Cullen Andrew Jones (born February 29, 1984) is an American former competition swimmer and Olympic gold medalist who specializes in
freestyle
Freestyle may refer to:
Brands
* Reebok Freestyle, a women's athletic shoe
* Ford Freestyle, an SUV automobile
* Coca-Cola Freestyle, a vending machine
* ICD Freestyle, a paintball marker
* Abbott FreeStyle, a blood glucose monitor by Abbott La ...
sprint events. As part of the American team, he holds the
world record
A world record is usually the best global and most important performance that is ever recorded and officially verified in a specific skill, sport, or other kind of activity. The book ''Guinness World Records'' and other world records organization ...
in the 4×100-meter freestyle relay (long course). At the
2012 Summer Olympics
The 2012 Summer Olympics (officially the Games of the XXX Olympiad and also known as London 2012) was an international multi-sport event held from 27 July to 12 August 2012 in London, England, United Kingdom. The first event, the ...
, he won silver medals in the 4 x 100-meter freestyle relay and the 50-meter freestyle, as well as the gold in the 4 x 100-metre medley.
Childhood
Born on
Leap day
February 29, also known as leap day or leap year day, is a date added to leap years. A leap day is added in various solar calendars (calendars based on the Earth's revolution around the Sun), including the Gregorian calendar standard in mo ...
of 1984
in the
Bronx
The Bronx () is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Bronx County, in the state of New York. It is south of Westchester County; north and east of the New York City borough of Manhattan, across the Harlem River; and north of the New Y ...
borough of New York City, Jones moved to
Irvington, New Jersey
Irvington is a Township (New Jersey), township in Essex County, New Jersey, Essex County, New Jersey, United States. Per the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the population was 61,176.
The township had the ninth-highest property tax rate ...
, while in elementary school. He learned to swim after he was rescued from a near-drowning at a splash-down pool at
Dorney Park & Wildwater Kingdom
Dorney Park & Wildwater Kingdom is an American amusement and water park located between Allentown and Emmaus, Pennsylvania in the Lehigh Valley region of eastern Pennsylvania. The park features 64 rides, including six roller coasters, other adul ...
in
Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania (; ( Pennsylvania Dutch: )), officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a state spanning the Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes regions of the United States. It borders Delaware to its southeast, ...
when he was five years old.
He became an age-group swimmer at Metro Express, a club team at the Jewish Community Center in West Orange, New Jersey under head coach Ed Nessel. Jones later switched teams to the Jersey Gators Swim Club in Cranford.
Jones graduated from
Saint Benedict's Preparatory School
St. Benedict's Preparatory School is a Catholic college preparatory school in Newark, New Jersey run by the Benedictines.
The school serves boys and girls in kindergarten through twelfth grade on a urban campus. The school has been accredite ...
in
Newark
Newark most commonly refers to:
* Newark, New Jersey, city in the United States
* Newark Liberty International Airport, New Jersey; a major air hub in the New York metropolitan area
Newark may also refer to:
Places Canada
* Niagara-on-the ...
in 2002. While there, he swam for coach Glenn Cassidy and set numerous
Essex County swimming records.
Swimming career
Jones attended
North Carolina State University
North Carolina State University (NC State) is a public land-grant research university in Raleigh, North Carolina. Founded in 1887 and part of the University of North Carolina system, it is the largest university in the Carolinas. The universit ...
, where he studied English and swam for the
NC State Wolfpack
The NC State Wolfpack is the nickname of the athletic teams representing North Carolina State University. The Wolfpack competes at the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I (Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) for college footb ...
swimming and diving team in the
National Collegiate Athletic Association
The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) is a nonprofit organization that regulates student athletics among about 1,100 schools in the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico. It also organizes the athletic programs of colleges an ...
(NCAA) competition from 2003 to 2006.
2006
He turned professional in the summer of 2006, after signing with
Nike
Nike often refers to:
* Nike (mythology), a Greek goddess who personifies victory
* Nike, Inc., a major American producer of athletic shoes, apparel, and sports equipment
Nike may also refer to:
People
* Nike (name), a surname and feminine given ...
and burst onto the scene shortly after at the
2006 Pan Pacific Swimming Championships
The tenth edition of the Pan Pacific Swimming Championships, a long course (50 m) event, was held in 2006 in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada, from August 17–20. Six world records
A world record is usually the best global and most ...
where he set a
meet record in the
50-meter freestyle with a time of 21.84 seconds. He also swam a leg (split of 47.96) in the world record breaking
4×100-meter freestyle relay along with
Michael Phelps
Michael Fred Phelps II (born June 30, 1985) is an American former competitive swimmer. He is the most successful and most decorated Olympian of all time with a total of 28 medals. Phelps also holds the all-time records for Olympic gold me ...
,
Neil Walker
Neil Martin Andrew Walker (born September 10, 1985) is an American former professional baseball second baseman. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Pittsburgh Pirates (2009–2015), New York Mets (2016–17), Milwaukee Brewers ( ...
and
Jason Lezak
Jason Edward Lezak (born November 12, 1975) is an American former competitive swimmer and swimming executive. As a swimmer, Lezak specialized in the 50-meter and 100-meter freestyle races. His pro career lasted for nearly fifteen years, spannin ...
.
2007
In 2007, he also won a gold medal in
4×100-meter freestyle relay with the same teammates in the
2007 World Aquatics Championships
The 2007 World Aquatics Championships, or the XII FINA World Championships, were held in Melbourne, Australia from 17 March to 1 April 2007. The competition took place at three locations in central Melbourne: the Melbourne Sports and Aquatic C ...
