Ian Crocker

Ian Lowell Crocker (born August 31, 1982) is an American former competition swimmer, five-time Olympic medalist, and former world record-holder. During his career, he set world records in the 50- and 100-meter butterfly (long course and short course) and the 100-meter freestyle (short course). He has won a total of twenty-one medals in major international competition, spanning the Olympics, the FINA World Aquatics Championships, and the Pan Pacific Swimming Championships. He has helped coach the Longhorns swim camp in 2019 as well as other years.[1]

This article is about the American swimmer. For the British football commentator, see Ian Crocker (commentator).

Ian Crocker
Crocker in 2005.
Personal information
Full nameIan Lowell Crocker
National team United States
BornError: Need valid birth date: year, month, day
Portland, Maine
Height6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)
Weight190 lb (86 kg)
Sport
SportSwimming
StrokesButterfly, freestyle
ClubPortland Porpoises
College teamUniversity of Texas

Career

Crocker, who specializes in the butterfly, has received five Olympic medals in his career. In addition to his accomplishments at the Olympics, Crocker was the first man to ever swim under 51 seconds in the 100-meter butterfly.[2] Crocker improved his world record of 50.98 twice, down to a time of 50.40[3] set at the 2005 World Aquatics Championships in Montreal, before being bested by Michael Phelps in 2009.

2000-2001
See also: Swimming at the 2000 Summer Olympics and 2000 Summer Olympics

At the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, Crocker was a member of the gold medal-winning 400-meter medley relay team[4] and barely missed winning a bronze in the 100-meter butterfly.[5]

At the 2001 World Aquatics Championships, Crocker won a silver medal in the 100-meter butterfly, finishing behind Lars Frölander.[6][7]

2003 World Aquatics Championships

At the 2003 World Aquatics Championships, Crocker won a total of three medals, two golds and one silver medal. In his first event, the 50-meter butterfly, Crocker won a silver medal finishing behind Australian Matt Welsh, who set the world record.[8] Crocker is best known in these Championships for his world record performance in the 100 m butterfly final. After the semi-finals of the 100-meter butterfly, it seemed Crocker was out of the gold medal position after Andrii Serdinov and Michael Phelps went under the former world record. However, in the final of the 100-meter butterfly, Crocker swam a 50.98 to become the first man under 51 seconds and win the gold medal.[9] When Crocker saw the time after the race, he thought the world record belonged to Phelps.[10] Crocker earned his final medal, a gold, in the 4×100-meter medley relay. The American team recorded a time of 3:31.54 to beat the former world record set in 2002.[11]

2004 Athens Summer Olympic Games
See also: Swimming at the 2004 Summer Olympics and 2004 Summer Olympics

At the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Crocker received a bronze medal as a member of the 400-meter freestyle relay team,[12] a silver medal in the 100-meter butterfly,[13] and a gold medal as a member of the world-record setting 400-meter medley relay team.[14] Of the three medals he won at the 2004 Olympics, he is best remembered for his silver, as teammate Michael Phelps overtook him at the very end of the 100-meter butterfly to win the race by 0.04 seconds. Traditionally, the Olympian who places highest in an individual event will be automatically given the corresponding leg of the 4×100-meter medley relay for the finals swim. This gave Phelps an automatic entry into finals for the medley relay but he deferred that spot to the world record-holder and swam the butterfly leg in preliminary heats instead.[15] Crocker had swum a slow leg leading off the 4×100-meter freestyle relay final, which may have cost the Americans a better medal, so Phelps' gesture gave Crocker a chance to make amends in a final. Crocker and the American medley team went on to win the event in world record time. (Phelps still received a gold, since he had swum in the preliminary heat of the medley relay.)

2005 World Aquatics Championships
Victory lap of the 100 m butterfly during the 2005 FINA World Championships in Montréal. Crocker is in the center.

At the 2005 World Aquatics Championships, Crocker won a total of three medals, two golds and one silver medal. In his first event, the 50 m butterfly, Crocker won a silver medal finishing behind South African Roland Schoeman, who set the world record.[16] In the final of the 100 m butterfly, Crocker recorded a time of 50.40 to beat his own world record of 50.76 and win the gold medal.[17] Crocker also handed Michael Phelps one of the worst losses in his career when Phelps finished over a second behind. With this win, Crocker was awarded a spot in the 4 × 100 m medley relay. Crocker did not disappoint and swam the butterfly leg in 50.39. The American team went on to win the gold medal.[18]

2007 World Aquatics Championships

At the 2007 World Aquatics Championships, Crocker won two silver medals. In the 50-meter butterfly, Crocker won a silver medal finishing behind Schoeman.[19] In the 100 m butterfly final, Crocker finished second to Phelps 50.82 to 50.77.[20][21] In the heats of the 4×100-meter medley relay, Crocker dove in too early on an exchange, causing the disqualification of the American team.

