Before her races, swimming champion Amy van Dyken freely admits that she's out to scare her opponents, to beat them mentally before leaving them to flounder in her wake.
Her own mental toughness and relentlessness allowed her to become a champion. Following a doctor’s advice, Amy began swimming in an effort to relieve childhood asthma… Breathing difficulties limit her to about 65% of normal lung capacity.
In 1996, van Dyken became the first American woman to win four gold medals in a single Olympic Games. An instant celebrity, she was featured on cover of a Wheaties box and underwater in a Milk Industry ad. In 1996 Amy was named the Associated Press Female Athlete of the Year, USOC Sports Woman of the Year, ESPN-ESPY Female Athlete of the Year, the Women’s Sports Foundation Sports Woman of the Year, USA Swimming Swimmer of the Year, featured as one of Glamour’s Top 10 Women of the Year, named one of 25 most influential females in sport by Women’s Sports and Fitness magazine, and recipient of the ARETE Courage in Sports award and Phillips Performance of the Year Award.
Amy is a 2000 swimming gold medalist on a world record-breaking 400m free relay and earned a second gold medal as a prelim swimmer on the 400m medley relay. She was also fourth in 50m free and was second in 50m free and fourth in 100m free at Olympic Trials.
Van Dyken is the American record-holder in 50y free and former American record-holder in 50m free. She was the 1994 NCAA champion in 50y free (AR), 1994 NCAA Swimmer of the Year, 1994 Colorado Sportswoman of the Year, seven-time All-Star team member (1994-00), seven-time National A team member (1994-00), and 1992 National B team.
Amy declined selection to 1999 Pan Pacific Championships team to continue shoulder rehabilitation. She began training again in early March of 1999, after having shoulder surgery in June of 1998.
She knows sign language for the deaf—ASL and enjoys working with Make-A-Wish and United Way, among other groups with children in mind. She aspires to teach at a high school or work with deaf children. She enjoys volleyball and basketball and on weekends, enjoys trips to the mountain with her dog “Georgia,” a black lab given by the Purina Pet Care Center after the ‘96 Olympics.
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