Garrett Weber-Gale

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 39)
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  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 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]

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.[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]

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.[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.

Hall of Fame

Weber-Gale was elected to the International Jewish Sports Hall of Fame's induction class of 2015.[23]

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. ^ "Garrett Weber-Gale Bio".
  3. ^ "Texas Sports Hall of Fame, Kris Kubik". Texas Sports Hall of Fame.
  4. ^ "Auburn nabs fourth straight swimming and diving title". USA TODAY. March 26, 2006. Retrieved August 5, 2009.
  5. ^ "One world, three American records fall on seventh night of Trials". July 5, 2008. Retrieved August 5, 2009.[permanent dead link‍]
  6. ^ "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.
  7. ^ Charles Robinson (August 11, 2008). "Lezak lifts U.S. in 'best ever' relay". Yahoo!. Retrieved August 5, 2009.
  8. ^ Men's 4 x 100m Freestyle Relay – Final
  9. ^ Men's 4 x 100m Medley Relay – Heat 2
  10. ^ · 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)
  11. ^ Men's 50m Freestyle semifinals
  12. ^ Men's 100m freestyle semifinals
  13. ^ 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.
  14. ^ Beth Harris (July 11, 2009). "Jones sets American record in 50 free". Associated Press. Retrieved August 5, 2009.[dead link‍]
  15. ^ "USA wins 400 free relay at World Championships". July 26, 2009. Retrieved August 5, 2009.
  16. ^ "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.
  17. ^ "19th Maccabiah official results" (PDF). Maccabiah. Archived from the original (PDF) on February 28, 2014. Retrieved February 25, 2014.
  18. ^ 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.
  19. ^ "NISCA Boys Public High School 25-yard (23 m) National Records". Section9swim.com. Retrieved January 7, 2011.
  20. ^ "WIAA Division I Boys Records". Wisca.net. Retrieved January 7, 2011.
  21. ^ "Phelps and Coughlin Win Top Honors at Golden Goggles". November 17, 2008. Retrieved August 5, 2009.[permanent dead link‍]
  22. ^ "Lakers, LeBron among ESPY winners". ESPN. July 16, 2009. Retrieved August 5, 2009.
  23. ^ "Late S.F. boxing champ to be enshrined". jweekly.com. December 2, 2014.