Ian Crocker
Encyclopedia
Ian Lowell Crocker is a former American swimmer
and five-time (three gold, one silver, one bronze) Olympic
medalist. He is a former world record holder in the 100 meter butterfly (long course).
He has won a total of twenty-one medals in major international competition, fourteen gold, six silver, and one bronze spanning the Olympics, the World, and the Pan Pacific
Championships.
Crocker has not officially made an announcement about his retirement after the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games but he has since taken a break and started a swim school with Olympian and former Longhorn teammate Neil Walker and U.S. National Champion and former Longhorn teammate James Fike with locations in Austin and Dallas.
, has received five Olympic medals in his career. In addition to his accomplishments at the Olympics, Crocker was the first man to ever swim under 51 seconds in the 100 meter butterfly. Crocker improved his world record of 50.98 twice, down to a time of 50.40 set at the 2005 World Aquatics Championships
in Montreal
, before being bested by Michael Phelps
in 2009.
At the 2000 Summer Olympics
, Crocker was a member of the gold medal
-winning 400 meter medley relay team and barely missed winning a bronze in the 100 meter butterfly.
At the 2001 World Aquatics Championships
, Crocker won a silver medal medal in the 100 m butterfly, finishing behind Lars Frölander
.
, Crocker won a total of three medals, two golds and one silver medal. In his first event, the 50 m butterfly, Crocker won a silver medal finishing behind Australian Matt Welsh
, who set the world record. Crocker is best known in these Championships for his world record performance in the 100 m butterfly final. After the semifinals of the 100 m butterfly, it seemed Crocker was out of the gold medal position after Andrii Serdinov and Michael Phelps
went under the former world record. However, in the final of the 100 m butterfly, Crocker swam a 50.98 to become the first man under 51 seconds and win the gold medal. When Crocker saw the time after the race, he thought the world record belonged to Phelps. Crocker earned his final medal, a gold, in the 4x100 m medley relay. The American team recorded a time of 3:31.54 to beat the former world record set in 2002.
At the 2004 Summer Olympics
, Crocker received a bronze medal as a member of the 400 meter freestyle relay team, a silver medal in the 100 meter butterfly, and a gold medal as a member of the world-record setting 400 meter medley relay team. Of the three medals he won at the 2004 Summer Olympics, he is best remembered for his silver, as teammate Michael Phelps
overtook him at the very end of the 100 meter butterfly to win the race by .04 seconds. Traditionally, the Olympian who places highest in an individual event will be automatically given the corresponding leg of the 4x100 m medley relay. This gave Phelps an automatic entry into the medley relay but he deferred and Crocker swam instead. Crocker had made a mistake starting the 400 freestyle relay final, which cost the Americans gold, so Phelps' gesture gave Crocker a chance to make amends as well getting his final shot at a gold medal. Crocker and the American medley team went on to win the event in world record time, so Crocker finally got his gold medal. (Phelps received a gold medal as well, since he had swum in the preliminary heat of the medley relay).
At the 2005 World Aquatics Championships
, Crocker won a total of three medals, two golds and one silver medal. In his first event, the 50 m butterfly, Crocker won a silver medal finishing behind South African Roland Schoeman, who set the world record. In the final of the 100 m butterfly, Crocker recorded a time of 50.40 to beat his own world record of 50.76 and win the gold medal. Crocker also handed Michael Phelps one of worst losses in his career when Phelps finished over as second behind. With this win, Crocker was awarded a spot in the 4x100 m medley relay. Crocker did not disappoint and swam the butterfly leg in 50.39. The American team went on to win the gold medal.
, Crocker won two silver medals. In the 50 m butterfly, Crocker won a silver medal finishing behind Schoeman. In the 100 m butterfly final, Crocker finished second to Phelps 50.82 to 50.77. In the heats of the 4x100 m medley relay, Crocker dove in too early on an exchange, causing the disqualification of the American team.
Crocker competed in the his 3rd Olympics as a medal contender for his signature 100 m butterfly. Many felt Crocker's career was on a slide due to a poor showing in the Olympic trials and having not broken the 51 second barrier in over 12 months. Crocker finished in a tie for third in the semi-finals, behind Australia's Andrew Lauterstein
. In the finals, he finished fourth behind teammate Phelps, Milorad Čavić
, and Lauterstein, beating Kenyan swimmer Jason Dunford
. He missed the medal stand by a hundredth of a second. Despite not earning a medal in his signature event, Crocker was given the opportunity to swim for the 4x100 medley relay B team. To his disappointment, Crocker did not get to swim in the finals nor stand on the podium, however he earned a gold medal for his contribution in the heats.
