Dara Torres made history for being the first American swimmer to compete in five Olympic competitions. At age 40 she won 3 silver medals at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing. Torres has won 9 Olympic medals, including 4 gold, setting 3 world records in the process. Torres plays multiple roles as a mother, model, TV personality, and motivational speaker. Her new book, Age is Just a Number: Achieving Your Dreams at Any Stage, inspires people of all ages to live up to their true potential.
Torres competed in her first international race at age 14 and went on to compete as a student athlete at the University of Florida. While attending the university, Torres earned 28 NCAA all-American swimming awards. From there she went to train for and compete in the Olympics. After the 2000 Olympics, Torres retired to start a family but came back in 2006 to compete in the Masters National where she broke a world record 3 weeks after her daughter was born.
Torres' other notable accomplishment include being the first athlete to appear in the Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue in 1994. She was also part of President George W. Bush's Inaugural ceremonies as a speaker and host at various activities. Torres was born April 15, 1967, in Los Angeles and raised in Parkland, Florida.
Dara Torres Official Website
This site offers an overview of her life as well as other ventures that Torres is persuing.
Women's Health
Read an article on Dara Torres in Women's Health Magazine.