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Biography
STANDING TALL
At 6-foot-8 Matt Grevers has always stood out among swimmers, but it appears there are no limits to the heights his career can reach.
Nicknamed ‘Dutch’ because his parents, Ed and Anja, are both immigrants from the Netherlands, Grevers won two gold medals as a member of USA relay squads and took an individual silver in the 100-meter backstroke at the 2008 Olympics. A specialist in both strokes as an amateur, Grevers focused all of his Olympic training on freestyle, making his accomplishments in backstroke even more remarkable.
At the Olympics, Grevers was part of the 4x100-meter freestyle relay team that broke the world record in the preliminary rounds.
Grevers has become a national hero for his patriotism, praised by President George W. Bush in a speech. Despite holding dual residency in the Netherlands and the United States, Grevers passed up opportunities to swim for the Dutch in both the 2004 and 2008 Olympics, saying he “only wanted to swim for the best”. His story has been featured in both the New York Times and the Chicago Tribune.
WINDY CITY WONDER
Breaking his first national record at the age of 10, Grevers has been in the limelight of swimming for some time. In high school he was named the Chicago Sun-Times Athlete of the Year on the way to leading his high school, Lake Forest, to its first ever state title. In his historic senior year he broke the state record in the 50 and 100-yard freestyle and the 100-yard backstroke, records that still stand today. He remains the only high school athlete in Illinois to swim the 50-yard sprint in under 20 seconds.
Grevers amateur accomplishments solidified him as one of the top swimmers in the world. Named the 2003 Swimming World High School Swimmer of the Year, he ranked top-10 in the junior world rankings in four events.
Coveted by every swimming program in the country, Grevers turned down national powers like Texas, Arizona and California to swim for the local Northwestern University. Known more for their academics then their athletic prowess, Grevers was keen on the idea of raising the prestige of the program. Also a strong student, he relished the opportunity to receive a first-rate education while staying close to his family, who he is very close to.
It did not take long for Grevers to cement himself as one of the most illustrious swimmers in NCAA history. As a sophomore he won a national championship in the 100-yard backstroke, the first individual swimming title for the Wildcats since 1958. He would go on to win two more individual titles, while helping lead Northwestern to an NCAA Championship in record time in the 400-medley relay.
Grevers graduated from Northwestern in 2007 as a 27-time All American with a degree in communications, a program the school holds national renown for.
At the 2007 World University Games Grevers led a relay gold in record time in the 400-meter freestyle. In 2005 he competed in five finals at the same event and won an individual silver in the 100-meter backstroke and a bronze in the 50-meter backstroke, while reaching the podium on two relays.
An end to his amateur career led to new opportunities for Grevers. This past year he swam in the Toyota Grand Prix and earned the prestigious High Point Award for male competitors, taking four gold, two silver and one bronze at the event.
Now a gold medalist, Grevers will work with companies to help build brand awareness, through promotions and marketing. Swimming for TYR, Grevers has become one of their most illustrious swimmers and was featured on a billboard at the Olympic Trials in Omaha.
When not swimming, which seems to be a rarity for the Olympian who trains in Tucson, Arizona, Grevers enjoys staying active, participating in volleyball, ultimate frisbee and basketball. And when he needs a break from athletics, he enjoys playing video games, in particular World of Warcraft, and watching movies.
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