47 Facts About Aaron Peirsol

Aaron Wells Peirsol was born on July 23,1983 and is an American former competition swimmer and backstroke specialist who is a former world champion and world record-holder.

Aaron Peirsol is a three-time Olympian and seven-time Olympic medalist.

Aaron Peirsol's successes have earned him the American Swimmer of the Year Award once.

Aaron Peirsol has won a total of thirty-six medals in major international competition: twenty-nine gold, six silver, and one bronze spanning the Olympics, the World, Pan American, and the Pan Pacific Championships.

Aaron Peirsol came short of his success he had in Athens by winning silver in the 200-meter backstroke, finishing behind Ryan Lochte.

Aaron Peirsol was born in Newport Beach, California, in 1983, the son of Scott and Wella Aaron Peirsol.

Aaron Peirsol's father is a captain and his mother is a retired dental hygienist.

Aaron Peirsol has one younger sister, Hayley, who is a swimmer.

Aaron Peirsol is a 2002 graduate of Newport Harbor High School in Newport Beach, California.

Aaron Peirsol trained under the guidance of Eddie Reese and Kris Kubik.

Aaron Peirsol is an ambassador for the Global Water Foundation and the Surfrider Foundation.

Aaron Peirsol is a spokesman for Oceana, which is the largest international ocean conservation and advocacy organization.

Aaron Peirsol competed in the 100-meter backstroke, but did not qualify for the event finals At the 2000 Summer Olympics, Aaron Peirsol finished second to Krayzelburg in the 200-meter backstroke.

At the 2001 World Aquatics Championships, Aaron Peirsol won gold in the 200-meter backstroke with a time of 1:57.13, a championship record.

Aaron Peirsol started off 2002 with the first world record of his career in the 200-meter backstroke, bettering Krayzelburg's mark set in 1999.

Aaron Peirsol then competed in the 200-meter backstroke and won gold in a time of 1:55.92, almost two seconds ahead of second-place finisher Gordan Kozulj of Croatia.

At the 2004 US Olympic Team Trials, Aaron Peirsol won individual titles in the 100 and 200-meter backstroke.

Four years after finishing in 4th place at the 2000 US Olympic Team Trials, Aaron Peirsol won the 100-meter backstroke title, beating Lenny Krayzelburg.

Aaron Peirsol was the only individual in the field to break 54 seconds and was just off Krayzelburg's world record.

Aaron Peirsol beat his closest competitor, Michael Phelps, by more than a second.

An initial disqualification alleged that Aaron Peirsol had made an illegal turn during the 200-meter backstroke race.

Shortly after the 2004 Summer Olympics, Aaron Peirsol competed at the 2004 FINA World Swimming Championships in Indianapolis where he won three gold medals.

Aaron Peirsol competed in the 50-meter backstroke but finished out of medal contention.

At the 2005 World Championship Trials, the selection meet for the 2005 World Aquatics Championships, Aaron Peirsol won individual titles in the 100 and 200-meter backstroke.

Aaron Peirsol competed in the 50-meter backstroke but finished out of medal contention.

At the 2006 National Championships, the selection meet for the 2006 Pan Pacific Swimming Championships and the 2007 World Aquatics Championships, Aaron Peirsol won individual titles in the 100 and 200-meter backstroke.

Aaron Peirsol earned his second gold in the 200-meter backstroke with a world record time of 1:54.44, bettering his previous mark of 1:54.66 set last year in Montreal.

At the 2007 World Aquatics Championships in Melbourne, Australia, Aaron Peirsol won one gold and one silver medal.

At the time, Aaron Peirsol held five of the fastest times posted in the event.

At one point during the first 50-meters, Aaron Peirsol was a full meter behind Ryan Lochte, and at the turn, Aaron Peirsol was in third place behind Liam Tancock and Lochte.

At the 2008 US Olympic Team Trials, Aaron Peirsol won individual titles in the 100 and 200-meter backstroke, repeating his results from the 2004 US Olympic Team Trials.

At the first 50-meters in the 100-meter backstroke final, Aaron Peirsol was in second place behind Liam Tancock, who took it out in 25.11.

However, after the turn, Aaron Peirsol overtook Tancock, who eventually placed sixth, and won the gold.

Aaron Peirsol's final time of 52.54 was a new world record, bettering his previous mark of 52.89 set last month.

In winning the gold, Lochte broke the world record tie he and Aaron Peirsol shared in the 200-meter backstroke.

At the 2009 National Championships, the selection meet for the 2009 World Aquatics Championships, Aaron Peirsol won individual titles in the 100- and 200-meter backstroke.

In winning the 100-meter backstroke, Aaron Peirsol became the first person to swim the event in under 52 seconds and it was the sixth time he set the world record in the event.

Aaron Peirsol competed in the 100-meter butterfly but did not qualify for the event in Rome, finishing in third place.

At the 2009 World Aquatics Championships in Rome, Aaron Peirsol won two gold medals.

Aaron Peirsol then competed in the 50-meter backstroke but did not advance past the heats.

At the 2010 National Championships, Aaron Peirsol placed second in both the 100- and 200-meter backstroke.

Aaron Peirsol won the gold in a time of 53.31, breaking his own championship record set in 2006.

Aaron Peirsol then competed in the 200-meter backstroke but did not qualify to swim in the medal-awarding final, with Lochte and Tyler Clary taking the top two American spots.

On February 2,2011, at the age of twenty-seven, Aaron Peirsol announced that he was officially retiring from professional swimming.

Aaron Peirsol said he contemplated retirement after the 2008 Summer Olympics.

Aaron Peirsol returned to Newport Beach where he works as a seasonal ocean lifeguard and swim coach at his alma mater, Newport Harbor High School.

In November 2015 it was announced that Aaron Peirsol would be inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame Class of 2016 alongside fellow Americans Dara Torres and coach Bob Bowman.