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Garrett Weber-Gale (born August 6, 1985) is an American competition swimmer, two-time Olympic gold medalist, and world record-holder in two events.
_(cropped).jpg) Weber-Gale in 2009 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Nickname(s) | "G-dubs," "G" | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| National team |  United States | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | August 6, 1985 Stevens Point, Wisconsin, U.S. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 6 ft 2 in (188 cm) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 180 lb (82 kg) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sport | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sport | Swimming | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Strokes | Freestyle | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Club | Longhorn Aquatics | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| College team | University of Texas | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Medal record
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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 under Hall of Fame Head Coach Eddie Reese and Associate Coach Kris Kubik[3] In 2006, he was the NCAA Division I champion in the 100-yard freestyle.[4]
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.[5] 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.[6]
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.[7] 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.[8] Weber-Gale also earned a gold medal for his contribution in the heats of the 4 × 100 m medley relay.[9][10] Weber-Gale also competed in both the 50 m and 100 m freestyle events but did not advance past the semifinals of either one.[11][12][13]
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.[14]
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.[15]
In 2013, Weber-Gale was chosen to be the flag bearer for Team USA at the opening ceremonies of the 19th (2013) Maccabiah Games.[16] 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).[17] Weber-Gale also won silver in the 4 × 200 m freestyle relay.[18]
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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.[19] He is a four-time Wisconsin State Champion, twice in the backstroke and once in the freestyle.[20]
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.[21]
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.[22]
Weber-Gale married in Austin, Texas, in the fall of 2013.
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Weber-Gale was elected to the International Jewish Sports Hall of Fame's induction class of 2015.[23]
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
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