Eric Shanteau

Hometown: Lilburn, Georgia

Birth date: October 1, 1983

Current Residence: Austin, Texas

Club: Longhorn Aquatics

Coached by: Eddie Reese/ David Kalange

College: Auburn '06

Degree Earned: Entrepreneurship and Family Business

Some of his favorites:

Favorite US city: Austin

Favorite band: Incubus

Most Influential Person: Club coach at Swim Atlanta, Chris Davis

Hobbies outside of the pool: wake-boarding and mountain biking

Ultimate Way to Relax: A day on the lake and wake-boarding

Where we've seen him: Shanteau was the inspiration of the USA Swim Team for the Beijing Olympics. He was diagnosed with testicular cancer just week before competing in the US Olympics Trials. When his doctors cleared him as safe to swim, he decided to swim in the Olympic Games. He has been on the world scene since 2005 when he won gold in the 400m and 200m IM at the 2005 World University Games. He became them first American to eve sweep the individual medley events there. At the 2008 games, he advanced to the semi-finals in the 200m breast and placed to in the final.

He was not only an inspiration for his teammates on the US Swim Team but people all over the world. Instead of giving up, he preserved to achieve his goal of swimming in the Olympics. He has since had surgery and is now living cancer free. We hope that he will continue to swim and be an inspiration to us all.

Rebecca Soni

Hometown: Plainsboro, New Jersey

Birth date: March 18^th, 1987

Current Residence: Southern California

Club: Trojan Swim Club

Coached by: Dave Salo

College: University of Southern California '09

Major: Communications

Nickname: Reb

Favorite band: Incubus

Most Influential Person: Parents

Hobbies outside of the pool: Reading and scrapbooking

Something you may not know: In 2006, she underwent minor heart surgery

Records Held: WR in 200m BR and the AR in 400m Med-R both set at the 2008 Beijing Olympics

Where we’ve seen her: Rebecca Soni rushed into the world spotlight at her first Olympics last year in Beijing. Her first international meet was at the 2007 Duel in the Pool where she brought home to medals (Bronze in 100m BR and Silver in 200m BR). She didn’t leave Beijing empty handed either; she left with 3 medals, 1 gold and 2 silver. The gold medal was for 200m BR and the silvers were for 400m Medley relay and 100m BR.

Although I’m still a little bitter towards all USC Trojans for them blowing out my Nittany Lions in the Rose Bowl, I can’t hate on talent and that’s something Rebecca Soni has. She put on a spectacular performance at Beijing, just like the rest of the USA Swim program, and we will expect nothing but 110 percent from her at all of her future meets. She is expected to graduate from USC sometime this year, so I hope that she will have time to train for US Swim trials and to compete in May. She is a part of a legacy of some of the best female swimmers in the world and we all wish her nothing but the best (It’s her Trojan football team I have no love for!)

Garrett Weber-Gale

Club: Longhorn Aquatics

Age: 23

DOB: Aug 6, 1985

Height: 6' 2" (188.0 cm)

Hometown: Milwaukee, Wis.

Residence: Austin, Texas

Coach: Eddie Reese

College: Texas ’08

College Major: Corporate Communications

Graduate Studies: Entrepreneurship

Sports Played Before Swimming: soccer, basketball, golf, sailing

Nickname(s): G-dubs, G, Weber-Grill

Hobbies Outside the Pool: Sailing, skiing, snowboarding, hiking, cooking, writing, fishing

Ultimate Way to Relax: Sailing, laying on the beach

Most Influential Person: Grandfather … “He always worked hard to provide for his family, was

always willing to help others, loved his family dearly and was a cowboy at heart."

Training Stats: Swims 7-10,000 meters/yards per day, 2-4 hours a day, 6 days a week

Favorites: Movies: The Man from Snowy River, The Return to Snowy River .

TV:Seinfeld, Emeril Live, Good Eats, Real Housewives of Orange County

Music: Michael Jackson,Bob Marley, Jack Johnson, Rascal Flatts

Career Highlights:

Double gold medalist at the 2008 Olympic Games in the 400m free-relay (WR) and the 400 med-relay

He won his first NCAA title in the 100y free in 2006.

GWG swam prelims for the winning 400m free-relay at both the 2007 and 2005 World Championships

Won his first U.S. national title in the 100m free at the 2004 Nationals …

Did you know?: GWG missed his chance for a spot on the 2004 Olympic Team, finishing seventh in the 100m free at Olympic Trials

Olympics History:

2008: Gold, 400m FR-R (WR)/ 400m MR (pr); 10, 100m FR; 13, 50m FR

RECORDS:

Holds WR in 400m FR-R, set at Beijing Olympic Games ... Holds AR in 50m FR, set at 2008 Olympic Trials

You will remember Garrett from the legendary 4x100m relay race at the Beijing Olympics, he missed out on the finals of both of his individual events (100m free and 50m free) something that has spurred him onto try and train even harder. You might not know but Garrett’s also an able cook and writes exceptional blogs to keep his fans up to date. Check out his page www.garrettwebergale.blogspot.com.

Though he may not be attending Nationals in July, we're still super interested in what we will see from him in the future. It is obvious that he has major talent and potential in the sport, hopefully we will see him reach the individual finals in London 2012!!