Aaron Wells Peirsol (born July 23, 1983) is an American backstroke swimmer and world record holder for the 100 and 200 m backstroke (long course). He participated in the 2000 Summer Olympics, 2004 Summer Olympics, and 2008 Summer Olympics, capturing a total of seven medals.
Peirsol is best known for sweeping the gold medals in the backstroke at the Athens games. He has also won world championship titles in the 100 m backstroke in 2003, 2005 and 2007, and 200 m backstroke titles in 2001, 2003, 2005 and 2009.
Biography
Peirsol was born in Irvine, California. He swam collegiately at the University of Texas at Austin. He is an alumnus of Newport Harbor High School. Aaron and his sister's (Hayley) first swim team was at the NCMY (Newport Costa Mesa YMCA). After leaving NCMY, he trained with the Irvine Novaquatics. He trains with fellow world record holders and gold medalists Garrett Weber-Gale, Ian Crocker, Brendan Hansen, and Neil Walker under the guidance of Eddie Reese.
Swimming Career
2000 Summer Olympic Games
At the age of 17, Peirsol competed in the 2000 Summer Olympics finishing behind Lenny Krayzelburg in the 200 m backstroke, who swept the backstroke events. In winning the silver medal, Peirsol was considered by many to be Krayzelburg's successor.[1]
2004 Summer Olympic Games
At the 2004 Summer Olympics, Peirsol won gold in the 100 and 200 metre backstroke, sweeping the backstroke events.[2][3] Peirsol also won gold in the men's 4 × 100-meter medley relay, in world record time.[4] An initial disqualification alleged that Peirsol had made an illegal turn during the 200 m backstroke race. Having been improperly entered, the disqualification was eventually overturned. Peirsol caused minor controversy when he accused Kosuke Kitajima of using an illegal dolphin kick in the 100 m breaststroke event when fellow American Brendan Hansen lost by two-tenths of a second.[5]
2007 World Championships
At the 2007 World Aquatics Championships, Peirsol lowered his own 100 m backstroke record to 52.98, and in doing so became the first man under 53 seconds.[6] At one point during the first 50 meters Peirsol was a full meter behind Ryan Lochte, but Peirsol's final 25 meters was enough to over-take Lochte at the finish. Peirsol also won silver in the 200 m backstroke, his first lost in that event since 2001.[7]
2008 Summer Olympic Games
In the finals at the Beijing Olympics, Peirsol won the gold medal in the 100 meter backstroke with a world record of 52.54. This was the fifth time he set a world record in the event. Peirsol has been undefeated in a 100 meter backstroke final since the 2002 Spring Nationals. Peirsol placed second in the 200 m backstroke final behind Ryan Lochte, whom he had shared the world record in that event. Lochte broke the world record in the final. Two days later, Peirsol won his 3rd gold medal in the men's 4 × 100-meter medley relay. Peirsol, along with teammates Brendan Hansen, Michael Phelps, and Jason Lezak, set a new world record in the event with a time of 3 minutes and 29.34 seconds, 0.7 seconds ahead of second-place Australia and 1.34 seconds faster than the previous record set by the United States at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens.[8][9][10]
2009
At the US National Swimming Championships, Peirsol lowered the world record for the 100 m backstroke for the sixth time with a time of 51.94, making him the first man under 52 seconds.[11] Three days later, Peirsol lowered the world record for the sixth time 200 m backstroke with a time of 1:53.08.[12]
At the 2009 World Aquatics Championships, Peirsol surprised many after he failed to make the final of the 100 m backstroke, which he attributed to a miscalculation of his own position in the semifinals.[13] In the finals of the 200 m backstroke, Peirsol broke his own world record with a time of 1:51.92 to win the gold.[14] In the 4x100 m medley final, Peirsol led off in a 52.19 split as the team posted a time of 3:27.28, a new world record. Peirsol's time of 52.19 was a Championship record and would have won him the gold in the 100 m backstroke, had he made the final.[15]
See also
References
- ^ Whicker, Mark (September 21, 2000). "Second to Krazelburg, Peirsol might be future of the backstroke". The Orange County Register. http://www.accessmylibrary.com/coms2/summary_0286-5812170_ITM. Retrieved July 6, 2009.
- ^ Barry Svrluga (August 17, 2004). "In Backstroke, U.S. Returns to the Fore". The Washington Post. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A5249-2004Aug16.html. Retrieved August 3, 2009.
- ^ CHRISTOPHER CLAREY (August 20, 2004). "SUMMER 2004 GAMES -- SWIMMING: 200 BACKSTROKE; Flip-Flop Leaves Peirsol With the Gold". The New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2004/08/20/sports/summer-2004-games-swimming-200-backstroke-flip-flop-leaves-peirsol-with-the-gold.html?fta=y. Retrieved August 3, 2009.
- ^ Barry Svrluga (August 22, 2004). "U.S. Stirs a Medley of Perfection". The Washington Post. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A21510-2004Aug21.html. Retrieved August 3, 2009.
- ^ Mike Wise (August 16, 2004). "Some Americans Refuse to Lose Gracefully". The Washington Post. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A3758-2004Aug15.html. Retrieved July 6, 2009.
