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Roland Schoeman

{{short description|South African American swimmer}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2021}}

{{Use South African English|date=May 2013}}

{{Infobox swimmer

| name = Roland Schoeman

| image =

| fullname = Roland Mark Schoeman

| nationality = {{RSA}}
{{USA}}

| strokes = Freestyle, butterfly

| club = Phoenix Swim Club (USA)

| coach = Jonty Skinner
Frank Busch, Rick DeMont
(U. of Arizona)

| collegeteam = University of Arizona '02

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1980|7|3}}

| birth_place = Pretoria, South Africa

| awards = S. African Presidential Award

| height = {{height|m=1.90}}

| weight = {{convert|84|kg|lb st|abbr=on}}

| medaltemplates=

{{MedalSport | Men's swimming}}

{{MedalCountry | {{RSA}}}}

{{MedalCompetition | Olympic Games}}

File:Olympic rings.svg

{{MedalGold | 2004 Athens | 4×100 m freestyle}}

{{MedalSilver | 2004 Athens | 100 m freestyle}}

{{MedalBronze | 2004 Athens | 50 m freestyle}}

{{MedalCompetition | World Championships (LC)}}

{{MedalGold | 2005 Montreal | 50 m freestyle}}

{{MedalGold | 2005 Montreal | 50 m butterfly}}

{{MedalGold | 2007 Melbourne | 50 m butterfly}}

{{MedalSilver | 2005 Montreal | 100 m freestyle}}

{{MedalBronze | 2001 Fukuoka | 50 m freestyle}}

{{MedalCompetition | Pan Pacific Championships}}

{{MedalSilver | 2006 Victoria | 50 m freestyle}}

{{MedalBronze | 2006 Victoria | 100 m freestyle}}

{{MedalBronze | 2010 Irvine | 50 m butterfly}}

{{MedalBronze | 2010 Irvine | 4×100 m freestyle}}

{{MedalCompetition | Commonwealth Games}}

{{MedalGold | 2002 Manchester | 50 m freestyle}}

{{MedalGold | 2006 Melbourne | 50 m freestyle}}

{{MedalGold | 2006 Melbourne | 50 m butterfly}}

{{MedalGold | 2006 Melbourne | 4×100 m freestyle}}

{{MedalSilver | 2002 Manchester | 50 m butterfly}}

{{MedalSilver | 2002 Manchester | 4×100 m freestyle}}

{{MedalSilver | 2010 Delhi | 50 m freestyle}}

{{MedalSilver | 2014 Glasgow | 50 m butterfly}}

{{MedalSilver | 2014 Glasgow | 4×100 m freestyle}}

{{MedalBronze | 2006 Melbourne | 100 m freestyle}}

{{MedalBronze | 2010 Delhi | 50 m butterfly}}

{{MedalBronze | 2010 Delhi | 4×100 m freestyle}}

}}

Roland Mark Schoeman OIS (born 3 July 1980) is a South African and American former swimmer was a world record holder in multiple events, and was a member of the South African swimming team at the 2000, 2004, 2008 and 2012 Olympic Games. He won a gold medal representing South Africa in the 4x100 freestyle relay at the 2004 Athens Olympics and between 2000-2014 won numerous medals including seven golds in freestyle, and butterfly events at the World Championships, Pan American, and Commonwealth games.

Early life and overview

Born in Pretoria on July 3, 1980, Schoeman first took an interest in the sport when he was 13, and began to compete three years later.{{cite web |url=http://www.roland2012.com/ |title=roland2012.com}} He said he began swimming only to impress a girl he met. He attended Pretoria's Willow Ridge High School, where he trained under coach Gavin Ross. In 1998, shortly before beginning college at the University of Arizona, he finished sixth in the 50 and 100 meter freestyles at the Commonwealth Games in Kuala Lampur.{{cite web |url=http://sport.iafrica.com/beijing2008/features/1061300.htm |title=Roland Schoeman uncut |publisher=iafrica.com}} In his career he would attain a gold, silver and bronze medal at the 2004 Olympic Games; three gold, a silver and a bronze medal in the World Championships, as well as four gold, three silvers and three bronzes at the Commonwealth Games. He set new South African records in the 100 m Freestyle (48.69 s), 50 m Freestyle (22.04 s), 100 m Butterfly (52.73 s) and 50 m Butterfly (23.65 s) events.{{cite web|url=https://swimhistory.co.za/index.php/1992-onwards/roland-schoeman|title=Swim History Website, Roland Schoeman|website=swimhistory.co.za|access-date=20 February 2025}}

