Hans Dersch

Hans F. Dersch (born December 25, 1967) is an American former competition swimmer and breaststroke specialist who represented the United States at the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona, Spain.

Born in Alexandria, Virginia on December 25, 1967, Dersch grew up in a rough part of Atlanta and attended and swam for Avondale High School in Georgia's DeKalb County, graduating in 1985. Most of his training and competitive meets took place with the SwimAtlanta swim club coached by Bill Behrens, who would later serve as an Assistant Coach at University of Arizona. Two of Dersch's brothers also swam competitively with some success. In April 1985, Swimatlanta won the U.S. Junior National Short Course Championship, and placed second in the U.S. Junior Nationals Long Course championships in Tuscaloosa, Alabama in August. Dersch swam a 1:06.14 in the 100 breaststroke. At the DeKalb Swimming Championships, swimming for Avondale in March, 1983, Dersch swam a 1:06.40 for the 100 breaststroke. At the August 1987 Jr. National Long Course Championships in Fort Lauderdale, competing for Swimatlanta, Dersch swam a 1:04.45 in the 100 breaststroke and also participated in the 400 medley relay.

Career University of Texas

After High School, he received a scholarship to the University of Texas and came under the direction of Hall of Fame Head Coach Eddie Reese and Assistant Coach Kris Kubik. At Texas, Dersch was a breaststroke specialist, and made important contributions to three Texas NCAA National Championship teams. Graduating in 1990, Dersch majored in advertising. At the March, 1987 Southwestern Conference Championships at Austin, Dersh took his second-place finish in the 100-yard breaststroke with a time of 55.28.3.

Dersch was a two-time gold medalist at the 1991 Pan American Games, in Havana in the 100 breaststroke and 400 medley relay.

Dersch was known to have a smooth, fluid backstroke style with little splash. He was considered by some of his coaches to lack the work ethic of some Olympic candidates, though he differed with this assessment. Among his most notable accomplishments during his college years, was being a part of the 1990 Goodwill Games in Seattle, being voted the 1986 U.S. Swimming Long Course Rookie of the Meet, and setting a Junior Olympic Record in the 100-yard breaststroke at the 1986 U.S. Swimming Short Course Championships.