Rowdy Gaines

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

From 1978 to 1984, Gaines set ten world records. He was considered a favorite to win multiple gold medals at the 1980 Olympics. At the time he was the world record holder in the 100-metre and 200-metre freestyles. The 1980 boycott prevented Gaines from competing at the 1980 Moscow Olympics. “I felt physically at my peak in 1980—and mentally up, too. It was tough, really tough. I had the chance for four golds.” [2]

After graduating from Auburn in 1981, he stopped swimming for six months, thinking he had missed his opportunity to be an Olympic medalist, but was urged to resume swimming by his father. He qualified for the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, California and won the 100 meter freestyle. He also won two gold medals for relays, swimming the anchor legs for the U.S. team in the 4×100-meter freestyle relay and 4×100-meter medley relay.[3]

In August 1991, Gaines was temporarily paralyzed with Guillain–Barré 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 the 1996 Olympics but instead continued 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, Alabama from 1997 until 2003 when he moved to Colorado Springs, Colorado to become the Chief Fund-raising and Alumni Officer for USA Swimming. In December 2007, Gaines became a spokesperson for LIMU, a direct sales company which produces a line of energy drinks.

Gaines still holds masters long course world records in several freestyle events. At the 2011 Short Course Masters Nationals, Gaines broke his own national record in the 50–54 division 50 yard freestyle (21.36),[4] notable in that he did the swim without the use of a technical suit (now banned). On July 16, 2011, Gaines broke the 50–54 Age Group record in the long course 100m freestyle with a time of 54.6.[5] Gaines resides in Lake Mary, Florida where he is Executive Director of Rowdy's Kidz, a charitable program sponsored by LIMU. His wife, Judy, and he have four daughters: Emily, Madison, Savanna and Isabelle. He joined The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in 1998.

Gaines is also a member of the board of directors of Photetica,[6] a low level laser based medical technology company based in Austin, Texas.[7] Photetica is in the clinical trial stage in oncology research.[8]

• International Swimming Hall of Fame[9]
• U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame
• Alabama Sports Hall of Fame
• Florida Sports Hall of Fame[10]
• 1982 McDonald's Spirit Award[10]
• 2007 NCAA Silver Anniversary Award[10]
• Southeastern Conference Athlete of the Year 1981

• List of members of the International Swimming Hall of Fame
• List of Auburn University people
• List of multiple Olympic gold medalists
• List of multiple Olympic gold medalists at a single Games
• List of Olympic medalists in swimming (men)
• List of World Aquatics Championships medalists in swimming (men)
• World record progression 50 metres freestyle
• World record progression 100 metres freestyle
• World record progression 200 metres freestyle
• World record progression 4 × 100 metres freestyle relay
• World record progression 4 × 100 metres medley relay
• World record progression 4 × 200 metres freestyle relay

• Caraccioli, Jerry, & Tom Caraccioli, Boycott: Stolen Dreams of the 1980 Moscow Olympic Games, New Chapter Press, Washington, D.C. (2009). ISBN 978-0-942257-54-0.
• De George, Matthew, Pooling Talent: Swimming's Greatest Teams, Rowman & Littlefield, Lanham, Maryland (2014). ISBN 978-1-4422-3701-8.

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Rowdy Gaines.

• Rowdy Gaines Official Bio at the Wayback Machine (archived May 23, 2009)
• Gaines' Sports Illustrated 50th Anniversary essay