Jon C. Olsen(born April 25, 1969) is an American former competition swimmer, four-time Olympic champion, and former world record-holder. Olsen was a successful relay swimmer for the U.S. national team in the late 1980s and 1990s. He has won a total of 27 medals in major international competition, 20 gold, 5 silver, and 2 bronze spanning the Olympics, theWorld,Pan Pacific,and thePan Americanchampionships.
Olsen represented the United States at two consecutive Olympic Games, and won a total number of five Olympic medals, including four golds. At the1992 Summer Olympicsin Barcelona, Spain, he won his first gold medal as a member of the winning U.S. team in themen's 4×100-meter freestyle relay,together with teammatesJoe Hudepohl,Matt BiondiandTom Jager.He won a second gold medal for swimming the freestyle anchor leg for the first-place U.S. team in themen's 4×100-meter medley relay.With his medley relay teammatesJeff Rouse(backstroke),Nelson Diebel(breaststroke), andPablo Morales(butterfly), he tied the world record in the event of 3:36.93. He also received a bronze medal as a member of the third-place U.S. team in themen's 4×200-meter freestyle relay.Individually, he also placed fourth in the final of themen's 100-meter freestylewith a time of 49.51 seconds.[1]
Four years later at the1996 Summer Olympicsin Atlanta, Georgia, Olsen again won a gold medal as a member of the first-place U.S. team in themen's 4×100-meter freestyle relaywith fellow team membersJosh Davis,Brad SchumacherandGary Hall, Jr.,and set a new Olympic record of 3:15.41. He received another gold for swimming for the winning U.S. team in the preliminary heats of themen's 4×200-meter freestyle relay.He also competed in the individualmen's 100-meter freestyleand placed ninth overall in the B Final of the event with a time of 49.80 seconds.[1]Olsen was elected captain of the U.S. Olympic swim team at the 1996 Games by his teammates.
During his career, Olsen was trained by former freestyle sprinterJonty Skinner.He was also coached by the current Laurel Swim Association head coach, Warren Holladay, who was previously an assistant coach at the University of Alabama. Olsen attended theUniversity of Alabama,where he swam forAlabama Crimson Tideswimming and diving team. He currently resides in the Florida Keys with his family where he coaches swimming. He has two daughters and a son.
