Roland Schoeman
Roland Mark Schoeman OIS (born 4 July 1980) is a South African American swimmer and was a member of the South African swimming team at the 2000, 2004, 2008 and 2012 Olympic Games. He won a gold medal representing South Africa in the 4x100 freestyle relay at the 2004 Athens Olympics. In May 2022, he officially became a citizen of the United States.[1]
Early life and overview
[edit]Born in Pretoria on July 4, 1980, Schoeman first took an interest in the sport when he was 13, and began to compete three years later.[2] He said he began swimming only to impress a girl he met. He attended the Willow Ridge School, where he trained under coach Gavin Ross.[3] In his career he would attain a gold, silver and bronze medal at the 2004 Olympic Games; three gold, a silver and a bronze medal in the World Championships, as well as four gold, three silvers and three bronzes at the Commonwealth Games. He set new South African records in the 100 m Freestyle (48.69 s), 50 m Freestyle (22.04 s), 100 m Butterfly (52.73 s) and 50 m Butterfly (23.65 s) events.[4]
University of Arizona
[edit]Schoeman attended the University of Arizona, where he was coached by ASCAA Hall of Fame Coach Frank Busch and Assistant Coach Rick DeMont, who also served as a primary coach for Schoeman's South African Team at the 2004 Athens and 2008 Beijing Olympics. As a collegiate swimmer at the University of Arizona, Coach DeMont had held world records in both the 400-meter and 1500-meter freestyle, and excelled at middle and long distance freestyle events, making him a skilled mentor for advancing Schoeman's freestyle technique.[5] While at Arizona in 2002, Schoeman won the NCAA Championship in the 50-meter freestyle, in addition to capturing several runner-up finishes and multiple All-American honors.[6] Roland became the first person ever to record a time of less than 21 seconds in the 50 meter freestyle.[7][5]
2000-20012 Olympics
[edit]Schoeman competed for South Africa in the 2000 Sydney Olympics in the 50-meter freestyle placing eleventh and the 100 meter freestyle event placing fifteenth, as well as the 4x100 meter freestyle relay where his team placed eleventh.[1]
Three 2004 Olympic medals
[edit]He won a gold medal at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens in the 4 × 100 m freestyle. He won a silver medal in the 100 m freestyle event recording a time of 48.23. Schoeman and team mate Neethling led in the first half of the 100 meter event, but Pieter Van Den Hoogenband of the Netherlands had a strong finish to defend his title and take the gold medal. Schoeman won a bronze in the 50 m freestyle with a time of 22.02 in a typically close finish. Though Schoeman led in the early portion of the 50-meter event, he faded to third place, finishing only .08 seconds behind the unexpected second place silver medalist, Duje Draganja of Croatia.[1]
At the 2004 games, Schoeman became the only South African to capture three medals at one Olympics, and helped South Africa upset the Netherlands and the dominant United States in the 4x100 meter freestyle relay, an historic upset. The 2004 4x100 meter Olympic gold medal South African relay team consisted of Schoeman, Lyndon Ferns, Darian Townsend, and Ryk Neethling.[1][8] As one of the events faster swimmers, Schoeman's opening leg in the 4x100 freestyle relay opened up a lead that remained throughout the race defeating the second place Netherlands teams by a second and defeating the United States team which took the bronze. Ryk Neethling swam the fastest time of the South African 4x100 relay team in the final heat and insured the South African win, despite a close finish.[1]
At the 2008 Beijing Olympics, Schoeman participated in the 50-meter freestyle and the 4x100 meter freestyle relay finishing seventh in both events.[1]
At the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, Schoeman, aged 32, advanced to the finals in the men's 50 m freestyle though he finished sixth, clocking a 21.80 in the finals to finish 0.46 seconds behind the gold medal winner, Florent Manaudou.[1]
In 2016, Schoeman missed qualifying for a fifth Olympics.[9]
Three of the Men's 4x100 metre Freestyle team at the 2004 Olympics were in the team that broke the record and won gold at the 2006 Commonwealth Games. He also claimed golds at the 2006 Commonwealth Games in the 100m freestyle and 100m butterfly.
