Olympic Gold Medalist Cullen Jones: Swimming Toward Purpose

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This week on Here's What We Know, our host, Gary Scott Thomas, sits down with Cullen Jones, Olympic gold medalist swimmer, world record holder, and passionate water safety advocate.

Cullen shares the extraordinary story of how a near-drowning at age five ignited his purpose, ultimately driving him to become one of the fastest swimmers in history and a leader in the movement to make swimming accessible to every child.

In This Episode:

• How Cullen’s upbringing influenced his path to greatness
• The mindset and training that fueled Cullen’s record-breaking career
• The surprising way boredom can be a powerful tool for growth
• Personal stories of overcoming setbacks and staying motivated through the highs and lows
• Behind-the-scenes moments from the Olympics, from relay teamwork to celebrations
• Cullen’s mission to reduce drowning rates through initiatives like Make a Splash and Goldfish Swim School
• Insights into the cultural and historical barriers that keep many from learning to swim

This episode is sponsored by:

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Bio:

Cullen Andrew Jones is an Olympic medalist and the first African American male swimmer to hold a world record. At the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, Jones swam on the legendary world-record-setting 4x100  freestyle relay team.

 In 2012, Jones won gold as Team USA’s anchor in the 4x100 medley relay, silver in the 4x100 freestyle relay, and individual silver in the 50m freestyle. In total, Cullen accounts for 13 U.S. medals (seven gold) at major international competitions.

Jones married his wife, Rupi, in 2007, and she gave birth to their son, Ayvn, in 2019.

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cullenjones41/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cullenjones/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CullenJones41/

X: https://x.com/cullenjones

Website: https://goldfishswimschool.com/

https://www.usaswimming.org/parents/learn-to-swim

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