View source for Peter Vanderkaay

{{short description|American swimmer}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=September 2015}}
{{Infobox swimmer
| name           = Peter Vanderkaay
| image          = Vanderkaay.jpg
| image_size     = 156
| alt            = 
| caption        = <!--other than just name-->
| full_name      = Peter William Vanderkaay
| nicknames      = "PVK"
| national_team  = {{USA}}
| birth_date     = {{Birth date and age|1984|2|12}}
| birth_place    = [[Royal Oak, Michigan]], U.S.
| death_date     = 
| death_place    = 
| height         = 6 ft 4 in
| weight         = 209 lb (2008)<!-- 2008 Olympics weight; need current 2012 -->
| strokes        = [[Freestyle swimming|Freestyle]]
| club           = Oly Swimming and Gator Swim Club
<!-- Infobox swimmer does not support the following parameter:
| club websites    = Oly Swimming: olyswim.com, Gator Swim Club: http://www.gpgatorsswim.org/
-->
| collegeteam    = [[Michigan Wolverines swimming and diving|University of Michigan]]
| coach          = 
| medaltemplates = 
{{Medal|Sport | Men's swimming }}
{{Medal|Country | the United States }}
{{MedalCount
| [[Summer Olympics|Olympic Games]] | 2|0|2
| [[World Aquatics Championships|World Championships (LC)]] | 4|0|0
| [[World Aquatics Championships|World Championships (SC)]] | 0|1|0
| [[Pan Pacific Swimming Championships|Pan Pacific Championships]] | 2|0|1
| [[Swimming at the Summer Universiade|Universiade]] | 0|1|2
| '''Total'''|'''8'''|'''2'''|'''5'''
}}
{{Medal|Competition | [[Swimming at the Summer Olympics|Olympic Games]] }}
[[File:Olympic rings.svg|center|80px]]
{{Medal|Gold | [[Swimming at the 2004 Summer Olympics|2004 Athens]] | [[Swimming at the 2004 Summer Olympics – Men's 4 × 200 metre freestyle relay|4×200 m freestyle]] }}
{{Medal|Gold | [[Swimming at the 2008 Summer Olympics|2008 Beijing]] | [[Swimming at the 2008 Summer Olympics – Men's 4 × 200 metre freestyle relay|4×200 m freestyle]] }}
{{Medal|Bronze | 2008 Beijing | [[Swimming at the 2008 Summer Olympics – Men's 200 metre freestyle|200 m freestyle]] }}
{{Medal|Bronze | [[Swimming at the 2012 Summer Olympics|2012 London]] | [[Swimming at the 2012 Summer Olympics – Men's 400 metre freestyle|400 m freestyle]] }}
{{Medal|Competition | [[FINA World Aquatics Championships|World Championships (LC)]] }}
{{Medal|Gold | [[Swimming at the 2005 World Aquatics Championships|2005 Montreal]] | [[Swimming at the 2005 World Aquatics Championships – Men's 4 × 200 metre freestyle relay|4×200 m freestyle]] }}
{{Medal|Gold | [[Swimming at the 2007 World Aquatics Championships|2007 Melbourne]] | [[Swimming at the 2007 World Aquatics Championships – Men's 4 × 200 metre freestyle relay|4×200 m freestyle]] }}
{{Medal|Gold | [[Swimming at the 2009 World Aquatics Championships|2009 Rome]] | [[Swimming at the 2009 World Aquatics Championships – Men's 4 × 200 metre freestyle relay|4×200 m freestyle]] }}
{{Medal|Gold | [[Swimming at the 2011 World Aquatics Championships|2011 Shanghai]] | [[Swimming at the 2011 World Aquatics Championships – Men's 4 × 200 metre freestyle relay|4×200 m freestyle]] }}
{{Medal|Competition | [[FINA World Swimming Championships (25 m)|World Championships (SC)]] }}
{{Medal|Silver | [[2010 FINA World Swimming Championships (25 m)|2010 Dubai]] | [[2010 FINA World Swimming Championships (25 m) – Men's 4 × 200 metre freestyle relay|4×200 m freestyle]] }}
{{Medal|Competition | [[Pan Pacific Swimming Championships|Pan Pacific Championships]] }}
{{Medal|Gold | [[2006 Pan Pacific Swimming Championships|2006 Victoria]] | [[2006 Pan Pacific Swimming Championships – Men's 4 × 200 metre freestyle relay|4×200 m freestyle]] }}
{{Medal|Gold | [[2010 Pan Pacific Swimming Championships|2010 Irvine]] | [[2010 Pan Pacific Swimming Championships – Men's 4 × 200 metre freestyle relay|4×200 m freestyle]] }}
{{Medal|Bronze | 2010 Irvine | [[2010 Pan Pacific Swimming Championships – Men's 200 metre freestyle|200 m freestyle]] }}
{{Medal|Competition | [[Swimming at the Summer Universiade|Universiade]] }}
{{Medal|Silver | [[Swimming at the 2003 Summer Universiade|2003 Daegu]] | 4×200 m freestyle }}
{{Medal|Bronze | 2003 Daegu | 800 m freestyle }}
{{Medal|Bronze | 2003 Daegu | 1500 m freestyle }}
}}

