Who is Patricia Southall? Emmitt Smith's wife's net worth, age, Instagram
NFL
Facts about Amy Van Dyken, the former American competitive swimmer
Lenah Ann
updated at December 2, 2023 at 7:02 AM
Amy Van Dyken is a former competitive swimmer for the United States and a six-time Olympic gold medallist. She went down in history as the first American female athlete to win four gold medals during the 1996 Summer Olympics. Despite being paralysed from the waist down in an ATV accident in 2014, the Colorado native continues to travel the world, giving motivational speeches and working for charities.
Source: Getty Images
Due to her incredible performance and success during her active years, Amy has numerous accolades and honours, including ESPY Female Athlete of the Year and Associated Press Female Athlete of the Year. Continue reading to learn more about Amy Van Dyken, the former American competitive swimmer.
Amy Van Dyken's profile summary
Full name | Amy Deloris Van Dyken-Rouen |
Date of birth | 15 February 1973 |
Age | 50 years of age (as of December 2023) |
Place of birth | Englewood, Colorado, the United States of America |
Nationality | American |
Ethnicity | White |
Zodiac sign | Aquarius |
Religion | Christianity |
Height | 6 feet or 183 centimetres |
Weight | 163 pounds or 74 kilograms |
Hair colour | Dark brown |
Eye colour | Hazel |
Parents | Don and Becky |
Siblings | Katie and David |
Relationship status | In a relationship |
Spouses | Alan McDaniel (married 1995 - 1998), Tom Rouen (married 2001 - present) |
Profession | Former competitive swimmer |
Education | Cherry Creek High School, Colorado State University, The University of Arizona |
Net worth | Between $1 million and $5 million |
Social media presence |
Amy Van Dyken's biography
Amy Van Dyken (age 50 years as of November 2023) was born on 15 February 1973 in Englewood, Colorado, the United States of America, to Don and Becky Van Dyken. Her zodiac sign is Aquarius.
She was bred alongside her two siblings, Katie and David, and she attended Cherry Creek High School, Colorado State University, and The University of Arizona. She is an American national of a white ethnicity.
Amy Van Dyken's height is 6 feet or 183 centimetres, and her weight is 163 pounds or 74 kilograms. She has dark brown hair and hazel eyes.
Where does Amy Van Dyken live?
Together with her husband Tom, they live in Scottsdale, Arizona, and Keystone, Colorado. Before joining Fox Sports Radio, she worked at a local radio station that aired its programs nationally.
Source: Getty Images
Amy Van Dyken's injury
What happened to Amy Van Dyken? The former swimmer required many surgeries after suffering a shoulder injury during the 2000 countdown to the Sydney Games. She qualified for three events after returning in time for the American trials.
Where is Katie Ledecky from? All the details about the Olympic gold medalist
Other Sports
In addition to the injuries, she was involved in a horrible ATV accident that severed her spinal cord at the T11 vertebra. She was rescued and taken to the hospital, where she had an emergency spinal cord and vertebral column stabilisation surgery.
The injury was millimetres away from striking and perhaps rupturing her aorta. Nevertheless, she became paralysed from the waist down.
Is Amy Van Dyken walking?
The renowned swimmer left the hospital after two months of rehabilitation. She assured her fans that she was a better person than before the incident and took her first steps with the help of a walker and an apparent bionic device that assists her legs.
Amy Van Dyken's asthma
Throughout her early life and career, the former Olympic swimmer had chronic asthma. On the recommendation of her doctor, she began swimming to strengthen her lungs to cope with her illness and prevent future asthma episodes.
Who is Kayla Nicole, Travis Kelce's ex-girlfriend? Breakup, children and more
NFL
How much is Amy Van Dyken worth?
Source: Getty Images
According to CelebsAgeWiki, the famous former swimmer's net worth is estimated to be between $1 million and $5 million. Like most athletes, she made most of her income through her career earnings alongside brand endorsements and sponsorship deals.
Is Amy Van Dyken still married?
As of 2023, Amy Van Dyken is married to an ex-American football player, Tom Rouen. They tied the knot in 2001. Her first marriage, however, was with Alan McDaniel in 1995 and ended in 1998 after they divorced.
Is Amy Van Dyken on Instagram?
The former swimmer is quite dynamic on social media, where she boasts over 33.7k followers on Instagram and 24k followers on X (Twitter) as of November 2023.
Frequently asked questions
Despite her challenges throughout her career, the American swimmer has remained resilient and has been a motivational speaker, empowering other people who have gone through what she has. Here are the frequently asked questions about her.
Who is Joy Taylor's husband? Everything you need to know about the media personality
Other Sports
1. How many gold medals does Amy Van Dyken have?
The retired legend has six Olympic gold medals to her name. She attained this milestone after winning in the 50-metre freestyle, 100-metre butterfly, 4×100-metre freestyle relay, and 4×100-metre medley relay.
2. Will Amy Van Dyken ever walk again?
Source: Getty Images
Even though the doctors first believed she had suffered significant spinal damage and would probably never walk again, Amy has been determined to be back on her feet.
She is now walking thanks to the assistance of a full-body machine that moves her legs. However, her therapists continue to reduce the machine's support, which makes her struggle more to achieve her goal.
3. Which female has the most gold medals in swimming?
Katie Ledecky has six Olympic gold medals and 14 long-course world titles to her name. She also holds the world records for the 800m and 1500m freestyle, as well as 18 of the 20 fastest 1500m freestyle times in history.
Who is Brenda Warner, Kurt Warner's wife? Bio and all the details
NFL
4. Is Amy Van Dyken dead or alive?
As of November 2023, the former Olympic swimmer, Amy Van Dyken, is still alive.
Final word
Amy Van Dyken's successful swimming career made her one of the greatest athletes in the sport's history. After her retirement, she has been involved with various charities to help people with spinal injuries, especially children, by funding medical research into reconnecting severed spinal cords so that individuals can regain their mobility.
READ ALSO: Who has the highest vertical in the NBA? A top 10 ranked list
Sports Brief has compiled a list ranking the top 10 NBA players with the highest verticals. When playing basketball, there are various records that skilled players make and break, such as the three-point shots, most points scored, most assists, and the highest verticals, among others.
Historically, most athletes who make the highest jumps are from the NBA. Some of them, like Michael Jordan, are all-time legends in the game, while others are still rising to stardom. Click on the link above to determine who has the highest vertical in the NBA.
Trending news
