Champion swimmer Amy Van Dyken began swimming
at age six to help in her battle against asthma. She could not swim the
full length of an Olympic-size pool until age twelve, but by college she
was highly decorated for her speed and ability. At the 1996 Olympic
Games in Atlanta, Georgia, she and her teams placed first in the
50-meter freestyle, 100-meter butterfly, 400-meter freestyle relay, and
400-meter medley relay. These victories made her the first American
woman to win four gold medals in one Olympic Games. In spite of two
shoulder surgeries, Van Dyken returned to the Olympics in 2000 to win
two more gold medals in relays, for a total of six. Since retiring from
swimming after the Sydney, Australia, games, Van Dyken has taken up a
new sport, the triathlo.