- ^ "Four records re-written". The Hindu. March 28, 2007. http://www.hindu.com/2007/03/28/stories/2007032810162000.htm. Retrieved August 3, 2009.
- ^ "Lochte sets 200m backstroke record". The Hindu. March 31, 2007. http://www.hindu.com/2007/03/31/stories/2007033108841800.htm. Retrieved August 3, 2009.
- ^ "Peirsol defends title of backstroke king with gold and world record". August 12, 2008. http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-08/12/content_9198226.htm. Retrieved July 7, 2009.
- ^ "Lochte takes 200 backstroke in record time". CBC.ca. August 15, 2008. http://www.cbc.ca/news/story/2008/08/14/olympics-swimming-men-day-sevn.html. Retrieved July 7, 2009.
- ^ Gao Peng (August 17, 2008). "Day 9 Roundup:Phelps wins record eighth Olympic gold, China equals Athens medal haul". http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-08/17/content_9443071.htm. Retrieved July 7, 2009.
- ^ "Peirsol breaks 100 m backstroke record". Brisbane Times. July 9, 2009. http://news.brisbanetimes.com.au/breaking-news-sport/peirsol-breaks-100m-backstroke-record-20090709-ddt7.html. Retrieved July 9, 2009.
- ^ "Peirsol breaks Lochte's world record in 200 back record". Seattle Times. July 11, 2009. http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/sports/2009456391_apswm200backstrokeworldrecord.html. Retrieved July 11, 2009.
- ^ Chris Chase (July 27, 2009). "Shock: Aaron Peirsol misses finals in 100 backstroke". Yahoo! Sports. http://sports.yahoo.com/olympics/beijing/blog/fourth_place_medal/post/Shock-Aaron-Peirsol-misses-finals-in-100-backst?urn=oly,178941. Retrieved August 1, 2009.
- ^ "U.S. swimmer Peirsol responds at worlds". The Associated Press. July 31, 2009. http://www.cbc.ca/sports/amateur/story/2009/07/31/sp-aquatics-men.html. Retrieved August 1, 2009.
- ^ Karen Crouse (August 2, 2009). "Phelps Leaves Rome With Another Gold". The New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/03/sports/03swim.html. Retrieved August 3, 2009.
External links
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Olympic Champions in Men's 4×100 m Medley Relay |
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1960 USA (McKinney, Hait, Larson, Farrell) | 1964 USA (Mann, Craig, Schmidt, Clark) | 1968 USA (Hickcox, McKenzie, Russell, Walsh) | 1972 USA (Stamm, Bruce, Spitz, Heidenreich) | 1976 USA (Naber, Hencken, Vogel, Montgomery) | 1980 Australia (Kerry, Evans, Tonelli, Brooks) | 1984 USA (Carey, Lundquist, Morales, Gaines) | 1988 USA (Berkoff, Schroeder, Biondi, Jacobs) | 1992 USA (Rouse, Diebel, Morales, Olsen) | 1996 USA (Rouse, Linn, Henderson, Hall, Jr.) | 2000 USA (Krayzelburg, Moses, Crocker, Hall, Jr.) | 2004 USA (Peirsol, Hansen, Crocker, Lezak) | 2008 USA (Peirsol, Hansen, Phelps, Lezak)
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World Short Course Champions in Men's 4×100 m Medley Relay |
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1993: United States (Schwenk, Wunderlich, Henderson, Olsen) • 1995: New Zealand (Winter, Kent, Callaghan, Bray) • 1997: Australia (Radley, Rogers, Huegill, Klim) • 1999: Australia (Welsh, Rogers, Klim, Fydler) • 2000: United States (Krayzelburg, Marrs, Walker, Tucker) • 2002: United States (Peirsol, Denniston, Marshall, Lezak) • 2004: United States (Peirsol, Hansen, Crocker, Lezak) • 2006: Australia (Welsh, Rickard, Pine, Callus) • 2008: Russia (Donets, Geybel, Korotyshkin, Sukhorukov)
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Pan Pacific Champions in Men's 4×100 m Medley Relay |
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1985: USA (Carey, Moffet, Morales, Biondi) • 1987: USA (Veatch, Schroeder, Morales, Biondi) • 1989: USA (Rouse, Korhammer, Morales, Biondi) • 1991: USA (Rouse, Barrowman, Henderson, Biondi) • 1993: USA (Rouse, Van Neerden, Henderson, Olsen) • 1995: USA (Rouse, Wunderlich, Henderson, Hall) • 1997: USA (Krayzelburg, Grote, Dusing, Walker) • 1999: USA (Krayzelburg, Grote, Wales, Walker) • 2002: USA (Peirsol, Hansen, Phelps, Lezak) • 2006: USA (Peirsol, Hansen, Crocker, Lezak)
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| Persondata |
| NAME |
Peirsol, Aaron Wells |
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES |
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| SHORT DESCRIPTION |
American athlete; competitive swimmer |
| DATE OF BIRTH |
July 23, 1983 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH |
Irvine, California, USA |
| DATE OF DEATH |
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| PLACE OF DEATH |
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Lenny Krayzelburg
Aschwin Wildeboer Faber