Swimming (sport)
Swimming is a sport governed by the Fédération Internationale de Natation .-History: Competitive swimming in Europe began around 1800 BCE, mostly in the form of the freestyle. In 1873 Steve Bowyer introduced the trudgen to Western swimming competitions, after copying the front crawl used by Native...
and five-time (three gold, one silver, one bronze) Olympic
Olympic Games
The Olympic Games is a major international event featuring summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Olympic Games have come to be regarded as the world’s foremost sports competition where more than 200 nations participate...
medalist. He is a former world record holder in the 100 meter butterfly (long course).
He has won a total of twenty-one medals in major international competition, fourteen gold, six silver, and one bronze spanning the Olympics, the World, and the Pan Pacific
Pan Pacific Swimming Championships
The Pan Pacific Swimming Championships is a long course swimming event first held in 1985. The meet was initially staged biennially , to allow for an international championship-level meet in the non-Olympic and non-World Championships years...
Championships.
Personal
Crocker attended Cheverus High School in Portland, Maine, being one of Cheverus' most famous athletic graduates.Crocker has not officially made an announcement about his retirement after the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games but he has since taken a break and started a swim school with Olympian and former Longhorn teammate Neil Walker and U.S. National Champion and former Longhorn teammate James Fike with locations in Austin and Dallas.
Career
Crocker, who specializes in the butterflyButterfly stroke
The butterfly is a swimming stroke swum on the breast, with both arms moving simultaneously. The butterfly kick was developed separately, and is also known as the "dolphin kick"...
, has received five Olympic medals in his career. In addition to his accomplishments at the Olympics, Crocker was the first man to ever swim under 51 seconds in the 100 meter butterfly. Crocker improved his world record of 50.98 twice, down to a time of 50.40 set at the 2005 World Aquatics Championships
2005 World Aquatics Championships
The 2005 World Aquatics Championships or the XI FINA World Championships were held in Montreal, Quebec, Canada from July 16 to July 31, 2005...
in Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
, before being bested by Michael Phelps
Michael Phelps
Michael Fred Phelps is an American swimmer who has, overall, won 16 Olympic medals—six gold and two bronze at Athens in 2004, and eight gold at Beijing in 2008, becoming the most successful athlete at both of these Olympic Games editions...
in 2009.
2000-2001
At the 2000 Summer Olympics
2000 Summer Olympics
The Sydney 2000 Summer Olympic Games or the Millennium Games/Games of the New Millennium, officially known as the Games of the XXVII Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event which was celebrated between 15 September and 1 October 2000 in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia...
, Crocker was a member of the gold medal
Gold medal
A gold medal is typically the medal awarded for highest achievement in a non-military field. Its name derives from the use of at least a fraction of gold in form of plating or alloying in its manufacture...
-winning 400 meter medley relay team and barely missed winning a bronze in the 100 meter butterfly.
At the 2001 World Aquatics Championships
2001 World Aquatics Championships
rightThe 2001 World Aquatics Championships or the 9th FINA World Swimming Championships were held in Fukuoka, Japan between 16 July and 29 July 2001....
, Crocker won a silver medal medal in the 100 m butterfly, finishing behind Lars Frölander
Lars Frölander
Lars Arne Frölander is a Swedish swimmer. He grew up in Ornäs in Borlänge Municipality. He competed in 5 consecutive Olympic Games . The highlight of his career was when he won the gold in the 100 metre butterfly event at the Sydney Olympic Games in 2000...
.
2003 World Aquatics Championships
At the 2003 World Aquatics Championships2003 World Aquatics Championships
Barcelona, Spain was the host city of the X FINA World Aquatics Championships or the 10th FINA World Championships in Aquatics, which were held from July 12 until July 27, 2003....
, Crocker won a total of three medals, two golds and one silver medal. In his first event, the 50 m butterfly, Crocker won a silver medal finishing behind Australian Matt Welsh
Matt Welsh
Matthew "Matt" Welsh is an Australian swimmer who is the former world champion in the backstroke and butterfly. Welsh trained under coach Ian Pope at the Melbourne Vicentre Club. He took two golds in 50 metres butterfly and 50 metres backstroke, during one hour, at the World Championships in...
, who set the world record. Crocker is best known in these Championships for his world record performance in the 100 m butterfly final. After the semifinals of the 100 m butterfly, it seemed Crocker was out of the gold medal position after Andrii Serdinov and Michael Phelps
Michael Phelps
Michael Fred Phelps is an American swimmer who has, overall, won 16 Olympic medals—six gold and two bronze at Athens in 2004, and eight gold at Beijing in 2008, becoming the most successful athlete at both of these Olympic Games editions...
went under the former world record. However, in the final of the 100 m butterfly, Crocker swam a 50.98 to become the first man under 51 seconds and win the gold medal. When Crocker saw the time after the race, he thought the world record belonged to Phelps. Crocker earned his final medal, a gold, in the 4x100 m medley relay. The American team recorded a time of 3:31.54 to beat the former world record set in 2002.
