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Bruce Hayes (swimmer)
Lawrence Bruce Hayes (born March 8, 1963) is an American former competition swimmer best known for anchoring the U.S. men's 4×200-meter freestyle relay team that won the gold medal at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.
Born in Sarasota, Florida, and raised in San Antonio, Hayes was an outstanding Texas age-group swimmer, setting numerous TAGS records. He capped a successful high school career at Highland Park High School under Coach Mike Sorrells, winning a state championship in the 200-yard individual medley and 100-yard backstroke. Hayes' success as a Texas age group and high school swimmer earned him a full scholarship to University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). Swimming for coach Ron Ballatore's UCLA Bruins swimming and diving team, he was the highest scoring freshman at the 1982 NCAA Men's Swimming and Diving Championships, helping the Bruins win the national team championship.
On April 13, 2012, Hayes was inducted into the Texas Swimming and Diving Hall of Fame.
Hayes represented the United States in several international swimming meets. He qualified in the 400-meter and 1500-meter freestyle events for the U.S. national team that won a 1981 dual meet against the Soviet Union in Kiev, Ukraine. At the 1982 FINA World Championships in Guayaquil, Ecuador, he was a finalist in the 400-meter individual medley and also contested the 400-meter and 1,500-meter freestyle events.
Hayes' first national and international titles came in 1983. He won seven medals at the 1983 World University Games in Edmonton – the most by any American swimmer – and his win in the 200-meter freestyle was the only U.S. gold. His UCLA coach Ron Ballatore was quoted in Sports Illustrated about Hayes' Edmonton performance, saying, "Hayes can come home better than anyone I've ever seen." A few weeks later he won the 200-meter freestyle at the 1983 summer United States Swimming Championships.
At the 1983 Pan American Games in Caracas, Venezuela, Hayes won three gold medals in the 200-meter and 400-meter freestyle races and in the 4×200-meter freestyle relay. He also collected three gold medals at the 1983 Descente International Invitational Swim Meet in Tokyo in the same three events.
Hayes won the 400-meter freestyle race at the 1984 winter United States Swimming Championships for his second national title. He finished third in the 200-meter freestyle at the 1984 United States Olympic Swimming Trials, qualifying him for a place on the U.S. team in the men's 4×200-meter freestyle relay in Los Angeles.
In an event unaffected by the Soviet-led boycott, the Americans would battle a talented West German relay team including the 200-meter freestyle world record holder, Michael Gross. The U.S. coaches decided to capitalize on Hayes' finishing ability by having him take the final leg behind teammates Mike Heath, David Larson and Jeff Float. However Hayes knew that because his best 200m freestyle time was three seconds slower than Gross', he would need a three-second lead upon starting the relay to guarantee a win.
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Bruce Hayes (swimmer)
Lawrence Bruce Hayes (born March 8, 1963) is an American former competition swimmer best known for anchoring the U.S. men's 4×200-meter freestyle relay team that won the gold medal at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.
Born in Sarasota, Florida, and raised in San Antonio, Hayes was an outstanding Texas age-group swimmer, setting numerous TAGS records. He capped a successful high school career at Highland Park High School under Coach Mike Sorrells, winning a state championship in the 200-yard individual medley and 100-yard backstroke. Hayes' success as a Texas age group and high school swimmer earned him a full scholarship to University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). Swimming for coach Ron Ballatore's UCLA Bruins swimming and diving team, he was the highest scoring freshman at the 1982 NCAA Men's Swimming and Diving Championships, helping the Bruins win the national team championship.
On April 13, 2012, Hayes was inducted into the Texas Swimming and Diving Hall of Fame.
Hayes represented the United States in several international swimming meets. He qualified in the 400-meter and 1500-meter freestyle events for the U.S. national team that won a 1981 dual meet against the Soviet Union in Kiev, Ukraine. At the 1982 FINA World Championships in Guayaquil, Ecuador, he was a finalist in the 400-meter individual medley and also contested the 400-meter and 1,500-meter freestyle events.
Hayes' first national and international titles came in 1983. He won seven medals at the 1983 World University Games in Edmonton – the most by any American swimmer – and his win in the 200-meter freestyle was the only U.S. gold. His UCLA coach Ron Ballatore was quoted in Sports Illustrated about Hayes' Edmonton performance, saying, "Hayes can come home better than anyone I've ever seen." A few weeks later he won the 200-meter freestyle at the 1983 summer United States Swimming Championships.
At the 1983 Pan American Games in Caracas, Venezuela, Hayes won three gold medals in the 200-meter and 400-meter freestyle races and in the 4×200-meter freestyle relay. He also collected three gold medals at the 1983 Descente International Invitational Swim Meet in Tokyo in the same three events.
Hayes won the 400-meter freestyle race at the 1984 winter United States Swimming Championships for his second national title. He finished third in the 200-meter freestyle at the 1984 United States Olympic Swimming Trials, qualifying him for a place on the U.S. team in the men's 4×200-meter freestyle relay in Los Angeles.
In an event unaffected by the Soviet-led boycott, the Americans would battle a talented West German relay team including the 200-meter freestyle world record holder, Michael Gross. The U.S. coaches decided to capitalize on Hayes' finishing ability by having him take the final leg behind teammates Mike Heath, David Larson and Jeff Float. However Hayes knew that because his best 200m freestyle time was three seconds slower than Gross', he would need a three-second lead upon starting the relay to guarantee a win.