Laura Walker
Encyclopedia
Laura Anne Walker is a former American college and international swimmer who was an Olympic
bronze medal
ist.
Walker was a member of the third-place United States women's relay team that won the bronze medal in the 4x100-meter freestyle
relay in the 1988 Summer Olympics
in Seoul, South Korea. Her winning teammates included Mary Wayte
, Dara Torres
and Mitzi Kremer
.
Walker received an athletic scholarship
to attend the University of Florida
in Gainesville, Florida
, where she swam for the Florida Gators swimming and diving team in National Collegiate Athletic Association
(NCAA) competition under coach Randy Reese
and coach Skip Foster from 1988 to 1992. While swimming for the Gators, Walker was a member of the 1989 NCAA championship 4x200-yard freestyle relay team and received seven All-American honors.
Walker graduated from the University of Florida with a bachelor's degree
in health science education in 1994.
Olympic Games
The Olympic Games is a major international event featuring summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Olympic Games have come to be regarded as the world’s foremost sports competition where more than 200 nations participate...
bronze medal
Bronze medal
A bronze medal is a medal awarded to the third place finisher of contests such as the Olympic Games, Commonwealth Games, etc. The practice of awarding bronze third place medals began at the 1904 Olympic Games in St...
ist.
Walker was a member of the third-place United States women's relay team that won the bronze medal in the 4x100-meter freestyle
Freestyle swimming
Freestyle is an unregulated swimming style used in swimming competitions according to the rules of FINA. The front crawl stroke is almost universally used during a freestyle race, as this style is generally the fastest...
relay in the 1988 Summer Olympics
1988 Summer Olympics
The 1988 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIV Olympiad, were an all international multi-sport events celebrated from September 17 to October 2, 1988 in Seoul, South Korea. They were the second summer Olympic Games to be held in Asia and the first since the 1964 Summer Olympics...
in Seoul, South Korea. Her winning teammates included Mary Wayte
Mary Wayte
Mary Alice Wayte Bradburne is a former American college and international swimmer who was a two-time Olympic gold medalist and television sports commentator.- Early years :...
, Dara Torres
Dara Torres
Dara Grace Torres is an American international swimmer and a twelve-time Olympic medalist. Torres was the first swimmer from the United States to compete in five Olympic Games , and, at age 41, the oldest swimmer ever to earn a place on the U.S. Olympic team...
and Mitzi Kremer
Mitzi Kremer
Mitzi Patricia Kremer is a former freestyle swimmer from the United States, who was a member of the women's team that won the bronze medal in the 4x100-meter freestyle relay at the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul, South Korea...
.
Walker received an athletic scholarship
Athletic scholarship
An athletic scholarship is a form of scholarship to attend a college or university awarded to an individual based predominantly on his or her ability to play in a sport...
to attend the University of Florida
University of Florida
The University of Florida is an American public land-grant, sea-grant, and space-grant research university located on a campus in Gainesville, Florida. The university traces its historical origins to 1853, and has operated continuously on its present Gainesville campus since September 1906...
in Gainesville, Florida
Gainesville, Florida
Gainesville is the largest city in, and the county seat of, Alachua County, Florida, United States as well as the principal city of the Gainesville, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area . The preliminary 2010 Census population count for Gainesville is 124,354. Gainesville is home to the sixth...
, where she swam for the Florida Gators swimming and diving team in National Collegiate Athletic Association
National Collegiate Athletic Association
The National Collegiate Athletic Association is a semi-voluntary association of 1,281 institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals that organizes the athletic programs of many colleges and universities in the United States...
(NCAA) competition under coach Randy Reese
Randy Reese
Randy Reese is an American college and Olympic swimming coach. Reese is best known for coaching the Florida Gators swimming and diving teams to four national championships, and coaching the winners of eighteen Olympic gold, eight silver and eight bronze medals...
and coach Skip Foster from 1988 to 1992. While swimming for the Gators, Walker was a member of the 1989 NCAA championship 4x200-yard freestyle relay team and received seven All-American honors.
Walker graduated from the University of Florida with a bachelor's degree
Bachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for three or four years, but can range anywhere from two to six years depending on the region of the world...
in health science education in 1994.
See also
- Florida GatorsFlorida GatorsThe Florida Gators are the intercollegiate sports teams that represent the University of Florida located in Gainesville, Florida. The "Lady Gators" is an alternative nickname sometimes used by the Gators women's teams...
- List of University of Florida alumni
- List of University of Florida Olympians