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From USA Swimming:

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - Swimming Olympian Rowdy Gaines will be inducted in the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame Class of 2006, announced today by the U.S. Olympic Committee.

"To be included in this class of nominees is something dreams are made of. It's an incredible honor and very humbling," said Gaines, who currently serves as USA Swimming's Chief Fundraising and Alumni Officer.

"I've always considered the swimming family to be a small group, but I feel that way about the Olympic family as well. I really appreciate all of the support I've received from our swimming family throughout this process."

Gaines is part of a phenomenal 2006 class of inductees, which also includes track & field athletes Evelyn Ashford and Bob Hayes, gymnast Shannon Miller, figure skater Kristi Yamaguchi, the 1984 men's gymnastics team, ice hockey coach Herb Brooks and Paralympic skier Diana Golden-Brosnihan. Also being honored are speedskater Jack Shea in the veterans category and special contributor Dick Ebersol.

"Rowdy is our sport's ambassador to the world," said Chuck Wielgus, Executive Director of USA Swimming. "As an Olympian, his athletic achievements were awe inspiring and heroic. But even more meaningful to those of us in the swimming family, Rowdy Gaines is a world class human being. We could not ask for a better role model for our youth, a better All-American hero for our sport, and a better friend and colleague."

Gaines, a two-time Olympian (1980, 1984) and 17-time national champion, swam to three gold medals at the 1984 Los Angeles Games, winning in the 100m freestyle, 400m freestyle relay and 400m medley relay. He was also a member of the 1980 Olympic Swim Team that boycotted the Olympics held in Moscow. Known as the voice for swimming, Gaines called his fourth Olympic telecast for NBC at the 2004 Games in Athens. Complete bio information is included at the bottom of this release.

Gaines joins 13 other swimmers who have been inducted in the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame since the charter class of 1983. The most recent swimming inductees were Matt Biondi and Janet Evans in 2004.

The Class of 2006 will be honored during the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony on Dec. 8 at the Harris Theatre in Chicago, Ill.

Rowdy Gaines Bio
Chief Fundraising and Alumni Officer, USA Swimming

Birth date: February 17, 1959
College: Auburn University
Birthplace: Winter Haven, Fla.
Residence: Colorado Springs, Colo.

Ambrose "Rowdy" Gaines IV was the fastest man in the water in the world throughout the 1980s. His world records confirmed his place in swimming history. Though largely overshadowed by his Olympic fame, Gaines' long swimming career has been nothing shy of outstanding.

The Olympic boycott of 1980 came during the peak of his career, when he set world records in the 100 and 200-meter freestyles. Swimming World Magazine voted him World Swimmer of the Year, and he was predicted to win five Olympic gold medals in Moscow.

Gaines retired after capping his career at Auburn University career by winning the NCAA Championships in 1981. He was a 22-time NCAA All-American and was chosen over Herschel Walker as the Southeastern Conference Athlete of the Year in 1981.

After a brief retirement, the allure of competing proved too strong, and he returned to the pool, where the consummate technician resumed his attack on the record books. One year later, he broke his own world record in the 200m freestyle at the World Championships and was awarded the 1982 McDonald's Spirit Award, one of swimming's highest honors. In 1983, he set the meet record and won the gold medal in the 100m freestyle at the Pan American Games in Caracas.

At the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, no swimmer won more races than he did with his three gold medals in the 100m freestyle and the 4x100m freestyle and medley relays. He set a new Olympic record and was just .45 seconds shy of his own world record in the 100m freestyle. He then went on to swim the fastest relay split in history, anchoring the 4x100m freestyle relay to gold. Gaines completed his Olympic dream by swimming the freestyle anchor of the 4x100 meter medley relay, which also set a new world record.

In 1991, Gaines contracted Guillan-Barre Syndrome, an auto-immune virus that attacks the nervous system. Paralyzed for more than two weeks, he fought back and overcame the disease. Only one year later, he won the World Masters Championships in the 50m and 100m freestyle, both in world record time.

Known as the voice for swimming, Gaines has been a TV color commentator for CBS, TNT and ESPN, and called his fourth Olympic telecast for NBC at the 2004 Games in Athens. He is a spokesperson for companies such as Speedo and the acclaimed international Yamamoto Kogaku of Japan as well as Swim Across America, an organization helping to find a cure for cancer. He has been inducted to the Florida and Alabama Sports Halls of Fame, in addition to being inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame.

Gaines resides in Colorado Springs where he is the Chief Fundraising and Alumni Officer for USA Swimming. He and his wife Judy have four children: Emily, Madison, Savanna and Isabelle.