Aaron Peirsol

Aaron Peirsol
Aaron Peirsol (2008)
Personal information
Surname:	Aaron Wells Peirsol
Nation:	United States
Swimming style (s) :	Freestyle, layers, back
Society:	Longhorn Aquatics
Birthday:	July 23, 1983
Place of birth:	Irvine , California
Size:	1.93 m
Medal table

Aaron Wells Peirsol (born July 23, 1983 in Irvine , California ) is a retired American swimmer . He specialized largely in the backstroke , but also won medals in freestyle relay teams. During his active career, he became a five-time Olympic champion, sixteen-time world champion and world record holder.

Career

In 1999, at the age of 15, Peirsol was the youngest swimmer to swim the 200 m back under two minutes. The following year he won the silver medal in the 200 m back at the Olympic Games in Sydney behind his teammate Lenny Krayzelburg .

When he first took part in the 2001 World Swimming Championships in Fukuoka , he also won the 200 m back. Three more world championship titles in the 100 m back, 200 m back and the US 4 × 100 m layer relay followed at the 2003 World Swimming Championships in Barcelona . At the 2005 World Championships in Montreal , Canada , Peirsol was able to defend all three titles and thus again became world champion over 100 m and 200 m back and with the individual relay.

At the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens , Peirsol was a three-time Olympic champion in the 100 m and 200 m back and with the US 4 × 100 m layer relay. His victory over 200 m back was awarded to him only afterwards. Although he had won the competition well ahead of the Austrian Markus Rogan , Peirsol was initially disqualified because the referees had recognized an illegal kick in a turn. After a protest by the US team management, the disqualification was lifted on the formal grounds that the Japanese referee had pronounced the exclusion in French and not in English as required. At the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, he won an individual and a relay gold medal.

Peirsol lives, studies and trains in Austin at the University of Texas .

After he had contested his last competition at the Pan Pacific Swimming Championships 2010 , Peirsol announced his retirement from active competitive sport in February 2011 at the age of 27.

Records

Personal best

Explanation of symbols:

• WR = world record
• US = US Open record, fastest time swum on US soil

Long track

• 100 m back - 00: 51.94 min WR (July 8, 2009 in Indianapolis )
• 200 m back - 1: 51.92 min WR (July 31, 2009 at the World Championships in Rome )

Short course

• 100 m back - 00: 50.72 min (October 8, 2004 in Indianapolis )
• 200 m back - 1: 50.52 min US (October 11, 2004 in Indianapolis )

International records

World records (3)
100 m back	00: 51.94 min	July 8, 2009	Indianapolis
200 m back	01: 51.92 min	July 31, 2009	Rome
4 × 100 m layers (with Shanteau , Phelps and Walters )	03: 27.28 min	August 2, 2009	Rome
American Records (6)
100 m back	00: 51.94 min	July 8, 2009	Indianapolis
200 m back	01: 51.92 min	July 31, 2009	Rome
4 × 100 m layers (with Shanteau , Phelps and Walters )	03: 27.28 min	August 2, 2009	Rome
4 × 50 m layers (with Hansen , Crocker and Weber-Gale ) (short course)	01: 34.58 min	March 26, 2004	East Meadow
4 × 50 yd layers (with Hansen , Crocker and Neil Walker ) (short course)	01: 24.00 min	March 4, 2006	Austin
4 × 100 yd layers (with Hansen , Crocker and Neil Walker ) (short course)	03: 02.94 min	March 4, 2006	Austin
US Open Records (4)
4 × 100 m layers (with Moses , Phelps and Neil Walker )	03: 34.24 min	April 6, 2003	Indianapolis
200 m back (short course)	01: 50.52 min	October 11, 2004	Indianapolis
4 × 100 m layers (with Hansen , Crocker and Lezak ) (short course)	03: 25.09 min	October 11, 2004	Indianapolis
4 × 100 yd layers (with Hansen , Crocker and Neil Walker ) (short course)	03: 02.94 min	March 4, 2006	Austin
(As of August 3, 2009)

Web links

Commons : Aaron Peirsol  - Collection of images, videos and audio files

• Website of Aaron Peirsol (English)
• Aaron Peirsol in the database of Swimrankings.net (English)
• Aaron Peirsol in the database of Sports-Reference (English; archived from the original )