Matt Grevers

{{Infobox swimmer

| name = Matt Grevers

| image = Matt Grevers.jpg

| image_size = 200

| alt =

| caption = Grevers in 2009

| fullname = Matthew Grevers

| nicknames = "Matt," "Dutch," "The Gentle Giant"

| national_team = United States

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1985|3|26|mf=y}}

| birth_place = Lake Forest, Illinois, U.S.

| death_date =

| death_place =

| coach = Lea Maurer (Patriot Aquatics)
Bob Groseth (Northwestern)
Rick Demont (Tucson Ford){{cite web|url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/835818066/?match=1&terms=%22Matt%20Grevers%22%20AND%20%22Demont%20Family%22|title=Cats Will Sweat Out Selection|website=newspapers.com|access-date=February 16, 2025}}

| spouse = Annie Chandler

| height = 6 ft 8 in

| weight = 240 lb

| strokes = Backstroke, freestyle, butterfly

| club = Patriot Aquatics SC
Tucson Ford Dealers Aquatics

| collegeteam = Northwestern University

| medaltemplates =

{{MedalCountry |{{USA}}}}

{{MedalCount|total=yes

|Olympic Games|4|2|0

|World Championships (LC)|6|5|2

|World Championships (SC)|6|5|4

|Pan Pacific Championships|1|1|0

|Universiade|1|3|2

}}

File:Olympic rings.svg

File:Northwestern Wildcats logo.svg

{{MedalCount

|NCAA Championships|4|1|2

|Total|4|1|2

}}

{{MedalCount|type=By race|total=yes

|100 y backstroke|2|0|1

|200 y backstroke|1|0|0

|200 y medley|0|1|0

|4×100 y freestyle|0|0|1

|4×100 y medley|1|0|0

}}

File:NCAA logo.svg

}}

Matthew Grevers (born March 26, 1985) is a former American competition swimmer who competed in the backstroke and freestyle events, and is a six-time Olympic medalist. He has won a total of thirty-three medals in major international competition, fourteen gold, twelve silver, and seven bronze spanning the Olympics, World Championships, and the Universiade. At the 2008 Summer Olympics, Grevers won gold medals as a member of the U.S. teams in the 4×100-meter freestyle and 4×100-meter medley relays, and a silver medal in the 100-meter backstroke. Four years later, at the 2012 Summer Olympics, he won gold medals in the 100-meter backstroke and the 4×100-meter medley relay, and a silver medal in the 4×100-meter freestyle relay.

Early life and swimming

Born on March 26, 1985, in Lake Forest, Illinois, to Ed and Anja Grevers, a swim coach, he attended Lake Forest High School. One of the younger competitive swimmers in the family, older sister Carolyn swam for the University of Kansas, while older brother Andrew swam for Northern Illinois. Recognized early for his potential at High School meets, he set a national backstroke record at ten. At Lake Forest, he set three Illinois state records and in his Senior year in 2003 made significant contributions to Lake Forest's first Illinois State Team Championship. During his High School years, he competed and trained with Patriot Aquatics Swim Club at Illinois's Stevenson High School under accomplished coach Lea Maurer, a 1992 Olympic gold medalist who served as an Assistant Coach at Northwestern, and would later coach at Stanford. Completed in 1996, the club featured one of the first and most modern natatoriums in the state.{{cite web|url=https://www.chicagomag.com/Chicago-Magazine/August-2005/Water-Power/|title=Isackson, Noah, August 12, 2008, Waterpower|website=chicagomag.com|access-date=February 16, 2025}}{{cite web|url=https://www.gomotionapp.com/team/ilpac/page/home|title=Patriot Aquatic Club Website|website=gomotionapp.com|access-date=February 16, 2025}}

