Dara Grace Torres (born April 15, 1967) is an American former competitive swimmer, coach, and author who is a 12-time Olympic medalist and former world record-holder in three events. Torres is the first swimmer to represent the United States in five Olympic Games (1984, 1988, 1992, 2000 and 2008), and at age 41, the oldest swimmer to earn a place on the U.S. Olympic team. At the 2008 Summer Olympics, she competed in the 50-meter freestyle, 4×100-meter medley relay, and 4×100-meter freestyle relay, and won silver medals in all three events.
Torres won 12 Olympic medals (four gold, four silver, four bronze), at the time this was the most Olympic women's swimming medals, tied with fellow American Jenny Thompson. Torres won five medals at the 2000 Summer Olympics, when at age 33, she was the oldest member of the 2000 U.S. Olympic swim team. She won at least one medal in each of the five Olympics in which she competed.
Torres is currently the Head Coach of Boston College.
Early years
Torres was born on April 15, 1967, to a family in Los Angeles, California, the daughter of Edward Torres, and Marylu Kauder.Mike Downey, " She's propelled by dad's memory, Los Angeles Times (August 16, 2008). Retrieved November 27, 2014. Her father was a real estate developer and casino owner of Cuban origins; her mother Marylu was a former American model.Elizabeth Weil, " A Swimmer of a Certain Age," The New York Times magazine (June 29, 2008). Retrieved November 27, 2014. Torres grew up in Beverly Hills, California, the fifth of six children and the older of two girls. As a seven-year-old, she followed in the footsteps of her older brothers by joining their community YMCA for swimming practice; afterward, she signed up for the swimming club in Culver City to train. At 14, she won the national open championship in the 50-yard freestyle by defeating the then-current champion, Jill Sterkel, a college junior.Dan Levin, " She's Set Her Sights On L.A.," Sports Illustrated (June 16, 1984). Retrieved November 28, 2014.
She attended the Westlake School for Girls (now Harvard-Westlake School), and competed for the Westlake swim team under coach Alison Esses from the seventh grade through her sophomore year in high school.Ally White, " Five-time Olympic swimmer Torres '85 to speak at assembly," The Harvard-Westlake Chronicle (March 15, 2013). Retrieved November 27, 2014. She was also a member of the Westlake basketball, gymnastics, and volleyball teams. During her 1983–84 high school junior year, she left home to swim for the Mission Viejo Nadadores in Mission Viejo, California, while training for her first Olympics under coach Mark Schubert. After the 1984 Olympics, Torres returned to the Westlake School to graduate in 1985.
College swimming career
Torres accepted an athletic scholarship to attend the University of Florida in Gainesville, Florida, where she swam for the Florida Gators swimming and diving team in National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) under coach Randy Reese from 1986 to 1989., University Athletic Association, Gainesville, Florida, pp. 82, 83, 86, 97, 91, 92, 93, 97, 100 (2013). Retrieved November 27, 2014. In her four years as a Gator swimmer, Torres won nine Southeastern Conference (SEC) individual championships, including the 50-yard freestyle (1987, 1988, 1989), 100-yard freestyle (1987, 1988, 1989), 200-yard freestyle (1987), and 100-yard butterfly (1988, 1989); she was also a member of 12 of the Gators' SEC championship relay teams. Florida Swimming & Diving 2013–14 Media Supplement , University Athletic Association, Gainesville, Florida, pp. 82, 83, 86, 97, 91, 92, 93, 97, 100 (2013). Retrieved November 27, 2014. Torres won three NCAA individual national championships (50-yard freestyle, 100-yard freestyle, 100-yard butterfly) in 1988; and was a member of six of the Gators' NCAA championship relay teams, including the 400-yard freestyle relay in 1986; the 200-yard and 400-yard medley relays, and the 400-yard freestyle relay in 1988; and the 200-yard and 400-yard medley relays in 1989. She was named the SEC Athlete of the Year in 1988, SEC Female Swimmer of the Year in 1987 and 1989, and earned 28 All-American swimming honors—the maximum number possible during a college career. Torres also lettered in volleyball at Florida, playing the sport in her fifth year after having exhausted her NCAA eligibility in swimming." NCAA names 2014 Silver Anniversary Award winners," NCAA.com (November 14, 2013). Retrieved November 27, 2014.
Torres graduated from the university with a bachelor's degree in telecommunications in 1990 and was inducted into the University of Florida Athletic Hall of Fame as a "Gator Great" in 1999.F Club, Hall of Fame, Gator Greats. Retrieved November 27, 2014.Dwight Collins, " UF inductees bask in glory," Ocala Star-Banner, p. 7D (September 11, 1999). Retrieved November 27, 2014. In November 2013, she was named as a recipient of the 2014 NCAA Silver Anniversary Award, presented annually to six distinguished former student-athletes on the 25th anniversary of their final school year of athletic eligibility.
International swimming career
1984, 1988 and 1992 Olympics
At the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, Torres was a member of the winning U.S. women's 4×100-meter freestyle relay team, swimming in the first-round qualifying heat and earning a gold medal in the event final. Her winning teammates in that final included Nancy Hogshead, Jenna Johnson, and Carrie Steinseifer; Jill Sterkel and Mary Wayte also swam in the event's second-round qualifying heat.
