Sports
Peter Vanderkaay
born 1984 · competition swimmer
Four-time Olympic medalist swimmer born in Royal Oak who won relay gold for the United States and later worked in Detroit-area commercial real estate.
- Born
Royal Oak, Michigan
age 42- Birth name
- Peter William Vanderkaay
- Detroit years
- 1984–2010, ongoing ties
- Field
- Sports
01 / The Detroit story
The Detroit story
Vanderkaay was born in Royal Oak, a close Detroit suburb, and became a Michigan state champion swimmer at Rochester Adams High School before joining the University of Michigan Wolverines, where he won five NCAA titles and fourteen Big Ten titles under Hall of Fame coach Jon Urbanchek. He swam at three Olympics for the United States, winning gold in the 4x200-meter freestyle relay in both 2004 and 2008 and bronze medals individually in 2008 and 2012. He and his family have stayed active in the Detroit area, volunteering with the YMCA's Detroit SWIMS initiative, which aims to teach every child in the city to swim by the fifth grade, and he later worked as a real estate consultant for a Detroit-area firm.
Highlights
- Born in Royal Oak, Michigan
- Michigan state high school swimming champion
- Two Olympic relay gold medals (2004, 2008) plus two individual bronze medals
- Five NCAA and fourteen Big Ten titles at the University of Michigan
- Longtime volunteer with the YMCA's Detroit SWIMS children's program
02 / Their Detroit places
Their Detroit places 1
Where they lived, worked, performed and liked to hang out. Closed and demolished places stay here too, because they are part of the city's history.
Studied here · 2002–2006
University of Michigan
Where he swam for the Wolverines and won five NCAA titles.