Born: February
29, 1984
Birthplace:
The Bronx, NY
Zodiac Sign:
Pisces
Cullen Andrew Jones is an American competition
swimmer and Olympic gold medalist specializing in freestyle sprint events.
As part of the American team, he holds the
world record in the 4×100-meter freestyle relay (long course).
At the 2012 Summer Olympics, he won silver
medals in the 4 x 100-meter freestyle relay, the 50-meter freestyle, and the
gold in the 4 x 100-meter medley.
He learned to swim after being rescued from a
near-drowning at a splash-down pool at Dorney Park & Wildwater Kingdom in
Pennsylvania when he was five.
He became an age-group swimmer at Metro
Express, a club team at the Jewish Community Center in West Orange, New Jersey.
Jones later switched teams to the Jersey
Gators Swim Club in Cranford.
In 2002, he graduated from Saint Benedict's
Preparatory School in Newark, New Jersey.
Jones attended North Carolina State
University, where he studied English and swam for the NC State Wolfpack
swimming and diving team in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA)
competition from 2003 to 2006.
In 2006, he turned professional in the summer
after signing with Nike.
Shortly after, he entered the 2006 Pan Pacific
Swimming Championships scene. Here 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,
Neil Walker, and Jason Lezak.
In 2007, he also won a gold medal in the 4×100-meter
freestyle relay with the same teammates in the 2007 World Aquatics
Championships.
At the 2008 Olympic Games 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.
In July 2009, Jones set the American record in
the 50-meter freestyle at the U.S. National Championships in Indianapolis,
Indiana.
At the 2012 United States Olympic Trials in
Omaha, Nebraska, the qualifying meets 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.
He later qualified 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 (21.60).