Northwestern University

Beginning as a Freshman swimmer with Northwestern University in the fall of 2003, Grevers was a Big 10 Freshman of the Year, and became the first Northwestern Wildcat swimmer since 1958 to capture a national championship when he finished ahead of Ryan Lochte of Florida in the 100 backstroke at the 2005 NCAA championships. At Northwestern, he was a 27-time All American, and was trained and managed by Coach Bob Groseth.{{cite web|url=https://tsminteractive.com/10-things-you-didnt-know-about-olympic-swimmer-matt-grevers/|title=10 Things You Didn't Know About Matt Grevers|website=tsminteractive.com|access-date=February 16, 2023}} He won three individual NCAA titles during his time at Northwestern, and captured a fourth NCAA national championship with Northwestern's 400 medley relay team in 2007.{{cite web|url=https://swimswam.com/bio/matt-grevers/|title=SwimSwam, Matt Grevers Biography|website=swimswam.com|access-date=February 16, 2025}}

He repeated as the winner of the NCAA 100 backstroke title in 2006, then captured a first in the 200 backstroke, becoming only the third swimmer in the history of the NCAA history to swim under a time of 1:40 in the event.

A 2006 Big Ten Swimmer of the Year, he graduated Northwestern with three Big Ten Conference records, 11 Northwestern University records and 10 Norris Aquatics Center pool records.{{cite web|url=https://nusports.com/sports/2015/7/2/matt_grevers?id=513|title=Nortwestern University Sports Hall of Fame|website=nusports.com|access-date=February 16, 2025}}

2008 Olympics

At the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, China, Grevers won two gold medals by swimming in the preliminary heats of the 4×100-meter freestyle relay and 4×100-meter medley relay (swimming the backstroke leg) as the Americans went on to win the finals in those events and medals are awarded to participants at any step along the way. Grevers also won an individual silver medal in the 100-meter backstroke in a time of 53.11-second, 0.57 of a second behind the winner, world record holder Aaron Peirsol.[http://www.nbcolympics.com/swimming/resultsandschedules/rsc=SWM411900/index.html Men's 4 x 100m Freestyle Relay – Heat 1][http://www.nbcolympics.com/swimming/resultsandschedules/rsc=SWM451900/index.html Men's 4 x 100m Medley Relay – Heat 2]{{Cite web |url=http://www.nbcolympics.com/swimming/news/newsid=198104.html#peirsol+defends+olympic+100m+back+title |title=Recap of 100m backstroke final |access-date=May 9, 2009 |archive-date=November 3, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091103151511/http://www.nbcolympics.com/swimming/news/newsid=198104.html#peirsol+defends+olympic+100m+back+title |url-status=dead }}

=2009 World Aquatics=

At the 2009 World Aquatics Championships, Grevers was part of the U.S. men's 4×100-meter freestyle relay team who took the gold ahead of Russia and France.{{cite news|title=Records Fall, and It's Only Day 1 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/27/sports/27swim.html|work=The New York Times|author=KAREN CROUSE|date=July 27, 2009|access-date=July 27, 2009}} Grevers also earned a gold in the 4×100-meter medley relay for his contributions in the heats.{{cite news|title=Phelps to get shot at 5th gold in Rome |url=https://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5gj3qdJWRagA1hCgPnWg49gTIDsrwD99QM9A80|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090807103439/http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5gj3qdJWRagA1hCgPnWg49gTIDsrwD99QM9A80|url-status=dead|archive-date=August 7, 2009|agency=Associated Press|author=ANDREW DAMPF|date=August 2, 2009|access-date=August 5, 2009}}{{cite news|title=Four world records set on final day of World Swimming Championships |url=http://sports.gaeatimes.com/2009/08/03/four-world-records-set-on-final-day-of-world-swimming-championships-17184/|date=August 3, 2009|access-date=August 5, 2009}}

