Weber-Gale won the 100 and 50-meter freestyles at the 2008 U.S. Olympic Trials in 47.92 and 21.47 seconds respectively. His time of 21.47 in the 50-meter was an American record.[5] By clocking a time of 47.78 in the prelims of the 100 freestyle at the Trials, he became the first American to break 48 seconds in that event.[6]
At the2008 Summer Olympics, Weber-Gale was as a member of the4 × 100 m freestyle relay team in a final that has been heralded as the best relay in the history of swimming.[7] He was the second leg of that relay and had a split of 47.02 as the US won the gold ahead of pre-race favorite France.[8] Weber-Gale also earned a gold medal for his contribution in the heats of the4 × 100 m medley relay.[9][10] Weber-Gale also competed in both the50 m and100 m freestyle events but did not advance past the semifinals of either one.[11][12][13]
At the 2009 USA Nationals and World Championships trials, Weber-Gale placed third in the 100 m freestyle in 48.19. He also tied for second withCullen Jones in the 50m freestyle in 21.55, which required a swim-off to decide who would get to compete in the event at the2009 World Aquatics Championships in Rome. Jones won the swim-off in 21.41, which broke Weber-Gale'sAmerican record in the event.[14]
At the 2009 World Championships, Weber-Gale swam the lead-off leg of the4 × 100 m freestyle preliminaries in 48.30. He earned a gold medal in the event when the US placed first in the final.[15]
In 2013, Weber-Gale was chosen to be the flag bearer for Team USA at the opening ceremonies of the19th (2013) Maccabiah Games.[16] At the games he won two gold medals; one in 100 m freestyle at 48.99 seconds and a second one in the 50 m freestyle at 0:22:12 (MR).[17] Weber-Gale also won silver in the 4 × 200 m freestyle relay.[18]
Weber-Gale began his competitive career as aYMCA age-group swimmer at the Walter Schroeder Aquatic Center in Brown Deer, Wisconsin. He refined his stroke training in Austin, Texas, swimming with Circle C (now Longhorn Aquatics). In 2003, he set a national public high school record while atNicolet High School in the 100-yard (91 m) freestyle with a time of 43.49.[19] He is a four-time Wisconsin State Champion, twice in the backstroke and once in the freestyle.[20]
Weber-Gale also was a multiple-time Olin-Sang-Ruby Union Institute (aURJ summer camp) triathlon champion.
On July 19, 2009, Weber-Gale (along with Phelps, Jones and Lezak) received an ESPY Award for Best Moment for their 4 × 100 m freestyle relay performance at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.[22]
Weber-Gale married in Austin, Texas, in the fall of 2013.
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United States
