Garrett Weber-Gale
Encyclopedia
Garrett Weber-Gale is an American Olympic swimmer who won two gold medals in the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
At the 2008 Summer Olympics
, Weber-Gale was as a member of the 4×100 m freestyle relay team in a final that has been heralded as the best relay in the history of swimming. He was the second leg of that relay and had a split of 47.02 as the US won the gold ahead of pre-race favorite France. Weber-Gale also earned a gold medal for his contribution in the heats of the 4×100m medley relay. Weber-Gale also competed in both the 50m and 100m freestyle events but did not advance past the semifinals of either one.
At the 2009 USA Nationals and World Championships trials, Weber-Gale placed third in the 100 m freestyle in 48.19. He also tied for second with Cullen Jones
in the 50m freestyle in 21.55, which required a swim-off to decide who would get to compete in the event at the 2009 World Aquatics Championships
in Rome. Jones won the swim-off in 21.41, which broke Weber-Gale's American record in the event.
At the 2009 World Championships, Weber-Gale swam the lead-off leg of the 4×100 m freestyle preliminaries in 48.30. He earned a gold medal in the event when the US placed first in the final.
age-group swimmer at the Schroeder Y in Brown Deer, Wisconsin. He refined his stroke training in Austin, Texas, swimming with Circle C (now Longhorn Aquatics). In 2003, he set a national public high school record while at Nicolet High School
in the 100 yards (91.4 m) freestyle with a time of 43.49. He is a four-time Wisconsin State Champion, twice in the backstroke and once in the freestyle.
Weber-Gale also was a multiple-time Olin-Sang-Ruby Union Institute (a URJ summer camp) triathlon champion.
On November 17, 2008, Weber-Gale won a Golden Goggles award with Beijing relay teammates Michael Phelps
, Cullen Jones
and Jason Lezak
.
On July 19, 2009, Weber-Gale (along with Phelps, Jones and Lezak) received an ESPY Award for Best Moment for their 4×100m freestyle relay performance at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
Short Course Meters:
Short Course Yards:
Early life
Weber-Gale is Jewish, and was born in Stevens Point, Wisconsin. He competed for the University of Texas from 2003–07. In 2006, he was the NCAA Division I Champion in the 100y freestyle.Swimming career
He won the 100 and 50 meter freestyles at the 2008 US Olympic Trials in 47.92 and 21.47 seconds respectively. His time of 21.47 in the 50 was an American record. By clocking a time of 47.78 in the prelims of the 100 freestyle at the Trials, he became the first American to break 48 seconds in that event.At the 2008 Summer Olympics
2008 Summer Olympics
The 2008 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIX Olympiad, was a major international multi-sport event that took place in Beijing, China, from August 8 to August 24, 2008. A total of 11,028 athletes from 204 National Olympic Committees competed in 28 sports and 302 events...
, Weber-Gale was as a member of the 4×100 m freestyle relay team in a final that has been heralded as the best relay in the history of swimming. He was the second leg of that relay and had a split of 47.02 as the US won the gold ahead of pre-race favorite France. Weber-Gale also earned a gold medal for his contribution in the heats of the 4×100m medley relay. Weber-Gale also competed in both the 50m and 100m freestyle events but did not advance past the semifinals of either one.
At the 2009 USA Nationals and World Championships trials, Weber-Gale placed third in the 100 m freestyle in 48.19. He also tied for second with Cullen Jones
Cullen Jones
Cullen Jones is an American freestyle sprint swimmer and Olympic gold medalist.-Early life:Born in the Bronx borough of New York City, Jones moved to Irvington, New Jersey while in elementary school...
in the 50m freestyle in 21.55, which required a swim-off to decide who would get to compete in the event at the 2009 World Aquatics Championships
2009 World Aquatics Championships
The 2009 World Aquatics Championships or the XIII FINA World Championships were celebrated in Rome, Italy in 2009 from July 17 to August 2. The 2009 Championships featured competition in all 5 aquatics disciplines: diving, swimming, open water swimming, synchronized swimming and water polo.Rome won...
in Rome. Jones won the swim-off in 21.41, which broke Weber-Gale's American record in the event.
At the 2009 World Championships, Weber-Gale swam the lead-off leg of the 4×100 m freestyle preliminaries in 48.30. He earned a gold medal in the event when the US placed first in the final.
Miscellaneous
Weber-Gale began his competitive career as a YMCAYMCA
The Young Men's Christian Association is a worldwide organization of more than 45 million members from 125 national federations affiliated through the World Alliance of YMCAs...
age-group swimmer at the Schroeder Y in Brown Deer, Wisconsin. He refined his stroke training in Austin, Texas, swimming with Circle C (now Longhorn Aquatics). In 2003, he set a national public high school record while at Nicolet High School
Nicolet High School
Nicolet High School is a public secondary school located in Glendale, Wisconsin. It is the only school in the Nicolet Unified School District, which serves Glendale, Fox Point, Bayside, and River Hills. Primary schooling is administered by three feeder districts. The Nicolet Unified School district...
in the 100 yards (91.4 m) freestyle with a time of 43.49. He is a four-time Wisconsin State Champion, twice in the backstroke and once in the freestyle.
Weber-Gale also was a multiple-time Olin-Sang-Ruby Union Institute (a URJ summer camp) triathlon champion.
On November 17, 2008, Weber-Gale won a Golden Goggles award with Beijing relay teammates Michael Phelps
Michael Phelps
Michael Fred Phelps is an American swimmer who has, overall, won 16 Olympic medals—six gold and two bronze at Athens in 2004, and eight gold at Beijing in 2008, becoming the most successful athlete at both of these Olympic Games editions...
, Cullen Jones
Cullen Jones
Cullen Jones is an American freestyle sprint swimmer and Olympic gold medalist.-Early life:Born in the Bronx borough of New York City, Jones moved to Irvington, New Jersey while in elementary school...
and Jason Lezak
Jason Lezak
Jason Edward Lezak is an American Olympic swimmer, winner of 4 Olympic gold medals.He formerly swam for Irvine Novaquatics. He graduated from Irvine High School in 1994, and then from the University of California, Santa Barbara in 1999. He is a member of the Rose Bowl Aquatics swim club...
.
On July 19, 2009, Weber-Gale (along with Phelps, Jones and Lezak) received an ESPY Award for Best Moment for their 4×100m freestyle relay performance at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
Best swimming times
Long Course Meters:- 50 freestyle: 21.47
- 100 freestyle: 47.78 (First American to break 48 seconds)
- 100 freestyle relay split: 47.02
- 200 freestyle: 1:49.06
- 100 backstroke: 56.48
Short Course Meters:
- 50 freestyle: 21.31
- 100 freestyle: 46.29
Short Course Yards:
- 50 freestyle: 19.16
- 100 freestyle: 41.94
- 200 freestyle: 1:33.53
- 100 backstroke: 47.33
External links
- Official Website
- USA Swimming athlete bio: Garrett Weber-Gale
- Garrett Weber-Gale's Blog at Swimnetwork.com