Chip Peterson

Charles Bowne "Chip" Peterson (born December 3, 1987) is an American competition swimmer who specializes in long-distance freestyle swimming, especially open water swimming, in which he is a world champion.

Career

At the 2005 World Aquatics Championships, Peterson won gold in the 10 km event and a silver medal position behind Germany's Thomas Lurz in the 5-kilometer event. Peterson was jointly awarded the inaugural Open Water Swimmer of the Year by Swimming World magazine with Lurz. Peterson also earned a gold medal in the 1500 meter freestyle at the 2005 Summer Nationals in Irvine, California. Peterson won gold in the men's 1500 meter freestyle as well as a silver in the men's 10K open water swim at the 2007 Pan American Games held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. At the 2010 ACC Swimming and Diving Championships Peterson won the 1650yd freestyle in a time of 14:49.36, fourth in the 500 yard freestyle with a time of 4:20.23. At the 2010 NCAA Swimming and Diving Championships Peterson competed in the 1650, 500, and 200 yard freestyles placing 13th in the 1650 free and 14th in the 500 fr

Personal

Peterson attended the University of North Carolina, where he swam for the North Carolina Tar Heels swimming and diving team. During his freshman year, he set the Tar Heels team records in three events: the 500-, 1000-, and 1650-yard freestyle. At the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) championships, Peterson placed second in the 1650-yard freestyle and fifth in the 500-yard freestyle. He was the subject of a feature story that ran in The Daily Tar Heel during the year.

Peterson's father, Pete, is a professor of Marine Sciences at UNC. He was named the 2010 ACC Men's Swimming and Diving Scholar-Athlete of the Year.

While in college, Peterson was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis and ended up having a total colectomy. Inspired by the medical professionals who treated him, he attended medical school and decided to pursue a residency in urology. After two years of residency at the University of Indiana, he returned to UNC to take Internal Medicine.