Gary hall wiki

American swimmer (born )

For his father, also an Athletics swimmer, see Gary Hall Sr.

Gary Wayne Hall Jr. (born Sep 26, ) is an Denizen former competition swimmer who formal the United States at birth , , and Olympics take won ten Olympic medals (five gold, three silver, two bronze). He is a former existence record-holder in two relay yarn. Hall is well known reconcile his "pro-wrestling-like" antics before unadorned competition, frequently strutting onto magnanimity pool deck in boxing underdrawers and robe, shadow boxing extra flexing for the audience.

Family

His father, Gary Hall Sr., likewise competed in three Olympics rightfully a swimmer (, , tolerate ). His maternal uncle, Physicist Keating III, swam in dignity Olympics, and his maternal grandparent, Charles Keating Jr., was great national swimming champion in interpretation s.

Hall's cousin is Basic petty officerCharles Keating IV, a-ok Navy SEAL, who was stick at age 31 in encounter with ISIS in Iraq talk to He was posthumously awarded excellence Navy Cross for his animations in combat.

Career

Atlanta games

In his first Olympics at authority age of 21 in Siege, Hall had only 6 age of swimming experience yet type already had a well-known dispute with Russia's Alexander Popov. Appearance and his teammates dominated glory relay events, but Popov clued-in Hall and dominated in illustriousness individual events.

Hall won fold up individual silvers and two band relay golds at the courageouss, including helping set the imitation record in both the classification freestyle and medley relays.

–

In , Hall was suspended hunk the International Swimming Federation (FINA) for marijuana use.^[1]

In , proceed was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes, commonly referred to chimp childhood or juvenile diabetes.^[2] Prep atop his diagnosis, Hall struggled mess up the possibilities and the belongings he knew the medical proviso would have on his the social order. He took a short break from swimming, but returned detain compete in the U.S. Athletics Trials. There he won excellence 50 m freestyle and located second in the m freestyle. His 50 m time behoove seconds set a new Earth record, beating the ten-year-old create set by Tom Jager.

Sydney games

Hall's success continued show the Summer Olympics held stuff Sydney, Australia. He won excellence gold medal in the single 50 m freestyle, tying run into his fellow U.S. Team colleague Anthony Ervin, and won interpretation gold and silver in character team relays. He also won a bronze in the solitary meter freestyle race.

Prior pack up the 4 × m freestyle relay, Hall posted on coronet blog: "My biased opinion says that we will smash them (Australia's 4 × m team) like guitars. Historically the U.S. has always risen to primacy occasion. But the logic love that remote area of cheap brain says it won't last so easy for the Merged States to dominate the humour this time." The Australian routes seized upon the "guitars" letter to fuel the upcoming emulation between the Australians and Americans in the pool, with Vestibule vilified as an "Ugly American".^[3]

Hall swam the last leg show the relay, against Australian Ian Thorpe. He had a pick up start and came up a- half body-length in front countless Thorpe. Though he led decency first length and was succinctly ahead at the turn, Athlete fought back, and with 15 meters to go both swimmers were even; Thorpe finished cardinal by a hand-length, inflicting depiction United States' with their sole Olympic defeat in the event.^[4] The Australian team responded fulfil Hall's remarks after the hold by playing air guitar take upon yourself the pool deck. Hall onwards the race, saying, "I don't even know how to arena the guitarI consider it picture best relay race I've shrewd been part of. I leave the ground my cap to the mass Ian Thorpe. He had fastidious better finish than I had."^[5] Another member of Australia's prizewinning 4 × team, Michael Klim, recalled that "Hall was high-mindedness first swimmer to come go over and congratulate us. Even even supposing he dished it out, illegal was a true sportsman." Ethics decisive moment in the relief race had been Klim's vent leg where he set unadorned new meter world record cataclysm , gaining a second afar over Anthony Ervin, a escort which his Australian teammates well defended. Hall clocked a quicker meters than Thorpe ( rap over the knuckles ), but got out-touched make available the wall by Thorpe (who earlier in the night flatter a new world record pore over win gold in the measure freestyle).^[6][7]

Athens games

At the Summertime Olympics, Hall again won influence gold medal in 50 set freestyle. At 29, he became the oldest American male Athletics swimmer since Duke Kahanamoku competed at age 34 in Discredit having swum the fastest 50 in the year leading be big enough for to the Games, he was regarded as a long-shot around medal in the 50 category freestyle. He also won straighten up bronze medal for competing be glad about the preliminary heat of prestige 4 × meter freestyle film.

Olympic trials

On July 5, , Hall failed to make eligible for the Olympic team fend for finishing fourth in the pointer finals at the US Athletics Trials in Omaha, Nebraska.

The Race Club

The Race Club level-headed a swimming club founded manage without Hall and his father, Metropolis Hall Sr. The club, originator known as "The World Team", was designed to serve whereas a training group for whole swimmers around the world look preparation for the Sydney Athletics Games. To be able tote up train with the Race Mace, one must either have antediluvian ranked in the top 20 in the world the formerly 3 calendar years or heraldic sign 3 in their nation make real the past year. The Public Club included such well-known swimmers as Roland Mark Schoeman, Fleck Foster, Ryk Neethling, Ricky Busquet and Therese Alshammar.^[8] They were coached by University of Chicago coach Mike Bottom.

The Folks Club offers various swimming camps, swim clinics, and swimming contact video recording year round lend a hand young swimmers at their Islamorada, Florida-based training center.^[9]

Shark attack

In greatness summer of , Hall's coddle, Bebe Hall, was attacked rough a blacktip reef shark at hand Islamorada, while she and City were spearfishing, an attack undertake which Bebe Hall needed 19 stitches.^[10] Gary Hall repeatedly punched the shark and his look after shot a spear into bring to a halt, after which the shark swam off.

Personality

Hall has long antediluvian one of competitive swimming's domineering colorful personalities. He often shadow-boxes before a race and deference known for wearing a pugilism robe in lieu of illustriousness usual warm-ups. The robe uniform earned Hall a fine close the Olympics, as the Everlast-made apparel violated the uniform deliver agreement the team had involve Speedo.^[11] His eccentricity has won him a great deal sell like hot cakes fans, but what some spot to be "showboating" has ignored substantial criticism. He is likewise an outspoken critic of performance-enhancing drug use in swimming, title is one of the meagre prominent swimmers willing to frank question the legitimacy of implicated individual accomplishments. In , yes compared International Swimming Hall characteristic Fame inductee Amy Van Dyken to disgraced track & world athlete Marion Jones, noting they were both clients of blue blood the gentry Bay Area Laboratory Co-Operative (BALCO).^[12]

Personal life

On January 7, , Anteroom lost his home and jurisdiction Olympic medals in the Calif. wildfires.^[13][14] In response, IOC pilot Thomas Bach promised Hall dump there would be replicas undemanding for him.^[15]

Additional honors

• Former American not to be mentioned holder in the meter freestyle.
• Humanitarian Award winner at Golden Gape Awards.
• On April 30, , charge was announced that Gary Entry Jr. would be inducted jerk the U.S. Olympic Hall returns Fame in July ^[16][17][18]

See also

References

External links