Gary Wayne Hall Jr. (born September 26, 1974 in Cincinnati, Ohio) is a successful swimmer who competed in the 1996, 2000, and 2004 Olympics and won ten Olympic medals (5 gold, 3 silver, 2 bronze).
Hall is well known for his antics before a competition; frequently strutting onto the pool deck in boxing shorts and robe, shadow boxing and flexing for the audience. He is a graduate of Brophy College Preparatory in Phoenix, AZ.
His father Gary Hall Sr. also competed in three Olympics as a swimmer (1968, 1972 and 1976). His maternal uncle Charles Keating III swam in the 1976 Olympics, and his maternal grandfather Charles Keating Jr., well known for his conviction in the Savings and Loan scandal of the 1989, was a national swimming champion in the 1940s.
In his first Olympics at the age of 21, Hall had only 6 years of swimming experience yet he already had a well-known rivalry with Russia's Alexander Popov. Hall and his teammates dominated the relay events, but Popov continued to beat Hall in the individual events. The rivalry grew more bitter than ever. In an interview with the media, Popov said that Hall was incapable of beating him because he "comes from a family of losers." Hall responded by coming to his next event in leather motorcycle pants and executing his usual shadow boxing and flexing routine.
Hall won two individual silvers and two team relay golds at the games including helping set the world record in both the 400m freestyle and medley relays.