=University of Arizona=

Schoeman attended the University of Arizona on a swimming scholarship between 1998-2002, where he was coached by ASCAA Hall of Fame Coach Frank Busch and Assistant Coach Rick DeMont. Coach DeMont also served as a primary coach for Schoeman's South African Team at the 2004 Athens and 2008 Beijing Olympics. As a collegiate swimmer at the University of Arizona, DeMont had held world records in both the 400-meter and 1500-meter freestyle, and excelled at middle and long distance freestyle events, making him a skilled mentor for advancing Schoeman's freestyle technique.{{cite web|url=https://swimswam.com/rick-demont-an-artists-approach-to-coaching/|title=Grace, Jeff, September 13, 2018, Rick DeMont; An Artists Approach to Coaching|website=swimswam.com|access-date=February 19, 2025}}

In 2000, at the NCAA Men's Swimming and Diving Championships in Minnesota, while swimming as a Sophomore, Schoeman tied the short course world record in the 50-meter freestyle with a time of 21.31. While at Arizona in 2002, he again won the NCAA Championship in the 50-meter freestyle, in addition to capturing several runner-up finishes and multiple All-American honors.{{cite web|url=https://arizonawildcats.com/news/2024/9/16/swimming-diving-four-former-wildcats-inducted-into-south-african-sports-hall-of-fame.aspx|title=University of Arizona Sports Hall of Fame, Four Former Wildcats Inducted into South African Sports Hall of Fame, Roland Schoeman|website=arizonawildcats.com|access-date=February 19, 2025}} Roland would later became the first person ever to record a time of less than 21 seconds in the 50 meter freestyle.{{cite web|url=https://arizonawildcats.com/sports/2013/12/13/209341076.aspx|title=University of Arizona Hall of Fame, Ronald Schoeman|website=arizonawildcats.com|access-date=February 19, 2025}}{{cite web|url=https://swimswam.com/rick-demont-an-artists-approach-to-coaching/|title=Grace, Jeff, September 13, 2018, Rick DeMont; An Artists Approach to Coaching|website=swimswam.com|access-date=February 19, 2025}}

2000-2012 Olympics

Schoeman competed for South Africa in the 2000 Sydney Olympics in the 50-meter freestyle placing eleventh and the 100 meter freestyle event placing fifteenth, as well as the 4x100 meter freestyle relay where his team placed eleventh.

=Three 2004 Olympic medals=

Schoeman won three medals at the 2004 Olympics, making him the first South African to win three medals in one Olympics. He won a gold medal in the 4 × 100 m freestyle. He captured the silver medal in the 100 m freestyle event recording a time of 48.23. Schoeman and South African teammate Neethling led in the first half of the 100 meter event, but Pieter Van Den Hoogenband of the Netherlands had a strong finish to defend his title and take the gold medal. Schoeman won a bronze in the 50 m freestyle with a time of 22.02 in a typically close finish. Though leading in the early portion of the 50-meter event, Schoeman faded to third place, finishing only .08 seconds behind the unexpected second place silver medalist, Duje Draganja of Croatia.{{cite web|url=https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/93731|title=Olympedia Biography, Roland Schoeman|website=olympedia.org|access-date=February 19, 2025}}

In his most memorable event at the 2004 games, Schoeman helped South Africa upset the Netherlands and the dominant United States in the 4x100 meter freestyle relay, an historic upset. The 2004 4x100 meter Olympic gold medal South African relay team consisted of Schoeman, Lyndon Ferns, Darian Townsend, and Ryk Neethling.{{cite web|url=https://arizonawildcats.com/sports/2013/12/13/209341076.aspx|title=University of Arizona Sports Hall of Fame, Roland Schoeman|website=arizonawildcats.com|access-date=February 19, 2025}} As one of the events faster swimmers, Schoeman's opening leg in the 4x100 freestyle relay opened up a lead that remained throughout the race defeating the second place Netherlands teams by a second and defeating the United States team which took the bronze. Ryk Neethling swam the fastest time of the South African 4x100 relay team in the final heat and insured the South African win, despite a close finish.

