Rowdy Gaines (Olympics)
Swimming Analyst
Rowdy Gaines serves as a swimming analyst for the 2024 Paris Olympics. Covering his ninth Olympics for NBCUniversal, Gaines debuted in Barcelona in 1992 and has worked each Summer Olympics in that stretch. He will also serve as an analyst for this summer’s open water swim competition in Paris.
A three-time Olympic gold medalist, Gaines was one of the world’s fastest swimmers in the 1980s. He set world records in the 100-meter freestyle in 1981, the 200-meter freestyle in 1982 and capped off his phenomenal career by winning three gold medals for the United States at the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. After entering the 1984 Olympic trials as a “past his prime” long-shot to make the team, he set an Olympic record in the 100-meter freestyle, and helped establish a world record by anchoring the 4×100-meter freestyle relay team. He completed the gold medal triple by swimming the freestyle anchor of the 4×100-meter medley, again setting Olympic and world records.
Named the World Swimmer of the Year in 1981, Gaines was an eight-time NCAA champion at Auburn University and was honored as the Southeastern Conference’s Athlete of the Year in 1981. He is a member of the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame and later served as the Hall’s Executive Director. Gaines also served as the Chief Fundraising and Alumni Officer at USA Swimming, the national governing body for the sport in the U.S.
Gaines is currently the Vice President of Partnerships and Development for the Pool and Hot Tub Alliance.
Fast Facts
- 9th Olympics with NBCU
- Three-time 1984 U.S. Olympic swimming gold medalist and five-time world champion (1978-82)
- International Swimming/U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame inductee and 1981 World Swimmer of Year.
- Earned the prestigious 2015 USA Swimming Award – the highest honor in swimming
