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Gary Hall Jr.

Gary Hall Jr.
Personal information
Full name Gary Wayne Hall Jr.
National team  United States
Born (1974-09-26) September 26, 1974 (age 42)
Cincinnati, Ohio
Height 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m)
Weight 218 lb (99 kg)
Sport
Sport Swimming
Strokes Freestyle
Club The Race Club
College team University of Texas

For his father, also an Olympic swimmer, see Gary Hall Sr.

Gary Wayne Hall Jr. (born September 26, 1974) is an American former competition swimmer who represented the United States at the 1996, 2000, and 2004 Olympics and won ten Olympic medals (five gold, three silver, two bronze). He is a former world record-holder in two relay events. Hall is well known for his "pro-wrestling like" antics before a competition; frequently strutting onto the pool deck in boxing shorts and robe, shadow boxing and flexing for the audience.

His father, Gary Hall Sr., also competed in three Olympics as a swimmer (1968, 1972 and 1976). His maternal uncle, Charles Keating III, swam in the 1976 Olympics, and his maternal grandfather, Charles Keating Jr., was a national swimming champion in the 1940s.

In his first Olympics at the age of 21 in Atlanta, Hall had only 6 years of swimming experience yet he already had a well-known rivalry with Russia's Alexander Popov. Hall and his teammates dominated the relay events, but Popov beat Hall in the individual events. The rivalry grew more bitter than ever. Hall responded by coming to his next event in leather motorcycle pants and executing his usual shadow boxing and flexing routine. Eventually, Hall lost in the individual 100 m freestyle and 50 m freestyle to Popov.

Hall won two individual silvers and two team relay golds at the games, including helping set the world record in both the 400 m freestyle and medley relays.

In 1998, Hall was suspended by FINA for marijuana use.

In 1999, he was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes, commonly referred to as childhood or juvenile diabetes. Upon his diagnosis, Hall struggled with the possibilities and the effects he knew the medical condition would have on his life. He took a short hiatus from swimming, but returned to compete in the 2000 U.S. Olympic Trials. There he won the 50 m freestyle and placed second in the 100 m freestyle. His 50 m time of 21.76 seconds set a new American record, beating the ten-year-old record set by Tom Jager.


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