Garrett Weber-Gale

Garrett Weber-Gale

Jason Lezak, Weber-Gale, Cullen Jones behind Michael Phelps at 2008 taping of The Oprah Winfrey Show.
Personal information
Full name Garrett Weber-Gale
Nickname(s) "G-dubs," "G"
National team  United States
Born (1985-08-06) August 6, 1985
Stevens Point, Wisconsin
Height 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
Weight 180 lb (82 kg)
Sport
Sport Swimming
Strokes Freestyle
Club Longhorn Aquatics
College team University of Texas

Garrett Weber-Gale (born August 6, 1985) is an American competition swimmer, two-time Olympic gold medalist, and world record-holder in two events.

Early life

Weber-Gale is Jewish,[1] and was born in Stevens Point, Wisconsin. He competed for the Texas Longhorns swimming and diving team of the University of Texas from 2003 to 2007. In 2006, he was the NCAA Division I champion in the 100-yard freestyle.[2]

Swimming career

He won the 100 and 50-meter freestyles at the 2008 U.S. Olympic Trials in 47.92 and 21.47 seconds respectively. His time of 21.47 in the 50-meter was an American record.[3] 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.[4]

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.[5] 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.[6] Weber-Gale also earned a gold medal for his contribution in the heats of the 4 × 100 m medley relay.[7][8] Weber-Gale also competed in both the 50 m and 100 m freestyle events but did not advance past the semifinals of either one.[9][10]

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.[11]

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.[12]

In 2013, Weber-Gale was chosen to be the flag bearer for Team USA at the opening ceremonies of the 19th Maccabiah.[13] At the games he won two gold medals; one in 100 m freestyle at 48.99 seconds and a second one in the 50 m freestyle at 0:22:12 (MR).[14] Weber-Gale also won silver in the 4 × 200 m freestyle relay.[15]

Miscellaneous

Weber-Gale began his competitive career as a YMCA age-group swimmer at the Walter Schroeder Aquatic Center 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-yard (91 m) freestyle with a time of 43.49.[16] He is a four-time Wisconsin State Champion, twice in the backstroke and once in the freestyle.[17]

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.[18]

On July 19, 2009, Weber-Gale (along with Phelps, Jones and Lezak) received an ESPY Award for Best Moment for their 4 × 100 m freestyle relay performance at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.[19]

Weber-Gale married in Austin, Texas, in the fall of 2013.

Hall of Fame

Weber-Gale was elected to the International Jewish Sports Hall of Fame's induction class of 2015.[20]

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

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Sports Shorts". Jewish Sports Review. 8 (87): 18. September 2011.
  2. ↑ "Auburn nabs fourth straight swimming and diving title". USA TODAY. March 26, 2006. Retrieved August 5, 2009.
  3. ↑ "One world, three American records fall on seventh night of Trials". July 5, 2008. Retrieved August 5, 2009.
  4. ↑ "2008 U.S. Olympic Team Trials, Men's 100m Freestyle – Heats" (PDF). Retrieved January 7, 2011.
  5. ↑ Charles Robinson (August 11, 2008). "Lezak lifts U.S. in 'best ever' relay". Yahoo!. Retrieved August 5, 2009.
  6. ↑ Men's 4 x 100m Freestyle Relay – Final
  7. ↑ Men's 4 x 100m Medley Relay – Heat 2
  8. ↑ · August 11, 2008 (August 11, 2008). "Jewish swimmers pace U.S. to relay gold". JTA. Retrieved January 7, 2011.
  9. ↑ Men's 50m Freestyle semifinals
  10. ↑ Men's 100m freestyle semifinals
  11. ↑ Beth Harris (July 11, 2009). "Jones sets American record in 50 free". Associated Press. Retrieved August 5, 2009.
  12. ↑ "USA wins 400 free relay at World Championships". July 26, 2009. Retrieved August 5, 2009.
  13. ↑ "Garrett Weber-Gale Team USA Flag Bearer Maccabiah Games Opening Ceremony". Swimming World Magazine. July 17, 2013. Retrieved February 25, 2014.
  14. ↑ "19th Maccabiah official results" (PDF). Maccabiah. Retrieved February 25, 2014.
  15. ↑ Warnock, W.E. (August 2, 2013). "Wohl wins silver medals at Maccabiah Games". Chapel Hill News. Retrieved February 25, 2014.
  16. ↑ "NISCA Boys Public High School 25-yard (23 m) National Records". Section9swim.com. Retrieved January 7, 2011.
  17. ↑ "WIAA Division I Boys Records". Wisca.net. Retrieved January 7, 2011.
  18. ↑ "Phelps and Coughlin Win Top Honors at Golden Goggles". November 17, 2008. Retrieved August 5, 2009.
  19. ↑ "Lakers, LeBron among ESPY winners". ESPN. July 16, 2009. Retrieved August 5, 2009.
  20. ↑ "Late S.F. boxing champ to be enshrined". jweekly.com.
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