Ryk Neethling OIS (born 17 November 1977) is a South African businessman who rose to prominence as a three-time World Aquatic Champion and four-time World Record breaking Olympic swimming champion, participating in four Olympics for South Africa from 1996-2008. He won a gold medal in the 4x100 freestyle relay at the 2004 Athens Olympics, and is known as one of the most accomplished South African swimmers in history. He would later serve as the CEO of the Princess Charlene of Monaco Foundation South Africa, and found the Ryk Neethling Swimming Schools.

Neethling won nine National Collegiate Athletic Association championships while a student at Arizona. As a Sophomore, he won NCAA titles in the 200, 500, and 1650-yard freestyle. He was a Pac-10 Conference individual champion seven times, an All-American seventeen times, and the NCAA Division I Swimmer of the Year for 1998-99. Graduating around 2000, he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology and Business from the University.

Olympics 1996-2008

He was the first South African to compete in four successive Olympic Games from 1996-2008.

He participated in the 1500 at the Atlanta Olympic Games in 1996 finishing fifth with a time of 15:14.63. He again finished fifth in the 1500 with an improved time of 15.00.48 at the 2000 Sydney Olympic games, less than four seconds from contending for a bronze medal. Neethling placed 4th in the individual 100 meter freestyle at the 2004 games.

Neethling opened the second branch of the Ryk Neethling Swimming School and Academy in South Africa around June of 2012. The academy focuses on teaching children swimming at an early age, a focus Neethling believed could be a life-long benefit.

He has more recently served as a shareholder and marketing director of Val de Vie Estate a luxury property development in Paarl, South Africa.

Honors

At the University of Arizona, he was considered one of the most honored swimmers in the history of the school. He was named the American NCAA Swimmer of the Year and Athlete of the Century in 1999. He was an Arizona Athlete of the Year, and won the University of Arizona Athlete of the Century award. He was a Pac-10 Athlete of the Year four years in a row while at Arizona.

See also

  • List of Commonwealth Games medallists in swimming (men)
  • List of Olympic medalists in swimming (men)
  • World record progression 4 × 100 metres freestyle relay

References

  • Official website
  • Swim History, Ryk Neethling