'''Peter William Vanderkaay''' (born February 12, 1984) is an American former competition swimmer who specialized in middle-distance freestyle events and is a four-time Olympic medalist.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://swimming.about.com/od/swimhistoryandstars/p/vanderkaay.htm |title=Peter Vanderkaay bio |website=swimming.about.com}}</ref> He was a member of the United States Olympic team in 2004, 2008, and 2012, and won bronze medals in the 200-meter freestyle at the [[2008 Summer Olympics]] and the 400-meter freestyle at the [[2012 Summer Olympics]].<ref>{{cite web|website=Xinhua|date= August 12, 2008|url=http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-08/12/content_9198668.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080824194827/http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-08/12/content_9198668.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=August 24, 2008|title=Results of men's 200m freestyle final}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|website=The Age|date=August 17, 2004|url=http://www.theage.com.au/olympics/schedule/swimming/day4.html#event31|title=Men's 4 × 200m Freestyle Relay Final}}</ref>

==Personal life==
Vanderkaay was born in [[Royal Oak, Michigan]].<ref name=sroprofile>{{cite sports-reference |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/va/peter-vanderkaay-1.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200417165235/https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/va/peter-vanderkaay-1.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=April 17, 2020 |title=Peter Vanderkaay |access-date=July 1, 2012}}</ref> He grew up in [[Oakland Charter Township, Michigan|Oakland Township]], and attended [[Rochester Adams High School]] in [[Rochester Hills, Michigan|Rochester Hills]]. He has three brothers, all of whom are competitive swimmers.  His older brother Christian swam for the [[University of Michigan]] and qualified for the 100-meter breaststroke at the 2008 Olympic trials. His younger brother [[Alex Vanderkaay|Alex]] qualified for the 2008 Olympic trials in several events, competing and making the finals in the 400-meter individual medley, 200-meter butterfly and the 200-meter medley.  His third and youngest brother, Dane, also qualified for the 2008 US Olympic trials in the 400-meter freestyle.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.usaswimming.org/usasweb/ViewNewsArticle.aspx?TabId=2&Alias=Rainbow&Lang=en&ItemId=2067&mid=1256 |title=Band of Brothers (6/26/2008) |website=usaswimming.org}}</ref>

Vanderkaay and his family are supporters and volunteers for the YMCA's Detroit SWIMS initiative with a goal to teach every child in the City of Detroit to swim by the fifth grade.

Vanderkaay threw out the ceremonial first pitch at a Detroit Tigers baseball game on September 4, 2012.

