Amy Van Dyken

Amy Van Dyken is a six-time Olympic gold-medalist swimmer and the most successful athlete at the Olympic Games Atlanta 1996. Born in Denver, Van Dyken attended Colorado State University where she was named NCAA Female Swimmer of the Year in 1994. She broke the U.S. record in the 50-yard freestyle at the 1994 NCAA championships, and after graduation, moved to the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs to train full-time. At the Olympic Games Atlanta 1996, Van Dyken became the first American female athlete to win four gold medals in a single Games. She won the 50-meter freestyle, 100 butterfly, 4x100 freestyle and the 4x100 medley. Her success at the Games led to a number of other accolades, including ESPY’s Female Athlete of the Year and the Associated Press Female Athlete of the Year. Van Dyken built upon her success at the Olympic Games Sydney 2000, winning two gold medals in the 4x100 medley and the 4x100 freestyle. She also held numerous American and world records throughout her career. After retiring from competitive swimming, Van Dyken has served as a sports commentator, talk show host and philanthropist. She was in an ATV accident in 2014, leaving her paralyzed. She has been inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame.