Omaha, Neb. – (February 15, 2011) Six professional swimmers have joined Mutual of Omaha's Gold Medal Team, a select group of swimming athletes who represent the sport to young people across the country. Joining Mutual of Omaha's line-up of sponsored athletes are:
- Dagny Knutson
Knutson dominated the 2009 Junior Nationals, earning seven medals – six of them gold – and broke a 30-year-old national age group record in the 200-meter freestyle. Knutson continued to make her mark at two international events. She earned a silver medal at the 2009 World Championships on the 800-meter freestyle relay team. At the 2009 Mutual of Omaha Duel in the Pool, she took home two silver medals, one in the 200-meter freestyle and one in the 400-meter individual medley, and a bronze in the 400-meter freestyle. - Ryan Lochte
Lochte is among the most decorated collegiate swimmers with 24 All-American honors, seven NCAA Championships, seven SEC titles and he was twice named NCAA Swimmer of the Year. With three Olympic gold medals (800-meter freestyle relay in 2008), a silver medal (200-meter individual medley in 2004) and two bronze medals (200- and 400-meter individual medley in 2008) already in his collection, he is working toward making his third Olympic team. - Josh Schneider
In his first international meet, the 2010 Short Course World Championships, Schneider proved he belongs among the American freestyle sprinter elite. After winning a swim off in the 50-meter freestyle preliminary, Schneider claimed the bronze medal in American record time of 20.8. He earned a gold medal at the same meet as part of the 400-meter medley relay team. - Eric Shanteau
Eric Shanteau has a string of firsts to his credit including: being the first male in the history of the USA Swimming Scholastic All-American program to have a 4.0 GPA and a national title; and the first American ever to sweep the individual medley events at the 2005 World University Games, setting a new record in the 200-meter individual medley. He is a 2008 Olympian and holds the national title in the 200-meter breaststroke from the 2010 U.S. Nationals. Diagnosed with testicular cancer weeks before the 2008 Olympic Trials, Shanteau is currently cancer free and is an advocate for cancer awareness among young adults. - Dana Vollmer
At age 12 Vollmer was the youngest competitor at the 2000 Olympic Trials. Although she didn't make that team, she made the 2004 team and became an Olympic gold medalist as a part of the world-record-setting team in the 800-meter freestyle. Vollmer took some time off after not making the 2008 team. She is back now and in 2010 was among the top medal winners at the Mutual of Omaha Pan Pacific Championships, earning four gold medals and a silver. - Dave Walters
Walters is well on his way to qualifying for the 2012 Olympics after winning gold in 2008 by competing on the 800-meter freestyle relay team in preliminaries. He currently holds the American record in the 800-yard freestyle relay, set at the 2008 Big 12 Championships while attending the University of Texas. He also holds the 400-meter medley relay and 800-meter freestyle relay world records set at the 2009 World Championships.
These six athletes join Josh Davis, Mark Gangloff, Matt Grevers, Brendan Hansen, Misty Hyman, Jason Lezak, Christine Magnuson, Aaron Peirsol, Kim Vandenberg, Peter Vanderkaay and Kate Ziegler on Mutual's Gold Medal Team, a select group of swimmers sponsored by Mutual of Omaha who make personal appearances and conduct swim clinics for young swimmers across the country. The Gold Medal Team is a key component of Mutual of Omaha's sponsorship of USA Swimming, the national governing body of amateur swimming that fields the U.S. National Team.
While supporting the national organization, Mutual also has extended its support to local swim clubs throughout the nation. Mutual also sponsors the Mutual of Omaha BreakOut! Swim Clinic program, a unique swim clinic experience developed by Davis and designed to inspire and motivate a new generation of swim stars to pursue their dreams.
"Mutual of Omaha enthusiastically welcomes these six athletes to our team," said John Hildenbiddle, senior vice president of Brand Management and Public Relations at Mutual of Omaha. "We are excited about the relationships that we have with this fantastic group of athletes and look forward to cheering them on in their successes and reaching out to the swim community through our sponsorship."
Mutual's sponsorship of USA Swimming athletes is a key component of its sponsorship program, which also includes sponsorship of professional golf and the all-new Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom television show on Animal Planet.
Mutual of Omaha is a full-service, multi-line organization providing insurance and financial products for individuals, businesses and groups throughout the United States.
