Justin Zook
Although Justin Zook is only 22, he has spent nearly half his life swimming on the international level. At the 2008 Paralympic Games, Zook attempted to defend his gold medal in the 100m backstroke S10. After setting a world record in the preliminary round, Zook held off Australia's Michael Anderson to secure his second consecutive gold medal.
Zook has been swimming since he was seven and made his first international competition debut at the 1998 IPC Swimming World Championships in New Zealand, as a 12-year-old. In 2004, Zook won his first gold medal in the 100m backstroke in Athens.
Zook was the captain of his high school swim team and earned Minnesota All-State honors in the 500-yard freestyle and All-American honors in the 400-yard freestyle relay. He is currently a junior at Springfield College (Springfield, Mass.), majoring in sports management and says he has aspirations of going to law school after graduating. Zook says he enjoys golfing, basketball, video games and hanging out with friends.
Major Achievements:
- 2008: Gold medal, 100m Backstroke S10 - Paralympic Games, Beijing, China
- 2008: American record, 50m backstroke - CanAm Championships, Victoria, British Columbia
- 2007: First place, 50m freestyle, 100m backstroke, 200m freestyle; Third place, 100m butterfly, 100m freestyle - U.S. Paralympics Open Swimming Championships, College Park, Md.
- 2006: Gold medal, 100m backstroke; Bronze medal, 4x100m medley relay - International Paralympic Committee (IPC) Swimming World Championships, Durban, South Africa
- 2005: Pan American record, 100m backstroke - U.S. Paralympic Open Swimming Championships, Minneapolis, Minn.
- 2004: Gold medal, 100m backstroke; bronze medal, 50m freestyle - Paralympic Games, Athens, Greece
- 2002: Two bronze medals, 100m backstroke, 400m freestyle - IPC Swimming World Championships, Mar del Plata, Argentina
