A little Background….

My journey in the sport of swimming began at age 7 when I joined my first summer club team.  From there, I became involved with the Oakland Live Y’ers on a year round basis in my hometown of Rochester, Michigan.  Continuing with OLY until age 18, I moved to Ann Arbor, Michigan for college to study and swim for the Wolverines.  I lived in Ann Arbor from 2002 to 2011 until I moved to Gainesville, Florida, where I currently reside, to continue my training for the 2012 Olympic Trials.  In the pool, my best events are the 200, 400 and 1500 freestyle.

Some of my biggest swimming achievements include:

• 2-time USA Olympic Team Member (2004/2008)
• 3-time Olympic Medalist (2 Gold/1 Bronze)
• 5-time NCAA Champion
• American Record Holder
• 3-time World Champion
• 3-time World Unversity Games Medalist (1 Silver/2 Bronze)
• 7 Year Member of USA National Team
• 2006 Big Ten Athlete of the Year

I never thought I would ever be an Olympian but its funny how some things come together.  My successes are truly is a testament to those who have helped me along the way.   The road to where I am right now has not been easy, but I have learned a lot about myself through this journey.

Outside the pool, I enjoy a lot of different things.  I have really developed a passion for the environmentalism through my love for the outdoors.  Being a swimmer, water sustainability is something that I enjoy learning about as well as promoting.  I also try to be as involved as possible at C.S. Mott Children’s hospital at the University of Michigan.  Giving back to the community is important to me because I have been very fortunate to have had a lot of help from others in my life.

My goal of this site is to provide viewers with some insight on my continued experiences in the sport, as well as, other general updates.  Enjoy!

Bio and Stats

Name: Peter William Vanderkaay
Birthday: Feb 12^th, 1984
Height: 6 feet, 4 inches
Weight: 205 lbs
Hometown: Rochester, MI
Current Town: Gainesville, FL
College: University of Michigan
Major: General Biology
Coach: Gregg Troy
Brothers: Christian, Alex, and Dane
Favorite Stroke: Freestyle
Favorite Food: Pizza
Favorite Drink: Water with lemon
Favorite Hobby: Reading or being outdoors
Most Exciting Race: 4×200 free relay in Athens
People I care about most: Family and friends
People who have influenced me the most: My parents
Favorite sport on TV: Michigan Football
Sport I wish I was great at: Tennis or Hockey
Favorite Powerbar: Peanut Butter
Favorite Book: Too many to list
Favorite Places: Ann Arbor, Northern Michigan, Grand Cayman
Favorite Music: A little bit of everything
I Wish I was Good at: A musical instrument
Favorite Holiday: 4th of July and Thanksgiving
Favorite Movie: Kingpin