.
2008 Summer Olympics
Jones is the first African-American to hold a world record (4×100-meter freestyle relay) in swimming. At the
2008 United States Olympic Trials, Jones broke the American record in the 50-meter freestyle with a time of 21.59. The record was subsequently broken the next day by
Garrett Weber-Gale
Garrett Weber-Gale (born August 6, 1985) is an American competition swimmer, two-time Olympic gold medalist, and world record-holder in two events.
Early life
Weber-Gale is Jewish, and was born in Stevens Point, Wisconsin. He graduated from Nic ...
. At the
2008 Olympic Games
The 2008 Summer Olympics (), officially the Games of the XXIX Olympiad () and also known as Beijing 2008 (), were an international multisport event held from 8 to 24 August 2008, in Beijing, China. A total of 10,942 athletes from 204 Na ...
in Beijing, China, he won a gold medal in the
4×100-meter freestyle relay in a world record time of 3:08.24 with Michael Phelps, Jason Lezak and Garrett Weber-Gale.
2009
In July 2009, Jones set the American record in the 50-meter freestyle at the U.S. National Championships in Indianapolis, Indiana.
2012
2012 US Olympic Trials
At the
2012 United States Olympic Trials in Omaha, Nebraska, the qualifying meet for the 2012 Olympics, Jones made the Olympic team for the second time by finishing first in the 50-meter freestyle and second in the 100-meter freestyle, which subsequently qualified him for the 4×100-meter freestyle relay. In the 50-meter freestyle final, Jones won with a time of 21.59, one one-hundredth (0.01) of a second ahead of second-place finisher
Anthony Ervin
Anthony Lee Ervin (born May 26, 1981) is an American competition swimmer who has won four Olympic medals and two World Championship golds. At the 2000 Summer Olympics, he won a gold medal in the men's 50-meter freestyle, and earned a silver med ...
(21.60).
2012 Summer Olympics
At the
2012 Summer Olympics
The 2012 Summer Olympics (officially the Games of the XXX Olympiad and also known as London 2012) was an international multi-sport event held from 27 July to 12 August 2012 in London, England, United Kingdom. The first event, the ...
in London, Jones won silver medals in the
50-meter freestyle and the
4×100-meter freestyle relay. He earned a gold medal in the
4×100-meter medley relay after swimming the freestyle leg in the preliminaries. He also competed in the
100-meter freestyle, but did not qualify for the event finals.
The 2012 U.S. Olympic swim team was the first U.S. Olympic swim team with more than one black swimmer on it, Jones made history with Anthony Ervin and
Lia Neal
Lia Neal (born February 13, 1995) is a former American professional swimmer who specialized in freestyle events. In her Olympic debut at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, she won a bronze medal in the 4×100-meter freestyle relay. In 2016, sh ...
by being the three African-Americans on the team.
["Black Swimmers Have Historic Presence in London Olympics"](_blank)
''Atlanta Black Star
The ''Atlanta Black Star'' is the largest black-owned digital publication in the United States. The publication is based in Atlanta, Georgia which focuses on the African American perspective on politics. It was founded in 2012 by Neil "Jelani" ...
''. July 5, 2012. Retrieved July 3, 2021.
Personal bests (long course)
Key: NR = National record
See also
*
Diversity in swimming
The racial composition of swimming and other aquatic sports has long been influenced by the history of segregation and violence at pools as well as the building patterns of public and private pools in America.
Beginning of Pools in America
Poo ...
*
List of Olympic medalists in swimming (men)
This is the complete list of men's Olympic medalists in swimming.
Men's events 50 metre freestyle
100 metre freestyle
200 metre freestyle
400 metre freestyle
800 metre freestyle
1500 metre freestyle
100 metre backstroke
200 metre ...
*
List of United States records in swimming
There are two different kinds of swimming records in the United States and certified by USA Swimming:
*USA record, more commonly referred to in the US as the American record: the fastest time by an American swimmer.
*US Open record: The fastest tim ...
*
*
List of world records in swimming
The world records in swimming are ratified by FINA, the international governing body of swimming. Records can be set in long course (50 metres) or short course (25 metres) swimming pools. FINA recognizes world records in the following events fo ...
*
World record progression 4 × 100 metres freestyle relay
This article includes the world record progression for the 4×100 metres freestyle relay, and it shows the chronological history of world record times in that competitive swimming event. The 4×100 metres freestyle relay is a relay event in which ...
References
External links
*
*
*
*
*
*
''Parting the Waters''– Documentary film about Cullen Jones at DoTellProductions.com
https://olympics.com/en/athletes/cullen-jones
{{DEFAULTSORT:Jones, Cullen
1984 births
Living people
African-American Christians
African-American sportsmen
American male freestyle swimmers
Baptists from New York (state)
Medalists at the FINA World Swimming Championships (25 m)
Medalists at the 2012 Summer Olympics
Medalists at the 2008 Summer Olympics
NC State Wolfpack men's swimmers
Olympic gold medalists for the United States in swimming
Olympic silver medalists for the United States in swimming
Pan American Games bronze medalists for the United States
Pan American Games medalists in swimming
People from Irvington, New Jersey
St. Benedict's Preparatory School alumni
Sportspeople from the Bronx
Swimmers at the 2008 Summer Olympics
Swimmers at the 2012 Summer Olympics
Swimmers at the 2015 Pan American Games
Universiade medalists in swimming
World Aquatics Championships medalists in swimming
World record holders in swimming
Universiade gold medalists for the United States
Medalists at the 2005 Summer Universiade
Medalists at the 2015 Pan American Games