About Aaron Peirsol:
Aaron Wells Peirsol is an American former competition swimmer and backstroke specialist who is a former world champion and world record-holder. He is a three-time Olympian and seven-time Olympic medalist (five gold, two silver). As a member of the U.S. national team, he holds the world record in the men's 4×100-meter medley relay (long course). Individually, he currently holds the world record in the 100-meter and 200-meter backstroke events (long course). In February 2011, Peirsol announced his retirement, saying, "I ended up doing everything I set out to do."
Swimming took up so much of my faculties, and for so long, I was willing to give it everything.
Aaron Peirsol