Rowdy Gaines

Infobox Swimmer
swimmername=Rowdy Gaines


imagesize=
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fullname = Ambrose Gaines IV
nicknames =
nationality = USA
strokes = freestyle
club =
collegeteam = Auburn Tigers
birthdate = birth date and age|1959|2|17
birthplace = Winter Haven, FL, U.S.
deathdate =
deathplace =
height =
weight =
medaltemplates=

Ambrose ("Rowdy") Gaines IV (born February 17, 1959 in Winter Haven, Florida) is a former American swimmer, U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame member, Olympic three-time gold medalist, and member of the International Swimming Hall of Fame. He is currently the chief fundraiser for USA Swimming as well as a swimming analyst for television networks ESPN and NBC including coverage of the Beijing 2008 Summer Olympics, his fourth as a TV commentator. [ [http://weblogs.baltimoresun.com/sports/mediumwell/blog/2008/07/your_nbc_olympics_lineup.html Medium Well: Your NBC Olympics lineup - A blog on sports media, news and networks - baltimoresun.com ] ]

Biography

Born in Winter Haven, Florida, Rowdy unsuccessfully tried other sports during his teen-age years but turned to swimming as a Winter Haven High School junior where he improved quickly and was offered a swimming scholarship to Auburn University. At Auburn he became a five-time NCAA champion under the training of former Stanford University and current Auburn head swimming coach Richard Quick.

During one four-year period, Gaines held eleven World Records and had the United States not boycotted the 1980 Summer Olympics in Moscow, he would have been a favorite to win multiple medals at the event. After graduating from Auburn in 1981, he stopped swimming for several months, thinking he had missed his opportunity to be an Olympic medalist, but was urged to resume swimming by his father. When Gaines qualified at the 1984 Olympic trials his times were not particularly impressive and he was not expected to place at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. He won the 100-metre freestyle off a very good start and swam the anchor leg for both the US gold medal-winning 4 x 100-metre freestyle and 4 x 100-metre medley teams.

In August 1991, Gaines was temporarily paralyzed with Guillain-Barre Syndrome. After a two-month hospitalization, he experienced a surprising full recovery attributed largely to his superb physical condition as a competitive swimmer. He eventually regained world-class times and, at the age of 35, became the oldest swimmer to qualify for the trials for the 1996 Summer Olympics. Ultimately, he chose not to compete in the trials for Atlanta but rather continue his career as a television commentator, covering swimming for NBC at the Games.

Gaines was Outreach Director for the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame in Birmingham from 1997 until 2003 when he moved to Colorado Springs, Colorado to become the Chief Fundraising and Alumni Officer for USA Swimming. In December 2007, Gaines became a spokesperson for the beverage company Limu Company LLC.

Gaines still holds Masters long course world records in several freestyle events in the both the 30-34 and 35-39 age groups. Gaines currently resides in Lake Mary, FL where he is Executive Director of Rowdy's Kidz, a charitable program sponsored by The Limu Company. His wife, Judy, and he have four daughters: Emily, Madison, Savanna and Isabelle.

Awards

* International Swimming Hall of Fame
* U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame
* Alabama Sports Hall of Fame
* Florida Sports Hall of Famecite web |url=http://auburntigers.cstv.com/sports/c-swim/spec-rel/010707aaa.html |title=Former Auburn Swimmers Denniston and Gaines Receive NCAA Awards | publisher=Auburn University Athletic Department | date=2007-01-07 | accessdate=2007-01-08 ]
* 1982 McDonalds Spirit Award
* 2007 NCAA Silver Anniversary Award

See also

* World record progression 50 metres freestyle
* World record progression 100 metres freestyle
* World record progression 200 metres freestyle

References

http://www.rowdyskidz.com/news.shtml

External links

* [http://www.jerseynick.originallimu.com/ Rowdy Gaines At The Limu Company]
* [http://www.fina.org/masterswrMay04_mnlc.html FINA Men's Long Course Masters Records]
* [http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/magazine/features/si50/states/alabama/essay/ Gaines' Sports Illustrated 50th Anniversary essay]

* http://www.rowdyskidz.com/news.shtml

Persondata
NAME=Gaines IV, Ambrose
ALTERNATIVE NAMES=Gaines, Rowdy
SHORT DESCRIPTION=American swimmer
DATE OF BIRTH=February 17, 1959
PLACE OF BIRTH=Winter Haven, Florida, United States
DATE OF DEATH=
PLACE OF DEATH=