Erin Phenix

Erin Ashley Phenix (born March 1, 1981) is an American former competition swimmer who won a gold medal at the 2000 Summer Olympics.

Early life

Phenix was raised in Greenhills, Ohio, a suburb of Cincinnati, by her mother, Laurie. She swam for the Cincinnati Marlins. At Ursuline Academy, she won the state championship as part of the 200 yard freestyle relay team. The next year, she earned individual state championships in both the 50 and 100 yard freestyle, while participating in the championships relay teams at both 200 and 400 yard distances. Her mother, Laurie, was working two jobs at the time, and could not afford the trip to Australia, so her friends and neighbours worked together to raise the $3,500 for her to go to Sydney.

The next year, Phenix won two silver medals at the 2001 World Aquatics Championships in Fukuoka, in the 4×100-meter freestyle relay, and swimming the anchor freestyle leg in the 4×100-meter medley relay. Though she would swim at the Olympic Trials again in 2004, she failed to qualify for the Athens games, effectively ending her swimming career in international competitions.