2012 Olympics

At the 2012 United States Olympic Trials, the qualifying meet for the 2012 Olympics, Grevers qualified for the U.S. Olympic team by finishing first in the 100-meter backstroke and third in the 100-meter freestyle. In the final of the 100-meter backstroke, Grevers recorded the fastest time in a textile suit and won in a time of 52.08 seconds, then the second-best effort of all time and just behind Aaron Peirsol's world record of 51.94.{{cite web|url=http://omegatiming.com/File/Download?id=00010C010200010702FFFFFFFFFFFF02|title=2012 U.S. Olympic Team Trials (swimming) – Men's 100-metre backstroke (final)|publisher=Omega Timing|access-date=July 8, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130522075034/http://omegatiming.com/File/Download?id=00010C010200010702FFFFFFFFFFFF02|archive-date=May 22, 2013|url-status=dead}} In the 100-meter freestyle, Grevers placed third with a time of 48.55, which ensured him a spot on the 4×100-meter freestyle relay.{{cite web|url=http://omegatiming.com/File/Download?id=00010C010200000102FFFFFFFFFFFF02|title=2012 U.S. Olympic Team Trials (swimming) – Men's 100-metre freestyle (final)|publisher = Omega Timing|access-date=July 8, 2012}} Grevers also competed in the 50-meter freestyle, and placed sixth in the final with a time of 22.09.{{cite web|url=http://omegatiming.com/File/Download?id=00010C010200000002FFFFFFFFFFFF02|title=2012 U.S. Olympic Team Trials (swimming) – Men's 50-metre freestyle (final)|publisher = Omega Timing|access-date=July 8, 2012}}

At the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, Grevers won a total of three medals: two golds and one silver. Grevers earned his first medal, a silver, by swimming for the second-place U.S. team in the preliminary heats of the 4×100-meter freestyle relay. In the final, the American team finished second behind France. Teaming with Jimmy Feigen, Ricky Berens, and Jason Lezak in the heats, Grevers swam the second leg and recorded a time of 47.59. After leading the heats (52.92) and semi-finals (52.66) of the 100-meter backstroke, Grevers won gold in the final of the 100-meter backstroke with a time of 52.16, bettering Aaron Peirsol's Olympic record of 52.54 set in 2008 and 0.76 seconds ahead of Nick Thoman. For Grevers, it was his first individual gold medal.{{cite web |url=http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/ct-spt-0731-olympics-hersh-grevers--20120731,0,636982.story|title= Grevers delivers gold|website= Chicago Tribune|access-date=July 31, 2012}} In his final event, the 4×100-meter medley relay, Grevers won gold with Brendan Hansen, Michael Phelps and Nathan Adrian. Swimming the backstroke leg, Grevers recorded a time of 52.58 seconds, and the U.S. team went on to win with a time of 3:29.35.