At the 2008 Beijing Olympics, Schoeman participated in the 50-meter freestyle and the 4x100 meter freestyle relay finishing seventh in both events.

At the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, Schoeman, aged 32, advanced to the finals in the men's 50 m freestyle though he finished sixth, clocking a 21.80 in the finals to finish 0.46 seconds behind the gold medal winner, Florent Manaudou.

In 2016, Schoeman missed qualifying for a fifth Olympics.{{cite web |url=https://swimswam.com/schoeman-falls-short-of-5th-olympic-games-yet-marches-on/ |title=Schoeman Falls Short of 5th Olympic Games, Yet Marches On |first1=Loretta |last1=Race |date=21 April 2016 |publisher=Swimswam |access-date=21 April 2016 }}

=2006 Commonwealth games=

Three of the Men's 4x100 metre Freestyle team at the 2004 Olympics were in the team that broke the record and won gold at the 2006 Commonwealth Games. He also claimed golds at the 2006 Commonwealth Games in the 100m freestyle and 100m butterfly.

=2001, 2005, 2007 World Aquatic Championships=

Schoeman won a bronze in the 50 meter freestyle at the 2001 World Aquatics Championships.

At the 2005 FINA World Aquatics Championships in Montreal, Quebec, Canada he won two gold medals [50 m Butterfly (in a world record time of 22.96 s) and Freestyle (21.69 s, the second fastest time in history at the time). He also claimed a silver in 100 m freestyle.

At the 2007 FINA World Aquatics Championships in Melbourne Australia he successfully defended his 50m butterfly title. He also made the final of the 50 m and 100 m freestyle and was part of the 4 × 100 m freestyle relay team that finished fourth.

In December 2005, he turned down a 40 Million Rand (US$5.9 million) contract to swim for Qatar. He turned down the offer due to his own national pride and because he felt the sound of the South African national anthem and the experience of sharing pride in his victories with other citizens of South Africans is what made winning gold special.{{cite web |url=http://www.southafrica.info/about/sport/features/schoeman-051205.htm |title=I am an African: Roland Schoeman |publisher=SouthAfrica.info |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080821051650/http://www.southafrica.info/about/sport/features/schoeman-051205.htm |archive-date=21 August 2008 }}

After his elite swimming career ended, he competed in the 1 Mile Flowers Sea Swim at the Cayman Islands in June 2018, finishing with a time of 24:05.

Life after swimming career

Following his swimming career in May 2022, he also became a citizen of the United States.{{cite news |url=https://www.swimmingworldmagazine.com/news/after-doping-ordeal-roland-schoeman-finding-peace-with-post-swimming-life/ |title=After Doping Ordeal, Roland Schoeman Finding Peace with Post-Swimming Life |work=Swimming World |date=19 October 2022 |first=Matthew |last=De George}}{{Cite Instagram |user=roland_schoeman |postid=CdPFJ1bPT-7 |title=After having spent almost half my life in America I feel incredibly blessed to finally be able to say I am a US citizen. I will continue to be a duel citizen as South Africa... |date=7 May 2022}}

Roland has been a licensed realtor in Arizona since 2021. He focuses on luxury real estate.

Records

Schoeman was the former individual world record holder in the Long Course Meters 50 butterfly, Short Course Meters 50 freestyle, Short Course Meters 100 freestyle, and Short Course Meters 100 individual medley. On 6 September 2008, Schoeman set a new short course meters (25 m pool) world record of 20.64 for a 50-meter swim at South African Nationals. He lost his world record in late 2008 but regained it in August 2009. At the South Africa Short Course Championships, Schoeman recorded a time of 20.30 seconds for the 50-meter event, which was broken in 2014 by Florent Manaudou. Overall, Schoeman has broken three long course world records with two individual, and one relay, and six individual short course world records.

class="wikitable"
bgcolor="#eeeeee"
bgcolor="#eeeeee"

| Event

| align="center" | Time

| align="center" | Record

| align="center" | Date

| align="center" | Location

bgcolor="#eeeeee"

! colspan="4" | Long course

50m Freestylealign="center" | 21.67

| align="center" | SA Record Holder

align="center" | 16 Aug 2008align="center" | Beijing, China
50m Freestylealign="center" | 21.67 =

| align="center" | SA Record Holder

align="center" | 2 Aug 2013align="center" | Barcelona, Spain
100m Freestylealign="center" | 48.17

| align="center" | Former SA Record Holder

align="center" | 15 Aug 2004align="center" | Athens, Greece
50m Butterflyalign="center" | 22.90

| bgcolor="orange" align="center" | Former WR Holder

align="center" | 26 Jul 2009align="center" | Rome, Italy
4 × 100 m Freestylealign="center" | 3:11.93

| bgcolor="orange" align="center" | Former WR Holder

align="center" | 26 Jul 2009align="center" | Rome, Italy
bgcolor="#eeeeee"

! colspan="4" | Short course

50m Freestylealign="center" | 20.30

| bgcolor="orange" align="center" | Former WR Holder

align="center" | 8 August 2009align="center" | Pietermaritzburg, South Africa
100m Freestylealign="center" | 46.25

| bgcolor="orange" align="center" | Former WR Holder

align="center" | 22 January 2005align="center" | Berlin, Germany
50m Butterflyalign="center" | 21.87

| align="center" |

align="center" | 14 Nov 2009align="center" | Berlin, Germany
100m IMalign="center" | 52.20

| bgcolor="orange" align="center" | Former WR Holder

align="center" | 13 Aug 2006align="center" | Hamburg, Germany

Honors

Schoeman, who is asthmatic, was voted the African Swimmer of the Year by Swimming World in 2004, 2005 and 2006; and the South African Swimmer of the Year in 2003, 2004, 2005 and 2006. He was elected South African Sports Star of the Year in 2004.{{cite web |url=http://www.roland2012.com/ |title=roland2012.com}}

In 2007, he received the South African Presidential Award Order of Ikhamanga in Silver, awarded for excellent achievements in the field of swimming.{{cite web |url=http://www.southafrica.info/news/sport/teamsa-schoeman.htm |title=Team SA profile: Roland Schoeman |publisher=SouthAfrica.info |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120718091004/http://www.southafrica.info/news/sport/teamsa-schoeman.htm |archive-date=18 July 2012 }}

In 2004 he was inducted into the University of Pretoria Sport Hall of fame.{{cite web |url=http://web.up.ac.za/default.asp?ipkCategoryID=10413 |title=Hall of fame > University of Pretoria |access-date=2011-10-01 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111001105133/http://web.up.ac.za/default.asp?ipkCategoryID=10413 |archive-date=1 October 2011 }} Hall of fame Retrieved 25 June 2011

In 2007 he was inducted into the University of Arizona Sports Hall of Fame.{{cite web |url=https://arizonawildcats.com/sports/2015/9/5/209273862.aspx |title= HOF Inductees |date= |website=Arizona Wildcats |access-date=17 March 2023}}{{cite web |url=https://arizonawildcats.com/sports/2013/12/13/209341076.aspx |title= Roland Schoeman HOF |date= |website=Arizona Wildcats |access-date=17 March 2023}}

In August, 2024, he was inducted into the South Africa Sports Hall of Fame, along with the three other swimmers who won the gold medal in the 4x100 meter freestyle relay at the 2004 Athens Olympics.{{cite web|url=https://arizonawildcats.com/news/2024/9/16/swimming-diving-four-former-wildcats-inducted-into-south-african-sports-hall-of-fame.aspx|title=South Africa Sports Hall of Fame, Roland Schoeman|website=arizonawildcats.com|access-date=20 February 2025}}

See also

References

{{Reflist}}

External links

  • {{Official website|http://rolandschoeman.co.za/}}
  • {{FINA|1015936}}
  • {{Swimrankings}}
  • {{Olympics.com profile|roland-schoeman}}
  • {{Olympedia}}
  • {{CGF profile}}

