Ricky Berens

Ricky Berens, born Richard Berens on 21 April 1988 in Charlotte, North Carolina, is an American former swimmer, two-time Olympic gold medallist and world champion. At the 2008 Beijing Olympics he won gold in the 4x200 metre freestyle relay with Michael Phelps, Ryan Lochte and Peter Vanderkaay in a world record 6:58.56, swimming the third leg in 1:46.29 after posting the fastest heat time. He also swam the relays and the individual 200 metre freestyle at the 2012 London Olympics. He swam for the Texas Longhorns under coach Eddie Reese from 2007 to 2010, was a 20-time All-American, and later trained in Los Angeles with Dave Salo at Trojan Aquatics. At the 2007 Pan American Games he won gold in the 4x100 metre medley relay.