==Career==

===High school and college career===

Peter Vanderkaay is a two-time Michigan high school state champion in the 500-yard freestyle (2001, 2002), and is the 2001 state champion in the 200-yard freestyle.  He graduated in the class of 2002, and swam for the [[Michigan Wolverines swimming and diving]] team at the [[University of Michigan]] in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

Vanderkaay captured four [[NCAA]] titles and 14 [[Big Ten Conference]] titles. He also won a silver and two bronze medals representing the US at the [[2003 Summer Universiade|2003 World University Games]]. In his first year in college, he was Big Ten Champion in the 500-yard freestyle and the 800-yard freestyle relay. He also was CSCAA All-American in the 500 and the mile.

By the end of his second year, he won four more Big Ten titles in the 400-yard IM, 500-yard freestyle, 1,650 freestyle and 800-yard freestyle relay. In short course metric distances, Vanderkaay also was the NCAA champion in the 400-meter free, the 1,500-meter free and the 800-meter free relay, and placed fifth in the 200-meter free.

In his junior year, Vanderkaay repeated his four Big Ten victories, and was named Big Ten Swimmer of the Year. He was named All-American in the 200-yard freestyle, 500-yard freestyle, 1,650-yard freestyle, 800-yard freestyle relay, 400-yard medley relay.  In his senior year at Michigan, he was the senior co-captain for the Michigan Wolverines. He won four more Big Ten titles, 200-yard freestyle, 500-yard freestyle, 1,650-yard freestyle and 800-yard freestyle relay, and one final NCAA title in the 500.  Vanderkaay also placed second in both the 200-yard and 1,650-yard freestyle events at the NCAA national championships.

===International career===

At the [[2004 Summer Olympics]], Vanderkaay was a member of the [[Swimming at the 2004 Summer Olympics – Men's 4 × 200 metre freestyle relay|4×200-meter freestyle relay]] team, along with [[Michael Phelps]], [[Ryan Lochte]], and [[Klete Keller]], that beat the favored Australian team of [[Ian Thorpe]], [[Grant Hackett]], [[Michael Klim]], and [[Nicholas Sprenger]].

At the [[2005 World Aquatics Championships]] in Montreal, Quebec, Vanderkaay won a gold medal in the [[Swimming at the 2005 World Aquatics Championships – Men's 4 × 200 metre freestyle relay|4×200-meter freestyle relay]].  Along with Phelps, Lochte, and Keller, their time of 7:06.58 was an American record.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.swimrankings.net/index.php?page=meetDetail&meetId=4241783&gender=1&styleId=29 |title=Men, 4×200m Freestyle, Final, 29 Jul 2005 – 19:37 |website=swimrankings.net}}</ref>

At the [[2007 World Aquatics Championships]] in Melbourne, Australia, Vanderkaay again swam in the relay with Lochte, Phelps, Keller. They set a world record in the [[Swimming at the 2007 World Aquatics Championships – Men's 4 × 200 metre freestyle relay|4×200-meter freestyle relay]] with a time of 7:03.24.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/03/30/AR2007033002366_pf.html |title=Men, 4 × 200m Freestyle, Final, Saturday, March 31, 2007 |website=washingtonpost.com}}</ref>

In the summer of 2007, Vanderkaay posted a career performance at U.S. Nationals, beating Michael Phelps for first place in the 400-meter freestyle. Vanderkaay also teamed up with Phelps, [[Davis Tarwater]], [[Scott Spann (swimmer)|Scott Spann]], and [[Chris DeJong]] to win two more golds, one in the 4×100-meter freestyle relay and another in the 4×100-meter medley relay.

