Dara Grace Torres (born April 15, 1967) is an American swimmer, the first swimmer from the United States (also known as USA) to compete in five Olympics: 1984, 1988, 1992, 2000, and 2008.

Contents 1 Background 2 Clean 3 Insights 4 Links 4.1 Media 5 Background 5.1 Career Highlights: 5.2 Olympics: 5.2.1 Pan Pacs: 5.2.2 Pan Am Games 5.2.3 United States (also known as USA) Nationals 5.2.4 2007 World Rankings: 5.3 Personal: 5.4 Records: 5.4.1 United States (also known as USA) Swim Titles 6 Details 6.1 Personal: 6.2 Family, Village, Community 6.3 Splash: 6.4 International Medals 6.5 Top Times

BackgroundEdit

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dara_Torres
• First swimmer in the United States (also known as USA) to compete in five Olympics.
• Made the United States (also known as USA) team for the Beijing Olympics at age 41. Won the 50 and 100 freestyles at the trials in July 2008.
• Was at the 2000 Olympics in Syndey, not 2004 Olympics in Athens.
• July 2008, United States (also known as USA) Olympic Trials: Swam 53.78 in 100-meter free, .05 ahead of 25-year-old runner-up Natalie Coughlin. "They need to make the numbers bigger for people my age."
• Won nine medals in four Summer Games (1984, '88, '92 and 2000). The 2008 Olympics is the fifth Olympics for Dara Torres.
• Returned from retirement for a third time in 2006.

• Won the 50-meter free at USA Olympic Trials over Jessica Hardy by half a body length and set a U.S. record of 24.25. That was her second American record of the meet.

CleanEdit

Torres has been proactive about addressing suspicions of drug use, asking the United States Anti-Doping Agency to give her any drug test it could devise. Since March she has had her blood tested at least a dozen times as part of a USADA pilot program. "I want to be an open book," she says. "I want people to know that I'm 41, and I'm doing this right. I'm clean." Links: http://www.nbcolympics.com/blogs/blog=alanabrahamsonsblog/postid=148601.html#believing+dara

InsightsEdit

• Will not swim the 100-meter freestyle in 2008 Olympics in Beijing. She dropped the event from her Beijing Olympics schedule, choosing to make the 50 free her only individual event in her record fifth games.

• Lacey Nymeyer, third finisher at the trials, is the replacement.

• Torres had expressed concern that competing in two individual events and possibly two relays during the eight-day competition would be too hard on her body.

• Torres sets U.S. record in 50 free semifinals - 07/05/08 - OMAHA, Neb. (AP) -- Dara Torres has set an American record in the 50-meter freestyle at the U.S. Olympic trials, winning her semifinal heat in 24.38 seconds.

• Torres wins 100 freestyle to make fifth Olympics - 07/04/08 - Forty-one-year-old Dara Torres completed her improbable Olympic comeback, making the United States (also known as USA) team for the fifth time by winning the 100-meter freestyle at the U.S. Olympic trials.

• Torres 3rd-fastest in 100 free prelims at trials - 07/03/08 - Natalie Coughlin qualified fastest in the 100-meter freestyle preliminaries, with 41-year-old Dara Torres third-quickest at the U.S. Olympic swimming trials.

LinksEdit

• http://sports.espn.go.com/broadband/video/videopage?&brand=null&videoId=3384672&n8pe6c=1
  • Excellent ESPN show about Dara Torres from spring 2008.

MediaEdit

• In 2012, she just misses the 2012 Olympic Team for USA by .09 seconds, getting 4th at Trials in the 50-meter free, http://reachforthewall.com/2012/07/02/dara-torres-45-narrowly-misses-spot-in-sixth-olympics-at-u-s-swimming-trials/#.T_Jk1in-5nk.facebook

• http://www.thenews-messenger.com/article/20100515/NEWS01/5150303/-1/newsfront2 Speaker in California about her Olympic experiences, from May 2010.

• Dara Torres event and book signing in April 2009. Good for S6 example.

• Dara Torres became the oldest American swimmer ever to qualify for the Games 07/08/08 - by Kelli Anderson - It wasn't until after she had touched the wall in the 100-meter freestyle final before a stunned crowd at the Olympic swimming trials in Omaha last Friday night that Dara Torres really showed her age. Pushing back the vintage goggles that are older than some of her competitors, the 41-year-old mom looked up at the scoreboard and... squinted.