2004 Athens Summer Olympic Games
At the 2004 Summer Olympics
2004 Summer Olympics
The 2004 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the Games of the XXVIII Olympiad, was a premier international multi-sport event held in Athens, Greece from August 13 to August 29, 2004 with the motto Welcome Home. 10,625 athletes competed, some 600 more than expected, accompanied by 5,501 team...
, Crocker received a bronze medal as a member of the 400 meter freestyle relay team, a silver medal in the 100 meter butterfly, and a gold medal as a member of the world-record setting 400 meter medley relay team. Of the three medals he won at the 2004 Summer Olympics, he is best remembered for his silver, as teammate Michael Phelps
Michael Phelps
Michael Fred Phelps is an American swimmer who has, overall, won 16 Olympic medals—six gold and two bronze at Athens in 2004, and eight gold at Beijing in 2008, becoming the most successful athlete at both of these Olympic Games editions...
overtook him at the very end of the 100 meter butterfly to win the race by .04 seconds. Traditionally, the Olympian who places highest in an individual event will be automatically given the corresponding leg of the 4x100 m medley relay. This gave Phelps an automatic entry into the medley relay but he deferred and Crocker swam instead. Crocker had made a mistake starting the 400 freestyle relay final, which cost the Americans gold, so Phelps' gesture gave Crocker a chance to make amends as well getting his final shot at a gold medal. Crocker and the American medley team went on to win the event in world record time, so Crocker finally got his gold medal. (Phelps received a gold medal as well, since he had swum in the preliminary heat of the medley relay).
2005 World Aquatics Championships
2005 World Aquatics Championships
The 2005 World Aquatics Championships or the XI FINA World Championships were held in Montreal, Quebec, Canada from July 16 to July 31, 2005...
, Crocker won a total of three medals, two golds and one silver medal. In his first event, the 50 m butterfly, Crocker won a silver medal finishing behind South African Roland Schoeman, who set the world record. In the final of the 100 m butterfly, Crocker recorded a time of 50.40 to beat his own world record of 50.76 and win the gold medal. Crocker also handed Michael Phelps one of worst losses in his career when Phelps finished over as second behind. With this win, Crocker was awarded a spot in the 4x100 m medley relay. Crocker did not disappoint and swam the butterfly leg in 50.39. The American team went on to win the gold medal.
2007 World Aquatics Championships
At the 2007 World Aquatics Championships2007 World Aquatics Championships
The 2007 World Aquatics Championships or the XII FINA World Championships were held in Melbourne, Australia from 17 March to 1 April 2007...
, Crocker won two silver medals. In the 50 m butterfly, Crocker won a silver medal finishing behind Schoeman. In the 100 m butterfly final, Crocker finished second to Phelps 50.82 to 50.77. In the heats of the 4x100 m medley relay, Crocker dove in too early on an exchange, causing the disqualification of the American team.
2008 Beijing Summer Olympic Games
Crocker competed in the his 3rd Olympics as a medal contender for his signature 100 m butterfly. Many felt Crocker's career was on a slide due to a poor showing in the Olympic trials and having not broken the 51 second barrier in over 12 months. Crocker finished in a tie for third in the semi-finals, behind Australia's Andrew Lauterstein
Andrew Lauterstein
Andrew George Lauterstein is an Australian swimmer and a three-time Olympic medalist.- Personal :...
. In the finals, he finished fourth behind teammate Phelps, Milorad Čavić
Milorad Cavic
Milorad Čavić is an American-born Serbian swimmer.-Swimming career:...
, and Lauterstein, beating Kenyan swimmer Jason Dunford
Jason Dunford
Jason Edward Dunford is a swimmer from Kenya. He is predominantly a butterfly and freestyle sprinter. He has won gold medals at the Commonwealth Games, Universiade, All-Africa Games and African Championships, and reached finals at Olympics, World Championships and Short Course World Championships....
. He missed the medal stand by a hundredth of a second. Despite not earning a medal in his signature event, Crocker was given the opportunity to swim for the 4x100 medley relay B team. To his disappointment, Crocker did not get to swim in the finals nor stand on the podium, however he earned a gold medal for his contribution in the heats.
See also
- World record progression 100 metres freestyleWorld record progression 100 metres freestyleThe first world record in the men's 100 metres freestyle in long course swimming was recognised by the International Swimming Federation in 1905...
- World record progression 100 metres butterflyWorld record progression 100 metres butterflyThe first world record in the 100 metres butterfly in long course swimming was recognised by the International Swimming Federation in 1957, for both men and women...
- List of multiple Olympic gold medalists in one event