Vanderkaay won his first individual medal, a bronze, in the [[Swimming at the 2008 Summer Olympics – Men's 200 metre freestyle|200-meter freestyle]] at the [[2008 Summer Olympics]].  Vanderkaay was part of the [[Swimming at the 2008 Summer Olympics – Men's 4 × 200 metre freestyle relay|4×200-meter freestyle relay]] that set the world record as the American team finished first with a time of 6:58.56.  The Americans were the first team to break the seven-minute mark in the relay, and broke the previous record, set in Melbourne by more than four and a half seconds.<ref>[http://www.nbcolympics.com/swimming/resultsandschedules/rsc=SWM412100/index.html "Men's 4 × 200&nbsp;m Freestyle Relay – Final"]. ''NBC''. August 13, 2008.</ref>

On December 20, 2010, Vanderkaay announced that he would be leaving Ann Arbor and Club Wolverine, where he had trained for over eight years, to move to Gainesville, Florida and train with the Gator Swim Club.  The Gator Swim Club is affiliated with the University of Florida and is coached by [[Gregg Troy]], the head coach of the 2012 U.S. Olympic men's team, and is home to several elite swimmers including [[Ryan Lochte]], [[Conor Dwyer]] and [[Elizabeth Beisel]].

At the [[2012 United States Olympic Trials (swimming)|2012 United States Olympic Trials]] in Omaha, Nebraska, the qualifying event for the U.S. Olympic team, Vanderkaay won the 400-meter freestyle event with a time of 3:47.67, thus qualifying to represent the United States in the event at the 2012 Olympics.  He also competed in the 1,500-meter freestyle, but placed fourth.  At the [[2012 Summer Olympics]] in London, Vanderkaay won a bronze medal in the [[Swimming at the 2012 Summer Olympics – Men's 400 metre freestyle|400-meter freestyle]] with a time of 3:44.69, finishing third behind [[Sun Yang]] and [[Park Tae-Hwan]].

==See also==
{{Portal|Biography|Olympics}}
* [[List of Olympic medalists in swimming (men)]]
* [[List of United States records in swimming]]
* [[List of University of Michigan alumni]]
* [[List of World Aquatics Championships medalists in swimming (men)]]
* [[Michigan Wolverines]]
* [[World record progression 4 × 200 metres freestyle relay]]

==References==
{{reflist|30em}}

==External links==
* {{World Aquatics}}
* {{USA Swimming|new_id=peter-vanderkaay|archive=20210602215422}}
* {{Team USA|new_id=peter-vanderkaay|old_id=VA/Peter-Vanderkaay|archive=20220711224844}}
* {{Olympics.com}}
* {{Olympedia}}
* {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130425033554/http://www.petervanderkaay.com/ |date=mdy |title=PeterVanderkaay.com }}

{{Footer USA Swimming 2004 Summer Olympics}}
{{Footer USA Swimming 2008 Summer Olympics}}
{{Footer USA Swimming 2012 Summer Olympics}}
{{Olympic Champions Swimming 4x200 m Men Freestyle Relay}}
{{Footer World LC Champions 4x200m Freestyle Men}}
{{Footer Pan Pacific Champions 4x200m Freestyle Men}}
{{Big Ten Athlete of the Year}}
{{Big Ten Swimmer of the Year navbox}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Vanderkaay, Peter}}
[[Category:1984 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:American male freestyle swimmers]]
[[Category:American people of Dutch descent]]
[[Category:World record setters in swimming]]
[[Category:Medalists at the FINA World Swimming Championships (25 m)]]
[[Category:Medalists at the 2012 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Medalists at the 2008 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Medalists at the 2004 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Michigan Wolverines men's swimmers]]
[[Category:Olympic bronze medalists for the United States in swimming]]
[[Category:Olympic gold medalists for the United States in swimming]]
[[Category:Sportspeople from Rochester, Michigan]]
[[Category:Sportspeople from Royal Oak, Michigan]]
[[Category:Swimmers at the 2004 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Swimmers at the 2008 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Swimmers at the 2012 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:World Aquatics Championships medalists in swimming]]
[[Category:Summer World University Games medalists in swimming]]
[[Category:FISU World University Games silver medalists for the United States]]
[[Category:FISU World University Games bronze medalists for the United States]]
[[Category:Medalists at the 2003 Summer Universiade]]
[[Category:Big Ten Athlete of the Year winners]]
[[Category:21st-century American sportsmen]]