bobby Bollier, 7. Brenda Villa, 8. Chloe Sutton, 9. Christine Magnuson, 10. Claire Donahue, 11. Clark Burckle, 12. Davis Tarwater, 13. Jimmy Feigen, 14. Josh Schneider, 15. Julia Smit, 16. Kara Lynn Joyce, 17. Kate Ziegler, 18. Lauren Perdue, 19. Maritza Correia, 20. Mark Gangloff, 21. Matt Grevers, 22. Megan Romano, 23. Merrill Moses, 24. Nick Brunelli, 25. Nick Thoman, 26. Peter Vanderkaay, 27. Scott Weltz, 28. Tommy Luchsinger, 29. Tyler McGill
