18 Facts About Roland Schoeman

Roland Schoeman said he began swimming only to impress a girl he met.

Roland Schoeman attended Pretoria's Willow Ridge High School, where he trained under coach Gavin Ross.

Roland Schoeman set new South African records in the 100 m Freestyle, 50 m Freestyle, 100 m Butterfly and 50 m Butterfly events.

In 2000, at the NCAA Men's Swimming and Diving Championships in Minnesota, while swimming as a Sophomore, Roland Schoeman tied the short course world record in the 50-meter freestyle with a time of 21.31.

Roland Schoeman competed for South Africa in the 2000 Sydney Olympics in the 50-meter freestyle placing eleventh and the 100 meter freestyle event placing fifteenth, as well as the 4x100 meter freestyle relay where his team placed eleventh.

Roland Schoeman won three medals at the 2004 Olympics, making him the first South African to win three medals in one Olympics.

Roland Schoeman captured the silver medal in the 100 m freestyle event recording a time of 48.23.

Roland Schoeman won a bronze in the 50 m freestyle with a time of 22.02 in a typically close finish.

At the 2008 Beijing Olympics, Roland Schoeman participated in the 50-meter freestyle and the 4x100 meter freestyle relay finishing seventh in both events.

Roland Schoeman claimed golds at the 2006 Commonwealth Games in the 100m freestyle and 100m butterfly.

Roland Schoeman was the former individual world record holder in the Long Course Meters 50 butterfly, Short Course Meters 50 freestyle, Short Course Meters 100 freestyle, and Short Course Meters 100 individual medley.

On 6 September 2008, Roland Schoeman set a new short course meters world record of 20.64 for a 50-meter swim at South African Nationals.

Roland Schoeman lost his world record in late 2008 but regained it in August 2009.

At the South Africa Short Course Championships, Roland Schoeman recorded a time of 20.30 seconds for the 50-meter event, which was broken in 2014 by Florent Manaudou.

Roland Schoeman won a bronze in the 50 meter freestyle at the 2001 World Aquatics Championships.

Roland Schoeman turned down the offer due to his own national pride and because he felt the sound of the South African national anthem and the experience of sharing pride in his victories with other citizens of South Africans is what made winning gold special.

Roland Schoeman, who is asthmatic, was voted the African Swimmer of the Year by Swimming World in 2004,2005 and 2006; and the South African Swimmer of the Year in 2003,2004,2005 and 2006.

Roland Schoeman was elected South African Sports Star of the Year in 2004.