Ray Peden

Ray Peden (born ) is an American swimmer. He was a state champion in high school in Delaware and later competed at York College of Pennsylvania, where he was a four-year captain of the varsity team and set numerous school records. Peden later entered open water swimming, winning various competitions and becoming the second person from Delaware to swim the English Channel, which he accomplished in 1986. Biography Peden started swimming at age five. Growing up, he was a member of the Wilmington Aquatic Club in Delaware, learning under coach Bob Mattson from 1963 to 1972. He attended Salesianum School in Wilmington where he competed in swimming and was a member of the varsity team all four years. The Evening Journal described him as an "outstanding" swimmer at Salesianum and noted "He participated in four state tournaments [and] never finished below third in any event." According to his coach, Pat Massa, he was the only person to ever captain a York varsity team as a freshman, and he was also active in other sports including judo. In 2010, he won the men's event at the 12.5 mile Ocean Water Swim Around Key West. He later won the 2.5-kilometer event at the U.S. Masters Open Water National Championships in the 60–64 age bracket. Peden has also ranked among the top three finishers in his age group at the Great Chesapeake Bay Bridge 4.4-mile swim a total of eight times as of 2023.

Peden served with the Delaware State Police for 29 years until his retirement in 2009. He has also worked as a lifeguard in Rehoboth Beach and has worked as a swimming official, being certified by the NCAA, as well as on the U.S. Middle Atlantic Open Water Swimming Committee. Peden is married and has a daughter. In 2023, he was inducted into the Delaware Sports Museum and Hall of Fame.