=2013 World Championships=

File:Matt Grevers (8990376191) (cropped).jpg

At the 2013 FINA World Championships in Barcelona, Grevers achieved a total of two medals: a gold and a silver. On the first night of swimming, Grevers missed the top-eight championship finals roster in the 50-meter butterfly, as he finished his semi-final run with a twelfth-place time in 23.35.{{cite news|title=Brazil Sizzles With 1–2 in Men's 50 Fly Semis|url=http://www.swimmingworldmagazine.com/lane9/news/World/35296.asp|work=Swimming World|date=July 28, 2013|access-date=August 10, 2013|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131105182042/http://www.swimmingworldmagazine.com/lane9/news/World/35296.asp|archive-date=November 5, 2013}} The following day, Grevers threw down the event's fastest time of 52.93 to claim the gold medal in the 100 m backstroke, finishing ahead of his teammate David Plummer by nearly two-tenths of a second.{{cite news|title=Big Day for American Swimmers|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2013/07/31/sports/big-day-for-american-swimmers.html|work=The New York Times|date=July 30, 2013|access-date=August 10, 2013}}{{cite news|title=USA USA USA: Matt Grevers, David Plummer 1–2 in 100 Back Finale|url=http://www.swimmingworldmagazine.com/lane9/news/World/35356.asp|work=Swimming World|date=July 30, 2013|access-date=August 10, 2013|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140222210737/http://www.swimmingworldmagazine.com/lane9/news/World/35356.asp|archive-date=February 22, 2014}} On the final night of the meet, Grevers swam his last two finals with only 45 minutes in between. First, he posted a matching time of 24.54 to share the silver medal with France's Jérémy Stravius in the 50 m backstroke.{{cite news|first=Kieran|last=Canning|title=Record sixth gold for Franklin, Sun completes treble|url=https://www.foxnews.com/world/record-sixth-gold-for-franklin-sun-completes-treble/|publisher=Fox News Channel|date=August 4, 2013|access-date=August 10, 2013}}{{cite news|title=Camille Lacourt Clinches 50 Back World Title|url=http://www.swimmingworldmagazine.com/lane9/news/World/35530.asp|work=Swimming World|date=August 4, 2013|access-date=August 10, 2013|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140705141346/http://www.swimmingworldmagazine.com/lane9/news/World/35530.asp|archive-date=July 5, 2014}} Nearly an hour later, Grevers teamed up with Kevin Cordes, Ryan Lochte, and Nathan Adrian for the final in the 4 × 100 m medley relay. During the race, Grevers swam the backstroke leg and touched the wall with a split of 53.02 until his teammate Cordes left the block 0.04 seconds early on the breaststroke leg, smashing the medal chances entirely for the Americans with a disastrous disqualification.{{cite news|first=Chris|last=Chase|title=When 0.01 seconds is the difference between gold and disqualification|url=http://ftw.usatoday.com/2013/08/swimming-hundredth-second-world-championships/|work=USA Today|date=August 5, 2013|access-date=August 10, 2013}}{{cite news|title=Stunning USA DQ Delivers Gold to France in Men's 400 Medley Relay|url=http://www.swimmingworldmagazine.com/lane9/news/World/35536.asp|work=Swimming World|date=August 4, 2013|access-date=August 10, 2013|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140705144620/http://www.swimmingworldmagazine.com/lane9/news/World/35536.asp|archive-date=July 5, 2014}}

He did not make the 2016 Olympics Team as he finished third in the 100m backstroke.

=2017 World Championships=

At the 2017 US National Championships, the qualifying meet for the 2017 World Championships in swimming, Grevers won the 100-meter backstroke, ahead of the 2016 Olympic champion and 100-meter backstroke world record holder, Ryan Murphy, to qualify the World Championships later that year in Budapest.

At the 2017 World Aquatics Championships in Budapest, Grevers placed second behind Xu Jiayu of China but ahead of Murphy in the 100-meter backstroke. He also earned gold medals by swimming in the heats and finals of the US 4x100-meter medley and mixed medley relays, as well as a bronze medal in the non-Olympic 50-meter backstroke. The mixed medley relay had also set a World and Championship record time of 3:38.56 in the finals.

=Honors=

While at Northwestern, Grevers was a Big 10 Freshman of the Year, and a Big Ten Swimmer of the Year in 2006. He was inducted into the Northwestern University Athletic Hall of Fame in 2012, and became a member of the Chicagoland Sports Hall of Fame in October, 2022.{{cite web|url=https://www.swimmingworldmagazine.com/news/matt-grevers-inducted-into-chicagoland-sports-hall-of-fame/|title=D'Adonna, Dan, Swimming World, October 6, 2022, Matt Grevers Inducted Into the Chicagoland Sports Hall of Fame|website=swimmingworldmagazine.com|access-date=February 26, 2025}}

Personal life

Grevers was born in Lake Forest, Illinois.{{cite Sports-Reference |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/gr/matt-grevers-1.html |title=Matt Grevers |access-date=July 1, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200417164633/https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/gr/matt-grevers-1.html |archive-date=2020-04-17}} As noted previously, he graduated from Lake Forest High School in 2003, and subsequently attended Northwestern University while swimming for the Wildcats.