{{s-start}}

{{s-ach|rec}}

{{succession box

|before = Mark Foster

|title = Men's 50-metre freestyle
world record-holder (short course)

|years = 23 March 2000 – 23 March 2000
Shared with Mark Foster

|after = Anthony Ervin

|rec}}

{{succession box

|before = Australia
Michael Klim, Chris Fydler,
Ashley Callus and Ian Thorpe

|title = Men's 4 × 100 metres freestyle relay
world record-holder (long course)

|years = 15 August 2004 – 19 August 2006
with Lyndon Ferns, Darian Townsend and Ryk Neethling

|after = USA
Michael Phelps, Neil Walker,
Cullen Jones and Jason Lezak

|rec}}

{{succession box

|before = Thomas Rupprath

|title = Men's 100-metre individual medley
world record-holder (short course)

|years = 18 January 2005 – 22 January 2005

|after = Ryk Neethling

|rec}}

{{succession box

|before = Ian Crocker

|title = Men's 100-metre freestyle
world record-holder (short course)

|years = 22 January 2005 – 17 December 2007

|after = Stefan Nystrand

|rec}}

{{succession box

|before = Ian Crocker

|title = Men's 50-metre butterfly
world record-holder (long course)

|years = 24 July 2005 – 5 April 2009

|after = Rafael Muñoz

|rec}}

{{succession box

|before = Frédérick Bousquet

|title = Men's 50-metre freestyle
world record-holder (short course)

|years = 12 August 2006 – 18 November 2007

|after = Stefan Nystrand

|rec}}

{{succession box

|before = Duje Draganja|title=Men's 50-metre freestyle
world record-holder (short course)

|years = 7 September 2008 – 11 December 2008

|after = Amaury Leveaux

|rec}}

{{succession box

|before = Amaury Leveaux

|title = Men's 50-metre freestyle
world record-holder (short course)

|years = 8 August 2009 – 5 December 2014

|after = Florent Manaudou

|rec}}

{{s-ach|aw}}

{{succession box

|before = Not available

|title = World African Swimmer of the Year

|years = 2004 – 2007

|after = Ous Mellouli

|rec}}

{{s-end}}

{{Footer Olympic Champions 4x100 m Freestyle Relay Men}}

{{Footer World LC Champions 50m Freestyle Men}}

{{Footer World LC Champions 50m Butterfly Men}}

{{Footer Commonwealth Champions 50m Freestyle Men}}

{{Footer Commonwealth Champions 50m Butterfly Men}}

{{Footer Commonwealth Champions 4x100m Freestyle Men}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Schoeman, Roland}}

Category:1980 births

Category:Living people

Category:Afrikaner people

Category:Swimmers from Pretoria

Category:South African people of Dutch descent

Category:University of Pretoria alumni

Category:South African male butterfly swimmers

Category:South African male freestyle swimmers

Category:Commonwealth Games gold medallists for South Africa

Category:Commonwealth Games swimmers for South Africa

Category:Commonwealth Games gold medallists in swimming

Category:Commonwealth Games silver medallists for South Africa

Category:Commonwealth Games silver medallists in swimming

Category:Commonwealth Games bronze medallists for South Africa

Category:Commonwealth Games bronze medallists in swimming

Category:Olympic swimmers for South Africa

Category:Olympic gold medalists for South Africa

Category:Olympic silver medalists for South Africa

Category:Olympic bronze medalists for South Africa

Category:Swimmers at the 2000 Summer Olympics

Category:Swimmers at the 2004 Summer Olympics

Category:Swimmers at the 2008 Summer Olympics

Category:Swimmers at the 2012 Summer Olympics

Category:Swimmers at the 1998 Commonwealth Games

Category:Swimmers at the 2002 Commonwealth Games

Category:Swimmers at the 2006 Commonwealth Games

Category:Swimmers at the 2010 Commonwealth Games

Category:World record holders in swimming

Category:Olympic bronze medalists in swimming

Category:World Aquatics Championships medalists in swimming

Category:Medalists at the 2004 Summer Olympics

Category:Recipients of the Order of Ikhamanga

Category:Olympic gold medalists in swimming

Category:Olympic silver medalists in swimming

Category:Goodwill Games medalists in swimming

Category:Competitors at the 2001 Goodwill Games

Category:Medallists at the 2002 Commonwealth Games

Category:Medallists at the 2006 Commonwealth Games

Category:Medallists at the 2010 Commonwealth Games

Category:21st-century South African sportsmen

Category:Doping cases in swimming

Category:South African sportspeople in doping cases

Category:Enhanced Games