Why Neethling?

Why Neethling? 

As a sophomore, Neethling won three NCAA titles (200, 500 and 1,650-yard freestyle), won a gold medal in the Goodwill Games and was second at 1,500 meters in the Commonwealth Games.

By the end of his career his accomplishments — even now, 15 years later — make him the easy choice to top this list.

Neethling won nine NCAA titles — all individual — and was a seven-time Pac-10 champion. He won the Pac-10 athlete of the year award four years in a row, was the 1999 NCAA swimmer of the year and was a 15-time All-American and finished in the Top-5 at the NCAA championships 15 times.

He holds the UA record for the 1,650 yard freestyle, and at the end of his UA career he held the 200-yard freestyle record, which has since been broken.

Oh, and in 1999, he won one silver and two bronze medals at the Pan Pacific Championships.

Neethling currently holds the South African record in the 200 m, 400 m, 800 m and 1500 m freestyle events, and recently held 4×100 m freestyle relay world record.

And, finally, he was the first-ever South African to compete in four straight Olympic Games, winning a gold medal in the 4x100 relay in 2004.

“After the ’99 NCAA finals, a lot of people recommended that I leave and get started on my Olympic training,” Neethling told the Star in 2000. “People told me about all the money I could make, but I also knew that completing my education and getting a scholarship for a fifth year (in 2000-2001) would be of greater value to my future. Plus, everyone wants to have a little immortality if it’s within reach."

For Neethling, it was. Here's the list: