19 Facts About Peter Vanderkaay

Peter William Vanderkaay was born on February 12,1984 and is an American former competition swimmer who specialized in middle-distance freestyle events and is a four-time Olympic medalist.

Peter Vanderkaay was a member of the United States Olympic team in 2004,2008, and 2012, and won bronze medals in the 200-meter freestyle at the 2008 Summer Olympics and the 400-meter freestyle at the 2012 Summer Olympics.

Peter Vanderkaay grew up in Oakland Township, and attended Rochester Adams High School in Rochester Hills.

Peter Vanderkaay has three brothers, all of whom are competitive swimmers.

Peter Vanderkaay threw out the ceremonial first pitch at a Detroit Tigers baseball game on September 4,2012.

Peter Vanderkaay is a two-time Michigan high school state champion in the 500-yard freestyle, and is the 2001 state champion in the 200-yard freestyle.

Peter Vanderkaay graduated in the class of 2002, and swam for the Michigan Wolverines swimming and diving team at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

Peter Vanderkaay captured four NCAA titles and 14 Big Ten Conference titles.

Peter Vanderkaay won a silver and two bronze medals representing the US at the 2003 World University Games.

Peter Vanderkaay was CSCAA All-American in the 500 and the mile.

In short course metric distances, Peter Vanderkaay was the NCAA champion in the 400-meter free, the 1,500-meter free and the 800-meter free relay, and placed fifth in the 200-meter free.

Peter Vanderkaay was named All-American in the 200-yard freestyle, 500-yard freestyle, 1,650-yard freestyle, 800-yard freestyle relay, 400-yard medley relay.

Peter Vanderkaay won four more Big Ten titles, 200-yard freestyle, 500-yard freestyle, 1,650-yard freestyle and 800-yard freestyle relay, and one final NCAA title in the 500.

Peter Vanderkaay placed second in both the 200-yard and 1,650-yard freestyle events at the NCAA national championships.

Peter Vanderkaay won his first individual medal, a bronze, in the 200-meter freestyle at the 2008 Summer Olympics.

On December 20,2010, Peter Vanderkaay announced that he would be leaving Ann Arbor and Club Wolverine, where he had trained for over eight years, to move to Gainesville, Florida and train with the Gator Swim Club.

At the 2012 United States Olympic Trials in Omaha, Nebraska, the qualifying event for the US Olympic team, Peter Vanderkaay won the 400-meter freestyle event with a time of 3:47.67, thus qualifying to represent the United States in the event at the 2012 Olympics.

Peter Vanderkaay competed in the 1,500-meter freestyle, but placed fourth.

At the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, Peter Vanderkaay won a bronze medal in the 400-meter freestyle with a time of 3:44.69, finishing third behind Sun Yang and Park Tae-Hwan.