Garrett Weber-Gale
Weber-Gale in 2009
Personal information
Nickname(s)"G-dubs," "G"
National team United States
Born (1985-08-06) August 6, 1985 (age 38)
Stevens Point, Wisconsin, U.S.
Height6 ft 2 in (188 cm)
Weight180 lb (82 kg)
Sport
SportSwimming
StrokesFreestyle
ClubLonghorn Aquatics
College teamUniversity of Texas
Medal record
Men's swimming
Representing the United States
Olympic Games
Gold medal – first place 2008 Beijing 4×100 m freestyle
Gold medal – first place 2008 Beijing 4×100 m medley
World Championships (LC)
Gold medal – first place 2005 Montreal 4×100 m freestyle
Gold medal – first place 2007 Melbourne 4×100 m freestyle
Gold medal – first place 2009 Rome 4×100 m freestyle
Gold medal – first place 2011 Shanghai 4×100 m medley
Bronze medal – third place 2011 Shanghai 4×100 m freestyle
World Championships (SC)
Gold medal – first place 2010 Dubai 4×100 m medley
Gold medal – first place 2012 Istanbul 4×100 m freestyle
Gold medal – first place 2012 Istanbul 4×200 m freestyle
Silver medal – second place 2010 Dubai 4×200 m freestyle
Maccabiah Games
Gold medal – first place 2013 Israel 50 m freestyle
Gold medal – first place 2013 Israel 100 m freestyle
Silver medal – second place 2013 Israel 4×200 m freestyle

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 graduated from Nicolet High School in Glendale, Wisconsin, in 2003.[2] He then 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.[3]

Swimming career

Weber-Gale 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.[4] 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.[5]

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.[6] 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.[7] Weber-Gale also earned a gold medal for his contribution in the heats of the 4 × 100 m medley relay.[8][9] Weber-Gale also competed in both the 50 m and 100 m freestyle events but did not advance past the semifinals of either one.[10][11][12]

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.[13]

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.[14]

In 2013, Weber-Gale was chosen to be the flag bearer for Team USA at the opening ceremonies of the 19th (2013) Maccabiah Games.[15] 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).[16] Weber-Gale also won silver in the 4 × 200 m freestyle relay.[17]

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.[18] He is a four-time Wisconsin State Champion, twice in the backstroke and once in the freestyle.[19]

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.[20]

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.[21]

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.[22]

Best swimming times

Long Course Meters:

Short Course Meters:

Short Course Yards:

See also

References

  1. ^ "Sports Shorts". Jewish Sports Review. 8 (87): 18. September 2011.
  2. ^ "Garrett Weber-Gale Bio".
  3. ^ "Auburn nabs fourth straight swimming and diving title". USA TODAY. March 26, 2006. Retrieved August 5, 2009.
  4. ^ "One world, three American records fall on seventh night of Trials". July 5, 2008. Retrieved August 5, 2009.[permanent dead link]
  5. ^ "2008 U.S. Olympic Team Trials, Men's 100m Freestyle – Heats" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on March 4, 2012. Retrieved January 7, 2011.
  6. ^ Charles Robinson (August 11, 2008). "Lezak lifts U.S. in 'best ever' relay". Yahoo!. Retrieved August 5, 2009.
  7. ^ Men's 4 x 100m Freestyle Relay – Final
  8. ^ Men's 4 x 100m Medley Relay – Heat 2
  9. ^ · August 11, 2008 (August 11, 2008). "Jewish swimmers pace U.S. to relay gold". JTA. Archived from the original on June 6, 2012. Retrieved January 7, 2011.((cite web)): CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  10. ^ Men's 50m Freestyle semifinals
  11. ^ Men's 100m freestyle semifinals
  12. ^ Evans, Hilary; Gjerde, Arild; Heijmans, Jeroen; Mallon, Bill; et al. "Garrett Weber-Gale". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on December 4, 2016.
  13. ^ Beth Harris (July 11, 2009). "Jones sets American record in 50 free". Associated Press. Retrieved August 5, 2009.
  14. ^ "USA wins 400 free relay at World Championships". July 26, 2009. Retrieved August 5, 2009.
  15. ^ "Garrett Weber-Gale Team USA Flag Bearer Maccabiah Games Opening Ceremony". Swimming World Magazine. July 17, 2013. Archived from the original on February 25, 2014. Retrieved February 25, 2014.
  16. ^ "19th Maccabiah official results" (PDF). Maccabiah. Archived from the original (PDF) on February 28, 2014. Retrieved February 25, 2014.
  17. ^ Warnock, W.E. (August 2, 2013). "Wohl wins silver medals at Maccabiah Games". Chapel Hill News. Archived from the original on February 25, 2014. Retrieved February 25, 2014.
  18. ^ "NISCA Boys Public High School 25-yard (23 m) National Records". Section9swim.com. Retrieved January 7, 2011.
  19. ^ "WIAA Division I Boys Records". Wisca.net. Retrieved January 7, 2011.
  20. ^ "Phelps and Coughlin Win Top Honors at Golden Goggles". November 17, 2008. Retrieved August 5, 2009.[permanent dead link]
  21. ^ "Lakers, LeBron among ESPY winners". ESPN. July 16, 2009. Retrieved August 5, 2009.
  22. ^ "Late S.F. boxing champ to be enshrined". jweekly.com. December 2, 2014.

External links

2008 USA Olympic swimming team
Olympic champions in men's 4 × 100 m freestyle relay
Olympic champions in men's 4 × 100 m medley relay
World short-course champions in men's 4×100 m medley relay
Big 12 Swimmer of the Year
Categories