Christopher Charles Jacobs (born September 25, 1964) is an American former competition

swimmer Swimming is an individual or team racing sport that requires the use of one's entire body to move through water. The sport takes place in pools or open water (e.g., in a sea or lake). Competitive swimming is one of the most popular Olympic ...

, two-time Olympic champion, and former world record-holder.

Early life and education

Jacobs was born in

Livingston, New Jersey Livingston is a township (New Jersey), township in Essex County, New Jersey, Essex County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 United States census, the township's population was 31,330, its highest United States census, decennial co ...

, and attended

Newark Academy Newark Academy is a coeducational private day school located in Livingston, Essex County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey, serving students in sixth through twelfth grades. It was the first school in New Jersey to offer the International Ba ...

. He was a member of the Texas Longhorns swimming and diving team. Jacobs suffered from shoulder pain and struggled with drug and alcohol addiction as a college student and dropped out during his junior year. After completing a rehabilitation program in New Jersey, he returned to the University of Texas and resumed his swimming career.

Career

Jacobs won two gold medals and a silver while representing the United States at the

1988 Summer Olympics The 1988 Summer Olympics (), officially the Games of the XXIV Olympiad () and officially branded as Seoul 1988 (), were an international multi-sport event held from 17 September to 2 October 1988 in Seoul, South Korea. 159 nations were represe ...

in Seoul, South Korea. He received his first gold medal as the lead swimmer for the winning U.S. team in the men's 4×100-meter freestyle relay, together with teammates Troy Dalbey,

Tom Jager Thomas Michael Jager (born October 6, 1964) is an American former competition swimmer. He is five-time Olympic gold medalist in relay events, a two-time World Championship individual gold medalist for the 50-meter freestyle, and a former world ...

and

Matt Biondi Matthew Nicholas Biondi (born October 8, 1965) is an American former competitive swimmer and water polo player. As a swimmer, he is an eleven-time Olympic medalist, and former world record-holder in five events. Biondi competed in the Summer Oly ...

. The four Americans set a new world record of 3:16.53 in the event final. He then won another gold medal swimming the anchor freestyle leg of the men's 4×100-meter medley relay for the first-place U.S. team of

David Berkoff David "Dave" Charles Berkoff (born November 30, 1966) is an American former competition Hall of Fame swimmer, Olympic champion, and former world record-holder in two events. Berkoff was a backstroke specialist who won a total of four medals dur ...

(backstroke), Richard Schroeder (breaststroke), and Matt Biondi (butterfly). Jacobs and the medley relay team set another new world record of 3:36.93. Individually, he received a silver medal for his second-place performance in the men's 100-meter freestyle event, finishing in 49.08 seconds. Jacobs is commonly credited as one of the first athletes to obtain an Olympic tattoo, following his performance in the 1988 Seoul Games. The tattoo of the five interlocking Olympic rings has since become common among athletes to represent their participation in the games.

References

External links

* 1964 births Living people American male freestyle swimmers World record setters in swimming Olympic gold medalists for the United States in swimming Olympic silver medalists for the United States in swimming Swimmers at the 1988 Summer Olympics Texas Longhorns men's swimmers Place of birth missing (living people) Medalists at the 1988 Summer Olympics Sportspeople from Livingston, New Jersey Newark Academy alumni Texas Longhorns swimming and diving 20th-century American sportsmen {{US-swimming-Olympic-medalist-stub

Early life and education

Career

See also

References

External links