Records
[edit]Schoeman was the former individual world record holder in the Long Course Meters 50 butterfly, Short Course Meters 50 freestyle, Short Course Meters 100 freestyle, and Short Course Meters 100 individual medley. On 6 September 2008, Schoeman set a new short course meters (25 m pool) world record of 20.64 for a 50-meter swim at South African Nationals. He lost his world record in late 2008 but regained it in August 2009. At the South Africa Short Course Championships, Schoeman recorded a time of 20.30 seconds for the 50-meter event, which was broken in 2014 by Florent Manaudou.[6]
2005, 2007 World Aquatic Championships
[edit]Schoeman won a bronze in the 50 meter freestyle at the 2001 World Aquatics Chamionships.[1]
At the 2005 FINA World Aquatics Championships in Montreal, Quebec, Canada he won two gold medals [50 m Butterfly (in a world record time of 22.96 s) and Freestyle (21.69 s, the second fastest time in history at the time). He also claimed a silver in 100 m freestyle.[1]
At the 2007 FINA World Aquatics Championships in Melbourne Australia he successfully defended his 50m butterfly title. He also made the final of the 50 m and 100 m freestyle and was part of the 4 × 100 m freestyle relay team that finished fourth.[1]
In December 2005, he turned down a 40 Million Rand (US$5.9 million) contract to swim for Qatar.[10] He stated reasons of national pride for turning down the offer and that hearing the South African national anthem and sharing the joy of his victories with his fellow South Africans is what made winning gold special.
As of 2023, he was part of the Enhanced Games athletes advisory commission. The Enhanced Games are a multi-sport event, that have a more relaxed policy toward drug testing. They were founded by Australian businessman Aron D'Souza, and planning for their first event in 2025.[11][12]
Career best times
[edit]Schoeman has broken three long course world records (two individual, one relay) and six short course world records (all individual).
| Event | Time | Record | Date | Location |
| Long course | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 50m Freestyle | 21.67 | SA Record Holder | 16 Aug 2008 | Beijing, China |
| 50m Freestyle | 21.67 = | SA Record Holder | 2 Aug 2013 | Barcelona, Spain |
| 100m Freestyle | 48.17 | Former SA Record Holder | 15 Aug 2004 | Athens, Greece |
| 50m Butterfly | 22.90 | Former WR Holder | 26 Jul 2009 | Rome, Italy |
| 4 × 100 m Freestyle | 3:11.93 | Former WR Holder | 26 Jul 2009 | Rome, Italy |
| Short course | ||||
| 50m Freestyle | 20.30 | Former WR Holder | 8 August 2009 | Pietermaritzburg, South Africa |
| 100m Freestyle | 46.25 | Former WR Holder | 22 January 2005 | Berlin, Germany |
| 50m Butterfly | 21.87 | 14 Nov 2009 | Berlin, Germany | |
| 100m IM | 52.20 | Former WR Holder | 13 Aug 2006 | Hamburg, Germany |
Honors
[edit]Schoeman, who is asthmatic, was voted the African Swimmer of the Year by Swimming World in 2004, 2005 and 2006; and the South African Swimmer of the Year in 2003, 2004, 2005 and 2006. He was elected South African Sports Star of the Year in 2004.[13]
In 2007, he received the South African Presidential Award Order of Ikhamanga in Silver, awarded for excellent achievements in the field of swimming.[14]
In 2004 he was inducted into the University of Pretoria Sport Hall of fame.[15]
In 2007 he was inducted into the University of Arizona Sports Hall of Fame.[16][17]
See also
[edit]- List of Commonwealth Games medallists in swimming (men)
- List of Olympic medalists in swimming (men)
- World record progression 50 metres freestyle
- World record progression 100 metres freestyle
- World record progression 50 metres butterfly
- World record progression 100 metres individual medley
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d e f g h i j "Olympedia Biography, Roland Schoeman". olympedia.org. Retrieved 19 February 2025.
