"If [Vanderkaay] believes he is going to do something, he is going to do is...he is going to be more stubborn than you are in pushing through the pain."
Throughout his career as a student-athlete at the University of Michigan, Peter came to C.S. Mott Children's Hospital to visit the patients and families as a part of Michigan From the Heart. During these visits, Peter demonstrated a great deal of friendliness and compassion. As you can imagine, the patients and family members were very excited to meet an accomplished Olympian. Plus, on several occasions, Peter has brought his Olympic medals to the hospital for the children patients to see and wear. This type of service is a reflection of Peter's character and commitment to community service. Lastly, Peter's service has also helped to contribute to the current construction of the new C.S. Mott Children's Hospital. Consequently, I am very confident that Peter will represent your company with a great deal of integrity.
2004, 2008 Olympic Gold Medalist (800m freestyle relay)
2005, 2007 World Championships Gold Medalist (800m freestyle relay)
2008 Olympic Bronze Medalist (200m freestyle)
5-time NCAA Champion
14-time Big Ten Champion
Blue Planet Run
Michigan From the Heart
Asthmyths Educational Campaign (Former Spokesperson)
Make A Splash (USA Swimming Foundation)
Breakout Swim Clinics
Michigan Dental Association Children's Dental Health Month Spokesperson
Born On: February 12, 1984
Hometown: Rochester, Michigan
Resides: Ann Arbor, Michigan
Education: University of Michigan '06 Biology
Height: 6' 4
Going Green the Blue and Gold way
Vanderkaay's passion for his studies led to a passion for the environment. Growing up in Rochester, Michigan, right near the Great Lakes, and spending a significant amount of his life in water, Vanderkaay's commitment to water sustainability is a natural one. In 2009, he teamed up with international charity Blue Planet Run as a spokesperson for the current water crisis. As a national spokesman for Blue Planet Run, the gold medalist leads service events, shares his water sustainability platform and raises money for clean drinking water.
In hopes of building awareness, Vanderkaay has a platform he fervently shares with universities, schools, corporations and other organizations entitled 'Going Green the Blue and Gold Way.' In this, he touches on individual water sustainability, the world water crisis and his experiences as a world-class Olympic athlete.
Asthma
In order to continue to swim competitively, Vanderkaay has had to manage his asthma on a daily basis since childhood. Pharmaceutical giant Merck brought in Vanderkaay to be a spokesperson for their national ASTHmyths campaign, which helped educate people on proper management of asthma. Vanderkaay's battle with asthma has been well chronicled in many places including USA Today.
Dental Hygiene
The son of a dentist, Vanderkaay was taught the importance of proper dental hygiene from a young age. Currently he works with the Michigan Dental Association, making appearances across the state to promote proper dental hygiene and healthy eating habits. The campaign revolves around a 'Gold Medal Smile,' which Vanderkaay exemplifies during his always popular grade school visits.
Vanderkaay's ability to connect with children has made him a popular choice for swim clinics across the country, a capacity that his sponsors Speedo and Mutal of Omaha leverage him for.
Vanderkaay resides in the hometown of his Alma Mater, Ann Arbor, Michigan, and trains as part of Club Wolverine. His sights are set on his third Olympic Games in 2012 (London), where he hopes to win his third consecutive Olympic gold.