For the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul, South Korea, Torres qualified for the U.S. Olympic women's team in one individual event and two relay events. Torres earned a bronze medal for swimming for the third-place U.S. women's team in the 4×100-meter freestyle relay final, together with teammates Mitzi Kremer, Laura Walker, and Mary Wayte. She also earned a silver medal for swimming the freestyle leg of the 4×100-meter medley relay for the second-place U.S. team in the preliminary heats, but not the final. Individually, Torres also placed seventh in the final of the 100-meter freestyle event.
Torres qualified for the U.S. Olympic women's team in a single event for the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona. She swam the second leg of the 4×100-meter freestyle relay for the winning U.S. team that included Nicole Haislett, Angel Martino, and Jenny Thompson, and earned a gold medal for her efforts in the event final and first-round qualifying heat.
First comeback: 2000 Olympics
After seven years out of competitive swimming, Torres began to train for an Olympic comeback in 1999 under the guidance of coach Richard Quick.Scott M. Reid, " Dara Torres battles doping rumors, says she's up for the challenge," The Orange County Register (July 20, 2008). Retrieved November 28, 2014. She won five medals at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, but saved her best for two of the major relay events of the U.S. Olympic women's team. She swam the second leg for the winning U.S. women's team in final of the 4×100-meter freestyle relay that included Amy Van Dyken, Courtney Shealy, and Jenny Thompson. Torres won a second gold medal for anchoring the winning U.S. team in the 4×100-meter medley relay, together with teammates B.J. Bedford, Megan Quann, and Jenny Thompson in the final. Individually, Torres also earned bronze medals – her first Olympic medals in individual events – in each of the 50-meter freestyle, the 100-meter butterfly and the 100-meter freestyle, tying teammate and rival Jenny Thompson for third place in the last event.Associated Press, " Once again, it's Thompson vs. Torres," ESPN.com (September 25, 2000). Retrieved November 29, 2014.Frank Fitzpatrick, " Rivals Share A Medal Platform, Dara Torres And Jenny Thompson Tied For Third. For The Day, U.S. Swimmers Harvested 8 More Medals," The Philadelphia Inquirer (September 22, 2000). Retrieved December 5, 2014. At 33 years old, Torres became the oldest woman to win an Olympic medal in swimming.Jill Lieber Steeg, " Torres has new reason to seek gold," USA Today (August 18, 2006). Retrieved December 5, 2014. She was the oldest member of the U.S. Olympic swim team, but won more medals (five) than any other U.S. team member.Paul Newberry, " Unique atmosphere make the pool the place to be," Santa Cruz Sentinel (September 15, 2000). Retrieved November 27, 2014.
Second comeback: 2008 Olympics
On August 1, 2007, at age 40 and just 16 months after giving birth to her first child, Torres won the 100-meter freestyle at the U.S. Nationals in Indianapolis.Sharon Robb, " Torres, 40, captures title in 100 freestyle ," Sun-Sentinel (August 2, 2007). Retrieved December 5, 2014. On August 4, she set a new American record in the 50-meter freestyle of 24.53 seconds, breaking her own record of 24.63 seconds set at the 2000 Summer Olympics.John Lohn and Dana Lawrence Lohn, " USA Swimming Nationals: Flash! She’s For Real! Dara Torres Breaks Own American Record Seven Years Later in Women's 50 Free," Swimming World Magazine (August 4, 2007). Retrieved November 29, 2014. She lowered her initial American record by 1.62 seconds. Torres has broken or lowered her own American record in the 50-meter freestyle 10 times, which is the most by any American swimmer in any event.USASwimming, Women's Records . Retrieved January 26, 2015.
At the 2008 U.S. Olympic Trials, Torres returned to the pool and qualified for a spot in her fifth Olympic Games at the age of 41, a first for an American female swimmer.Megan K. Scott, " Torres inspires older women to get in the pool," The Index-Journal (August 18, 2008). Retrieved November 27, 2014. She became the oldest U.S. Olympic swimmer in history and the first American swimmer to appear in five Olympic Games.
At the trials, she qualified for the event finals in the 50-meter freestyle and broke the American record with a time of 24.38 seconds in the semifinal.Sharyn Alfonsi, " Dara Torres Clinches Her Fifth U.S. Olympic Spot," ABC News (July 7, 2008). Retrieved November 29, 2014. In the 50-meter finals, she broke that record for the ninth time, setting it at 24.25 seconds and winning the top American women's spot in the event.Mercury News Wires Services, " Torres, 41, dashes to U.S. record," San Jose Mercury News (July 7, 2008). Retrieved December 5, 2014. Torres also qualified in the 100-meter freestyle,Karen Crouse, " At Age 41, Torres Qualifies for Fifth Games," The New York Times (July 5, 2008). Retrieved November 29, 2014. but later withdrew from the individual 100-meter freestyle event to focus her efforts on the 50-meter freestyle and 4×100-meter relay events.Sharon Robb, " Parkland Olympian Torres making a big splash," South Florida Sun-Sentinel (July 8, 2008). Retrieved November 30, 2014. On July 30, at the U.S. swim team's final training in Singapore, Torres, Amanda Beard, and Natalie Coughlin were elected captains of the U.S. Olympic women's swimming team." U.S. swim teams name captains for Beijing," Los Angeles Times (July 30, 2008). Retrieved November 27, 2014.