• Dara Torres interview in July 2008 with Morning Swim Show about a host of topics, including being 41 years old at the Olympics, what supplements she takes and why she dropped out of the 100 freestyle.

BackgroundEdit

• Swimmer at AGE: 41 DOB: Apr 15, 1967
• 6' 0" (182.9 cm)
• Hometown = [[Los Angeles, Calif.
• in 2008 resides in [[Parkland, Fla.
• Coach = Michael Lohberg
• Wikipedia:Dara Torres
• USA Swimming's media guide provided some source materials.
• Major knee surgery in fall of 2009. http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jI9Ml8VSB57EgPHSSaT-sXj3O9lQD9BE25GG0

Career Highlights:Edit

First American to swim in four Olympics ... most decorated female athlete at the 2000 Olympic Games with five medals ... oldest U.S. swimming gold medalist in history ... former world record holder in 50m free ... American record holder in the 50 and 100 scm free ... placed first in both the 50m and 100m free at the 2007 Conoco Phillips National Championships

Olympics:Edit

1984: Gold, 400m FR-R ... 1988: Bronze, 400m FR-R; Silver 400m MR ... Gold, 400m FR-R ... 2000: Gold, 400m MR & 400m FR-R; Bronze, 50m FR, 100m FR, 100m FL World Champs History:

1986: Silver, 400m FR-R 

Pan Pacs:Edit

1987: Gold, 100m FR, 400m FR-R, 400m MR

Pan Am GamesEdit

1983: Gold, 400m FR-R

United States (also known as USA) NationalsEdit

Owns 15 U.S. national titles from 1982 to 2000 ... nine in the 50m free, five in the 100m free and one in the 200m free

2007 World Rankings: Edit

4th, 50m free; 8th, 100m free

Personal:Edit

Re-emerged onto the swimming scene by coming out of retirement in July of 1999 after seven years away from the sport

Records:Edit

Holds (United States (also known as USA) / American Record) in 50m FR, set at 2000 US Olympic Games ... Former (United States (also known as USA) / American Record) holder in 100m FL, set at 2000 US Olympic Trials ... Former (United States (also known as USA) / American Record) holder in 400m FR-R, set at 2000 Olympic Games ... Former OR holder in 400m FR-R, set at 2000 Olympic Games

United States (also known as USA) Swim TitlesEdit

50m Free (9): '07 SUM (United States (also known as USA) / American Record), '00 SUM, '00 SPG, '88 SPG, '87 SPG, '84 SPG, '83 SUM, '82 SUM, '82 SPG 100m Free (5): '07 SUM, '00 SPG, '88 SPG, '87 SUM, '85 SPG 200m Free (1): '91 SUM

DetailsEdit

Collegiate: Southeastern Conference Athlete of the Year

Personal:Edit

• http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=1515384&id=36624682070#/photo.php?pid=1515377&id=36624682070
• College: University of Florida '90 College Major: Telecommunications
• Job Outside of Swimming: Had a successful television career, including a stint as host of

"Extreme Step," a segment of the Discovery Channel's science and technology show, "The Next Stop" ... has worked on-air for ESPN, TNT and Fox News

Family, Village, Community Edit

Parents: Edward and Marylu Sibling(s): Four brothers: Mike, Kirk, Rick and Brad ... one sister: Lara Sports Played Before Swimming: Volleyball, basketball Hobbies Outside the Pool: Playing with her daughter, Tessa, playing sports Most Influential Person: Father ... "he worked hard and was very dedicated." More: Has one daughter (Tessa) who was born in April 2006 ... "right now this little girl has all my attention, and I think we're both liking that right now!" ... serves as a spokesperson for the Tae-Bo workout videotapes ... ... became the first Olympic athlete to appear with supermodels in Sports Illustrated's swimsuit issue in 1994 ... was part of President George W. Bush’s Inaugural ceremonies as a speaker and host at various activities Favorites: Movie: Chariots of Fire ... t.v. show: CSI ... music: classic rock

Splash:Edit

Five-time Olympian (2008, 2000, 1992, 1988, 1984) Nine Olympic medals (4g, 1s, 4b) before Beijing

First American to swim in four Olympics and five Olympics

International MedalsEdit

2000 Olympic Games 2000: Bronze, 50m FR; Bronze, 100m FR

Top TimesEdit

Event 50m FR 100m FR Best 24.53 54.43 Year Jul 07 Aug 00

2007 SUM NATS - 1 Final, 50m FR; 1 Final, 100m FR 2000 OLY - t3 Final, 50m FR; t3 Final, 100m FR