At Wednesday night’s Best of the Games ceremony, which was held to announce the recipients of the 2016 Team USA Awards, the North Baltimore Aquatic Club was honored with a special recognition. NBAC was the recipient of the Building Dreams Award, which is given to an individual, group, or community that has gone above and beyond for Team USA.
This summer, NBAC had 4 swimmers qualify to swim for Team USA at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games: Michael Phelps, Chase Kalisz, Allison Schmitt, and Cierra Runge. Those swimmers won a combined 10 medals, 7 of which were gold, for the U.S. at the Games.
- Michael Phelps won 5 golds (200 fly, 200 IM, 400 free relay, 800 free relay, 400 medley relay) and 1 silver (100 fly) in Rio.
- Chase Kalisz competed in his first Olympic Games, winning a silver medal in the 400 IM.
- Allison Schmitt won a silver as part of the prelims 400 free relay, and a gold as a part of the 800 free relay.
- Cierra Runge won gold in her first Olympics as a member of the prelims 800 free relay squad.
One of their biggest stars, Phelps, made history on several occasions throughout the meet, bringing his Olympic gold career total to 23, and his total Olympic medals tally to 28.
The club also had multiple gold medalists at the 2016 Paralympic Games, courtesy of Jessica Long and Becca Meyers. The two swimmers combined for a total of 9 medals overall, while Long became the second most decorated Paralympian in U.S. history as a result of her 6-medal haul in Rio. She now has 23 career Paralympic medals, 13 of which are gold.
- Jessica Long won her 13th career gold in the SM8 200 IM. She also took 3 silvers (S8 400 free, SB7 100 breast, 34-pt. 4×100 free relay), and 2 bronzes (S8 100 fly, S8 100 back).
- Becca Meyers won 3 gold medals (S13 100 fly WR, SM13 200 IM, S13 400 free) and 1 silver (S13 100 free). Her gold medal performance in the S13 100 fly was also a new World Record.
If you add up Jessica and Becca’s medals, it was 10 total, not nine. 10 Olympic medals, 10 Paralympic medals.