The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
Men's Swimming & Diving History: Olympic Recaps
05.16.2005 | Men's Swimming and Diving
2004: Athens
Former Longhorns swimmers Ian Crocker, Nate Dusing, Scott Goldblatt, Gary Hall, Jr.,** Brendan Hansen, Aaron Peirsol, Neil Walker as well as former UT divers Justin Dumais and Troy Dumais competed for the United States while current UT rising senior Nathan O'Brien competed for Canada. Crocker, Hansen and Peirsol teamed with Jason Lezak to smash the world record at the 2004 Athens Olympics' final swimming event, the 4x100m medley relay. Peirsol led all Texas swimmers at the Athens Games, duplicating American teammate Lenny Krayzelburg's Sydney sweep of the 100 and 200m backstrokes as well as the 4x100m medley relay. Peirsol, who broke the 100m backstroke world record swimming the first leg of the medley relay, became only the fifth swimmer in Olympic history and second former Longhorn to sweep both backstroke events (Rick Carey, Los Angeles - 1984). Crocker and Hansen each earned Olympic gold, silver and bronze at the 2004 Games. Crocker earned gold in the 4 x 100m medley relay, silver in 100m fly and bronze in the 4x100m free relay. Hansen, competing in his first Olympics, captured gold in the 4x100m medley relay, silver in the 100m breaststroke and bronze in the 200m breaststroke. Three-time Olympian Hall, Jr. won the 50m free capturing his 10th career Olympic medal and second straight in the 50m free. Hall, Jr., Dusing and Walker each earned bronze medals swimming the 4x100m freestyle relay, while Walker also captured his second-straight gold medal in the 4x100 medley relay as he had swum the preliminaries. Scott Goldblatt captured his first career gold as a member of the 4x200m free relay team. Texas swimmers medaled in six individual events and swam at least one leg on all three medal-winning relay squads. U.S. Head Coach Eddie Reese and the American squad earned 18 medals - nine gold, five silver, four bronze.
2000: Sydney
Ian Crocker and Aaron Peirsol, current UT swimmers at the time, as well as former Longhorns Josh Davis, Nate Dusing, diver Troy Dumais, Tommy Hannan, Scott Goldblatt, Gary Hall Jr.,** Jamie Rauch and Neil Walker competed for the United States at the 2000 Sydney Olympics - accounting for one-third of the entire USA Swimming and Diving Teams. Davis carried the youthful squad, capturing two silver medals as a member of the 400 and 800 freestyle relay teams. In his first Olympics, Walker claimed a gold medal as a member of the winning 400 medley relay and a silver medal in the 400 freestyle relay, while Rauch, Goldblatt and Dusing all earned Olympic silver in the 800 freestyle relay event. Former Longhorn Gary Hall boasted a successful Olympic run, winning gold medals in the 50 freestyle and as a member of the victorious 400 medley relay. He also claimed silver as the anchor of the 400 freestyle relay and a bronze in the 100 freestyle. In addition, Crocker and Hannan teamed up to claim gold in the 400 medley relay, while Dumais narrowly missed a bronze medal by placing fourth in the synchronized three-meter springboard event, and was the United States' top finisher in the three-meter springboard after placing sixth. Peirsol, while still in high school, captured a silver medal in the 200-meter backstroke.
1996: Atlanta
Josh Davis earned three gold medals for his contributions to the USA relays. He swam the leadoff leg in finals of the 800m free relay, and took part in the 400m free relay, and swam the freestyle leg of the 400m medley relay in the preliminaries. Former Longhorn Gary Hall, Jr.** struck gold swimming the anchor legs in the finals of the 400m free relay and the 400m medley relay. He also raced to two silver medals in the 50m and 100m freestyles. Former Longhorn Brad Bridgewater* swam to gold in the 200m backstroke. Carlos Arena was a member of the Mexican swimming team.
1992: Barcelona
Hans Dersch earned a gold in the 400m medley relay by swimming on USA's foursome in the prelims at the 1992 Games, while Doug Gjertsen captured gold in '92 swimming in the prelims of the 400m free relay and a bronze as a member of the American 800m free relay. Shaun Jordan won gold swimming a prelim leg on USA's 400m relay team. Matt Scoggin earned a spot on the US Diving Team after winning the 10m platform at the trials. He finished 10th in the finals. Christian Styren joined Norway's diving team.
1988: Seoul
Chris Jacobs earned a silver in the 100m freestyle (49.08) and two golds as a member of USA's 400m and 800m relays . Doug Gjertsen also swam the third leg of the USA's winning 800m free relay, while Shaun Jordan won gold in the prelim leg on USA's winning 400m relay team. Kirk Stackle also joined the US squad after finishing second in the 200m breaststroke at trials. In addition, Bill Stapleton finished second in the 200m IM at the trials and joined the US team, and Daniel Watters made the US squad in the 100m breaststroke.
1984: Los Angeles
Rick Carey captured three golds, the most ever by a Longhorn, winning the 100m (55.79) and 200m (2:00.23) backstroke and helping the U.S. win the 400m medley relay. Jon Vegard, meanwhile, joined Norway's Olympic Diving Team for the second time.
1980: Moscow
Ken Armstrong was a member of the Canadian Diving Team for the second time. Longhorns Rick Carey, William Paulus and Kris Kirchner earned spots on the US Olympic Team, but missed the action due to the boycott. Kirchner was a member of the 100m and 400m free relays, while Paulus won the USA Trials and set a world record in the 100m fly. Jon Vegard also joined Norway's Diving Team.
1968: Mexico City
Felipe Munoz won gold in the 200m breaststroke (2:28.7) in Mexico City.
1952: Helsinki
David "Skippy" Browning became Texas' first diving Olympian and gold medalist, capturing the 3-meter springboard title for the USA at the 1952 Helsinki Games.
1948: London
Ed Gilbert was a part of the USA's 500m free relay in London.
1936: Berlin
Adolph Kiefer became the first Longhorn swimming & diving Olympic gold medalist, winning the 100m backstroke for the USA in Berlin. His time of 1:05.90 was a new world record.
* - Brad Bridgewater was a Longhorn from 1992-94.
** - Gary Hall, Jr. attended Texas for the 1993-94 season.