2008 Beijing Summer Olympic Games
See also: Swimming at the 2008 Summer Olympics and 2008 Summer Olympics

Crocker competed in his third Olympics as a medal contender for his signature 100-meter butterfly. Many felt Crocker's career was on a slide due to a poor showing in the Olympic trials and having not broken the 51-second barrier in over 12 months. Crocker finished in a tie for third in the semi-finals, behind Australia's Andrew Lauterstein. In the finals, he finished fourth behind teammate Phelps, Milorad Čavić, and Lauterstein, beating Kenyan swimmer Jason Dunford. He missed the medal stand by one hundredth of a second.[22] Despite not earning a medal in his signature event, Crocker was given the opportunity to swim for the 4×100-meter medley relay in the preliminary heats. He earned a gold medal for his contribution.

2011 return to drug testing pool

In the third quarter of 2011, Ian Crocker returned to the USADA drug-testing pool. This fueled speculation that he might be considering a return to competitive swimming after more than three years away from the sport.[23]

Personal

Crocker attended Cheverus High School in Portland, Maine.[24]

Following the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, he has taken a break and started a swim school with former Longhorn teammate Neil Walker.

He is now the assistant coach for a swim club in Austin, Texas, called the Western Hills Athletic Club (WHAC).

See also

References
  1. Ian Crocker - Team USA
  2. Christopher Clarey (July 28, 2003). "Crocker beats the unbeatable". The New York Times. Archived from the original on October 15, 2014. Retrieved July 16, 2009.
  3. Amy Shipley (July 31, 2005). "Crocker Rips Phelps in 100 Fly". The Washington Post. Retrieved July 16, 2009.
  4. "ESPN Sydney Swimming". Retrieved March 13, 2009.
  5. "CROCKER BREAKS U.S. MARK WITH 4TH-PLACE FINISH". Retrieved July 16, 2009.
  6. Brown, Phil (July 27, 2001). "Ian Crocker second in 100m butterfly American Hansen wins 200 breaststroke". Bangor Daily News. Retrieved January 27, 2010.
  7. "SILVER STILL A CHARM". Retrieved January 27, 2010.
  8. "Men's 50m Butterfly results" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on June 9, 2010. Retrieved January 27, 2010.
  9. "Men's 100m Butterfly results" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on April 7, 2009. Retrieved January 27, 2010.
  10. "A Barcelona Butterfly Surprise; Crocker Sets World Record, Edges Phelps". Archived from the original on March 9, 2016. Retrieved January 27, 2010.
  11. "Men's 4 x 100m Medley Relay results" (PDF). Retrieved January 27, 2010.
  12. "Tough day for Phelps, U.S. men's basketball". The Seattle Times. Retrieved July 16, 2009.
  13. "Phelps clinches fifth gold medal". The Hindu. Chennai, India. August 21, 2004. Retrieved July 16, 2009.
  14. "2004 Olympic Games swimming results". CNN. Retrieved July 22, 2007.
  15. Myslenski, Skip (August 21, 2004). "Phelps a champion and a gentleman ; Butterfly winner hands relay spot to U.S. teammate". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved July 16, 2009.
  16. "Men's 50 m butterfly results" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on April 7, 2009. Retrieved January 31, 2010.
  17. "Men's 100 m butterfly results" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on April 7, 2009. Retrieved January 31, 2010.
  18. "Men's 4 x 100m Medley Relay results" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on June 9, 2010. Retrieved January 31, 2010.
  19. "Men's 50 m butterfly results" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on October 4, 2009. Retrieved February 6, 2010.
  20. "Men's 100 m butterfly results" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on October 4, 2009. Retrieved February 6, 2010.
  21. Clarey, Christopher (April 1, 2007). "Phelps's Shot at 8 Golds Ends on Relay Team's Miscue". The New York Times. Retrieved February 6, 2010.
  22. "Maine's Ian Crocker out of the medals in 100-meter butterfly". The Boston Globe. August 16, 2008. Archived from the original on August 20, 2008. Retrieved July 16, 2009.
  23. "Breaking: Ian Crocker Back in USADA Drug Testing Pool". The Swimmers' Circle. December 9, 2011. Archived from the original on January 6, 2012. Retrieved December 9, 2011.
  24. Mahoney, Larry (January 1, 2001). "Ian Crocker's gold medal is top sports story of year Portland native beats out UMaine hockey, Bordick". Bangor Daily News. Retrieved April 1, 2020.
Records
Preceded by

Michael Phelps		 Men's 100-meter butterfly
world record-holder (long course)
July 26, 2003 – July 9, 2009		 Succeeded by

Michael Phelps
Preceded by

Milorad Čavić		 Men's 100-meter butterfly
world record-holder (short course)
March 26, 2004 – November 15, 2009		 Succeeded by

Yevgeny Korotyshkin
Preceded by

Alexander Popov
Roland Schoeman (tie)		 Men's 100-meter freestyle
world record-holder (short course)
March 27, 2004 – January 22, 2005
January 22, 2005 – November 17, 2007		 Succeeded by

Roland Schoeman (tie)
Stefan Nystrand
Preceded by

Matt Welsh		 Men's 50-meter butterfly
world record-holder (long course)
February 29, 2004 – July 24, 2005		 Succeeded by

Roland Schoeman
Preceded by

Geoff Huegill		 Men's 50-meter butterfly
world record-holder (short course)
October 10, 2004 – December 17, 2005		 Succeeded by

Kaio de Almeida
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