Brendan Joseph Hansen (born August 15, 1981 in Havertown, Pennsylvania)
is an American swimmer who specializes in the breaststroke. He is a four-time
Olympic medalist and multiple record holder.
Despite setting the world record in the 100 and 200 meter breaststroke
at the 2004 U.S. Olympic trials, he did not manage to win a gold medal in either
event at the 2004 Summer Olympics, as he settled for silver in the 100 and bronze
in the 200. He would win a gold in those games for his role in the world-record
setting 4 x 100 medley relay. His split on the relay turned out to be one of
the fastest in history.
At the 2005 World Aquatics Championships, Hansen won gold in
the same three events that he participated in at the 2004 Olympics.
Hansen's well-known for his unique style of breaststroke, which
incorporates a kick that is much narrower than the other swimmers, including
his biggest rival, Kosuke Kitajima from Japan, who took gold in both the 100
m and 200 m Breaststroke in 2004 Athens Olympic Games.
At the 2006 ConocoPhillips National Championships, Hansen lowered
both his world records in the 100 meter and 200 meter breaststroke to 59.13
in the 100 m and 2:08.74 in the 200 m.
At the 2006 Pan Pacific Swimming Championships held in Victoria,
Canada, Hansen again lowered his world record time in the 200 m breaststroke
to 2:08.50. It is notable that he was a quarter of a second behind his best
time at the 150 m mark, but he came back 0.6 second faster with a 33.38.
Hansen was the world record holder in the (long-course) 100
m breaststroke until Kitajima broke that record at the 2008 Olympics. The 200
m breaststroke record he set in 2006 was broken by Kitajima in June 2008.
Hansen has set numerous NCAA records while swimming for the
University of Texas at Austin. He graduated in 2005 with a degree in kinesiology.
He was also NCAA Champion in the 100 yard and 200 yard breaststroke
events each year of his four year college career.
Hansen turned in a disappointing breaststroke race at the 2008
Summer Olympics, his only individual event, finishing in fourth place but earned
a gold medal for his part in the 4 x 100 Medley Relay.
Records
Brendan's records include:
* World Records:
o 200 yd (SC) Breaststroke: 1:51.74
* NCAA Records:
o 200 yd (SC) Breaststroke: 1:52.62
