Alex Meyer facts for kids

Alexander "Alex" Meyer (born July 5, 1988) is a former American swimmer. He was known for his skills in open water and long-distance races. Alex won a gold medal at the 2010 FINA World Open Water Swimming Championships. This was for the 25-kilometer open water event.

He was also part of the United States Olympic team in 2012. At the 2012 Summer Olympics, he finished tenth in the 10-kilometer open water race. Alex won his very last race before he retired. This was the 62nd Traversée internationale du lac St-Jean on July 30, 2016.

Alex's Early Life

Alex Meyer was born in Rochester, Minnesota. He loved being around water from a very young age. Alex started swimming in competitions when he was 7 years old. This was in Glens Falls, New York.

When he was 11, Alex and his family moved to Ithaca, New York. There, he swam for the Ithaca Aquatics Club. He also joined his high school's varsity swim team as a seventh grader. In high school, Alex was named an All-American swimmer four times. He also won academic All-American honors twice. He won the New York state championships two years in a row.

College Swimming Career

Alex went to Harvard University for college. He studied human evolutionary biology there. At Harvard, he swam for the Harvard Crimson swim team. He was chosen for the All-Ivy League team twice.

He competed in the NCAA Division I Championships two times. In his second year, Alex swam in the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team Trials. He competed in both the 400-meter and 1,500-meter freestyle events. As a senior, Alex was a co-captain for the Harvard men's team. He earned All-America honors by finishing 14th at the NCAA Division I Championships.

International Swimming Success

After graduating from Harvard, Alex stayed in Boston. He trained with Crimson Aquatics. His coach was Kevin Tyrrell, who was also Harvard's head men's swimming coach. The summer after college, Alex won his first international gold medal. This was at the 2010 FINA World Open Water Swimming Championships. He won the 25-kilometer race.

The next year, Alex competed in many Open Water Grand Prix and World Cup events. In June 2011, he won gold again. This was at the 10K U.S. Open Water Championships. This win helped him qualify for the 2011 10K Open Water World Championships in Shanghai, China. Alex finished fourth in Shanghai. This made him the first swimmer to qualify for the 2012 U.S. Olympic Team.

In 2016, Alex won the famous "Traversée du Lac St.Jean" race. This was a 32-kilometer FINA Grand Prix race in Roberval, Quebec, Canada. It was his first time competing in this tough race. He finished with a time of 6 hours, 28 minutes, and 1 second.

Alex's Personal Life

Alex Meyer's parents were both swimmers. His father, Steve, swam and dove for Hobart and William Smith Colleges. His mother, Shawn, swam for the University of Georgia. Alex has a brother named Sam, who plays hockey.

Alex enjoys many types of music, especially jazz and blues. When he's not swimming, he likes to play the guitar. He also loves spending time outdoors. Camping and boating with his family and friends are some of his favorite activities.

Alex looked up to Fran Crippen a lot in his open water career. Fran was a very experienced swimmer when Alex first joined the U.S. Team. They became roommates when they traveled for competitions. Fran helped Alex a lot. Fran sadly passed away during a competition. Alex uses Fran's memory as a way to stay inspired. He thinks of Fran when he trains and competes.

At the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, Alex finished tenth. This was in the 10-kilometer marathon event. His time was 1:50:48.2. This was about 53 seconds behind the winner, Oussama Mellouli.

Awards and Achievements

• 2011 Golden Goggle Award - Breakout Swimmer of the Year

Olympic Games

• 2012 London Olympics: Open Water 10K, 10th place

Open Water World Championships

• 2010: 25K, Gold Medalist
• 2011: 10K, 4th place
• 2015: 25K, 2nd place (Silver Medal)

U.S. Open Water National Championships

• 2008: 5K, 10th place
• 2009: 10K, 4th place
• 2011: 10K, Gold Medalist

High School Achievements

• 2005: 500 Freestyle, New York State Champion
• 2006: 500 Freestyle, New York State Champion

See Also

• List of Harvard University people