- ^ "roland2012.com".
- ^ "Roland Schoeman uncut". iafrica.com.
- ^ {{cite web|url=https://swimhistory.co.za/index.php/1992-onwards/roland-schoeman%7Ctitle=Swim History Website, Roland Schoeman|website=swimhistory.co.za|access-date=20 February 2025
- ^ a b "Grace, Jeff, September 13, 2018, Rick DeMont; An Artists Approach to Coaching". swimswam.com. Retrieved 19 February 2025.
- ^ a b "University of Arizona Sports Hall of Fame, Four Former Wildcats Inducted into South African Sports Hall of Fame, Roland Schoeman". arizonawildcats.com. Retrieved 19 February 2025.
- ^ "University of Arizona Hall of Fame, Ronald Schoeman". arizonawildcats.com. Retrieved 19 February 2025.
- ^ "University of Arizona Sports Hall of Fame, Roland Schoeman". arizonawildcats.com. Retrieved 19 February 2025.
- ^ Race, Loretta (21 April 2016). "Schoeman Falls Short of 5th Olympic Games, Yet Marches On". Swimswam. Retrieved 21 April 2016.
- ^ "I am an African: Roland Schoeman". SouthAfrica.info. Archived from the original on 21 August 2008.
- ^ Bloom, Ben (30 June 2023). "The Enhanced Games – a drugs Olympics where cheaters can prosper". The Guardian. Retrieved 8 July 2023.
- ^ Bailey, Ronald (29 June 2023). "The Enhanced Olympics: Drugs welcome!". Reason. Retrieved 8 July 2023.
- ^ "roland2012.com".
- ^ "Team SA profile: Roland Schoeman". SouthAfrica.info. Archived from the original on 18 July 2012.
- ^ "Hall of fame > University of Pretoria". Archived from the original on 1 October 2011. Retrieved 1 October 2011. Hall of fame Retrieved 25 June 2011
- ^ "HOF Inductees". Arizona Wildcats. Retrieved 17 March 2023.
- ^ "Roland Schoeman HOF". Arizona Wildcats. Retrieved 17 March 2023.
External links
[edit]- Official website
- Roland Schoeman at World Aquatics
- Roland Schoeman at Swimrankings.net
- Roland Schoeman at Olympics.com
- Roland Schoeman at Olympedia
- Roland Schoeman at the Commonwealth Games Federation (archived)
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- 1980 births
- Living people
- Afrikaner people
- Swimmers from Pretoria
- South African people of Dutch descent
- University of Pretoria alumni
- South African male butterfly swimmers
- South African male freestyle swimmers
- Commonwealth Games gold medallists for South Africa
- Commonwealth Games silver medallists for South Africa
- Commonwealth Games bronze medallists for South Africa
- Olympic swimmers for South Africa
- Olympic gold medalists for South Africa
- Olympic silver medalists for South Africa
- Olympic bronze medalists for South Africa
- Swimmers at the 2000 Summer Olympics
- Swimmers at the 2004 Summer Olympics
- Swimmers at the 2008 Summer Olympics
- Swimmers at the 2012 Summer Olympics
- Swimmers at the 1998 Commonwealth Games
- Swimmers at the 2002 Commonwealth Games
- Swimmers at the 2006 Commonwealth Games
- Swimmers at the 2010 Commonwealth Games
- World record holders in swimming
- Olympic bronze medalists in swimming
- World Aquatics Championships medalists in swimming
- Medalists at the 2004 Summer Olympics
- Recipients of the Order of Ikhamanga
- Olympic gold medalists in swimming
- Olympic silver medalists in swimming
- Commonwealth Games medallists in swimming
- Goodwill Games medalists in swimming
- Competitors at the 2001 Goodwill Games
- Medallists at the 2002 Commonwealth Games
- Medallists at the 2006 Commonwealth Games
- Medallists at the 2010 Commonwealth Games
- 21st-century South African sportsmen