Dara Torres is arguably the fastest female swimmer in America. She entered her first international swimming competition at age 14 and competed in her first Olympic Games a few years later in 1984.
Bejing Olympics
At the Beijing Olympic Games in 2008, Dara became the oldest swimmer to compete in the Olympic Games. When she took three silver medals home – including the infamous heartbreaking 50-meter freestyle race where she missed the Gold by 1/100th of a second – America loved her all the more for her astonishing achievement and her good-natured acceptance of the results.
Olympian
In total, Dara has competed in five Olympic Games and has won 12 medals in her entire Olympic career. Her impressive performance in Beijing and her attempt at the 2012 London Olympic Games has inspired many older athletes to consider re-entering competition.
Media
Aside from her amazing accomplishments in the pool, Dara has talents on dry land as well. A composed commentator, guest host and strong interviewee, she has appeared on such shows as Fox News, ESPN, CNN, Piers Morgan Tonight, Today Show, Good Morning America, and many others.
Honors and Accolades
Additionally, Dara was the first female athlete ever to be featured in the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue, and in 2009, won the ESPY award for “Best Comeback.” To add to Dara’s accolades, she was also named one of the “Top Female Athletes of the Decade” by Sports Illustrated Magazine.
Books
Now a top-selling author, her memoir, Age is Just a Number: Achieve Your Dreams at Any Stage in Your Life, published in April, 2009 and was listed as one of the top 25 best-selling business books by June. Her second book, Gold Medal Fitness: A Revolutionary 5-Week Program is a New York Times Best-Seller.
Olympian, author, mother, and role model, Dara Torres is many things to many people, but above all, she is an inspiration.
Age is Just a Number
Dara talks frankly about diving back in for this comeback; about being an older athlete in a younger athletes’ game; about competition, doubt, and belief; about working through pain and uncertainty; and finally—about seizing the moment and, most important, never giving up. A truly self-made legend, her story will resonate with women of all ages—and with anyone daring to entertain a seemingly impossible dream.
Breaking Through Barriers In and Out of the Water
Dara chronicles her incredible swimming career along with her fight as a woman working through mother hood, work and making an ESPY winning comeback to swimming.
All Dara Torres Books
Gold Medal Fitness: A Revolutionary 5-Week Program
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