Both of Grevers's parents are from the Netherlands. Grevers considered representing the Netherlands and even spoke about it with Dutch swimming legend Pieter van den Hoogenband. Ultimately, he decided to represent the United States.[http://www.nbcolympics.com/athletes/athlete=1405/bio/ NBC Olympics Matt Grevers profile]{{Dead link|date=November 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}

Grevers proposed to his wife, Annie Chandler, at the Missouri Grand Prix[http://network.yardbarker.com/olympics/article_external/backyard/olympic_swimmer_matt_grevers_proposes_to_annie_chandler_on_medal_stand/9900988?refmod=backyard/ Missouri Grand Prix], a swim meet, on Saturday, February 11, 2012. The couple were married on April 6, 2013, in San Antonio, Texas.{{Cite web|url=http://www.bendthelightblog.com/annie-matt-hyatt-regency-hill-country-resort-wedding-ceremony-reception/|title = Annie + Matt {Hyatt Regency Hill Country Resort Wedding Ceremony & Reception}|date = April 25, 2013}}

Annie gave birth to the couple's first child, a daughter, Skylar Lea Grevers, on November 9, 2016.

Grevers announcing the birth of his second child with Annie, made Swimming World Biweekly as one of two family lifestyle articles printed, the other being the engagement of Caeleb Dressel to Meghan Dressel.Serowik, Lauren (December 8, 2019). [https://www.swimmingworldmagazine.com/news/sw-biweekly-simone-manuel-collecting-medals-and-making-a-difference/ "SW Biweekly — Simone Manuel: Collecting Medals and Making a Difference"]. Swimming World. Retrieved November 3, 2021. In December 2019, they had their second daughter together, Barbara Grace.

Keith, Braden (December 2, 2019). [https://swimswam.com/matt-and-annie-grevers-welcomed-child-2-on-sunday/ "Matt And Annie Grevers Welcomed Child #2 On Sunday"]. SwimSwam. Retrieved September 5, 2022.D'Addona, Dan (June 12, 2021). [https://www.swimmingworldmagazine.com/news/matt-grevers-soaking-in-every-moment-of-swimming-family-success-heading-into-sixth-olympic-trials/ "Matt Grevers Soaking in Every Moment of Swimming, Family Success Heading into Sixth Olympic Trials"]. Swimming World. Retrieved September 5, 2022. His youngest child is son Gideon.

=Coaching=

As of 2024, Annie Chandler Grevers and husband Matt were still living in Tucson, Arizona with their three young children. Matt, who continued to train and attended the Olympic trials that year, was an Assistant volunteer coach at the University of Arizona, and worked for the DeMont Family Swim School, where he became a partner and co-owner in 2022 with Rick DeMont. DeMont, who had coached Grevers at Tucson Ford Aquatics for a decade, had operated the school with his wife Carrie since 2009, and had coached at the University of Arizona from 1987 to 2017. Staying active in the sport, Grevers attended the U.S. Olympic trials for all seven Olympics from 2000 to 2024.Stanley, Logan, "Grevers Gets Ready for 7th US Olympic Swimming Trials", The Arizona Republic, June 11, 2024, pg. B3

References

External links

{{World Aquatics}}
{{International Swimming League|grevers-matt|archive=20210824022142}}
{{USA Swimming|new_id=matthew-grevers|archive=20210602213849}}
{{Team USA|new_id=matt-grevers-911792|old_id=GR/Matt-Grevers|archive=20220711221627}}
{{Olympics.com|org_archive=20210204131124}}
{{Olympedia}}
{{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121010203838/http://www.nusports.com/sports/m-swim/mtt/grevers_matt00.html |date=October 10, 2012 |title=Matt Grevers – Northwestern University athlete profile}}

{{succession box|before=Sergey Fesikov, Vladimir Morozov, Rozaliya Nasretdinova, Veronika Popova|title=Mixed 4 × 50 metres freestyle relay world record-holder|with=Josh Schneider, Madison Kennedy, Abbey Weitzeil|years=December 6, 2014 – present|after=Incumbents}}

{{succession box

| before = Nick Thoman

| title = Men's 100-meter backstroke
world record-holder (short course)

| years = December 12, 2015 – December 22, 2017

| after = Kliment Kolesnikov|rec}}