Amy van Dyken

Four gold medals. That is how many Amy van Dyken won in a single Olympic Games. No other American woman has ever been able to accomplish this feat. This amazing accomplishment is not something that one would expect from an athlete that has breathing difficulties that limit her to about 65% of normal lung capacity...especially a swimmer.

 

Amy wasn't always this good. She recalls being in high school and having her teammates refuse to be on relays with her because, "she was so bad." This, and her illness, did not stop her. By the end of her high school career she had earned the attention as a potential star in the NCAA Division. She went to the University of Arizona and was swimming well until she got a severe case of mononucleosis. She had to take a break from swimming. During the summer of 1993 she allowed her body to rest and her competitive edge to return. She recalls, "I took the summer off and realized I loved the sport. And how much I missed it."

 

In 1994 she transferred from Arizona to Colorado State. There she earned the honor of female NCAA Swimmer of the Year. Along with swimming for her school, she joined a U.S. National Resident Team in Colorado Springs. During 1995 she won many major tournament victories in the 50 meter freestyle and the 100 meter butterfly.

 

So, how does this person with all of her limits continue to excel in her sport? Part of her success might be her mental abilities to psyche out opponents and allow her to see herself winning. A typical van Dyken race would begin with her staring down her opponents that she sees as threats. She will growl, spit, and clap to build her energy.

 

These tactics must have helped her...she won four gold medals in the 1996 Olympic games in Atlanta. Other people would say that it was her speed and determination that won her the gold. What do you think?

 

After the Olympic Games were over van Dyken hoped to join fellow Olympic Gold Medal swimmer Janet Evans as an ambassador for swimming.

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