Dara Torres

Biography

Dara Torres is arguably the fastest female swimmer in America. She entered her first international swimming competition at age 14 and competed in her first Olympics a few years later in 1984. She went on to compete in the 1988, 1992 and 2000 Olympics, medaling each time. Four months after the birth of her daughter Tessa in 2006, she began training again for the Olympics.

At age 41, Dara became the oldest swimmer to compete in the Olympics at the Beijing Games in 2008. She went on to win three silver medals, one in the 50m free and the others swimming anchor in the 4x100m free relay and the 4x100m medley relays. In total, she has won 12 medals in her Olympic career.

Her impressive performance in Beijing has inspired many older athletes to consider re-entering competition, including cyclist Lance Armstrong. Torres shows no signs of slowing down anytime soon. She competed in the 2009 world swimming competition in Rome, where she placed eighth in the 50m freestyle. She won gold at the U.S. Nationals in the 50m freestyle race.

The first female athlete to grace the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue, Dara Torres has also appeared as a commentator on such networks as Fox News, ESPN and the Discovery Channel. Her memoir, Age is Just a Number: Achieve Your Dreams At Any Stage In Your Life, was published in April 2009 and was listed as one of the top 25 best-selling business books in the month of June 2009. Her second book, "Gold Medal Fitness: A Revolutionary 5-Week Program" was released in May, 2010.

Olympian, author, mother, and role model, Dara Torres is many things to many people, but above all, she is an inspiration. Dara is currently gearing up and training for the 2012 London Olympics.

Publications

Age is Just a Number: Achieve Your Dreams At Any Stage In Your Life

From legendary Olympic gold medalist Dara Torres comes a motivational, inspirational memoir about staying fit, aging gracefully, and pursuing your dreams.

Dara Torres captured the hearts and minds of Americans of all ages when she launched her Olympic comeback as a new mother at the age of forty-one -- years after she had retired from competitive swimming and eight years since her last Olympics. When she took three silver medals in Beijing -- including a heartbreaking .01-second finish behind the gold medalist in the women`s 50-meter freestyle -- America loved her all the more for her astonishing achievement and her good-natured acceptance of the results.

Now, in Age Is Just a Number, Dara reveals how the dream of an Olympic comeback first came to her -- when she was months into her first, hard-won pregnancy. With humor and candor, Dara recounts how she returned to serious training -- while nursing her infant daughter and contending with her beloved father`s long battle with cancer.

Dara talks frankly about diving back in for this comeback; about being an older athlete in a younger athletes` game; about competition, doubt, and belief; about working through pain and uncertainty; and finally -- about seizing the moment and, most important, never giving up. A truly self-made legend, her story will resonate with women of all ages -- and with anyone daring to entertain a seemingly impossible dream.

Titles

Women`s Issues

Women`s Empowerment

Never Give up your Dream

You`re NOT to old to chase your dream

The Olympic Experience