Melvin Monroe Stewart Former American swimmer, two-time Olympic champion and world champion Date of Birth: 16.11.1968 Country: USA

Biography of Melvin Stewart

Melvin Monroe Stewart was born on November 16, 1968, in Gastonia, North Carolina. His father was in charge of entertainment at the Heritage USA, a themed Bible park in South Carolina, and also served as the athletic director of the school Melvin attended.

From a young age, Melvin was involved in swimming, starting at the age of six. Under the guidance of coach Frankie Bell, young Stewart became a winner at the Christian Association of Young People (YMCA) national competitions held at the Johnston pool in Charlotte, North Carolina. Bell not only taught Stewart excellent technique but also instilled in him a love for the sport and a desire to win. As a reward for each victory, Melvin received a banana split - ice cream scoops, bananas, syrup, whipped cream, nuts, and a cherry on top.

By the age of 10, Melvin had made it into the top 10 swimmers in his age group based on the results of 16 competitions. He was known as the greatest swimmer of his time in the 200m butterfly. Stewart holds the record for the most victories at the US National Championships in the 200m butterfly, having won the gold medal 14 times, more than any other swimmer in US history.

At the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona, Spain, Stewart won two gold medals (in the 200m butterfly and 4x100m medley relay) and one bronze medal (4x200m freestyle relay). He also won a gold medal (200m butterfly) and a silver medal (4x200m freestyle relay) at the 1991 World Championships in Perth, Australia. Stewart outperformed legendary German swimmer Michael Gross, also known as "The Albatross," and Hungarian swimmer Tamas Darnyi.

In addition to his Olympic and World Championship success, Stewart excelled at the Pacific Championships. He won a gold medal (200m butterfly) in Brisbane, Australia, in 1987, two gold medals (200m butterfly and 4x200m freestyle relay) in Tokyo, Japan, in 1989, and another gold medal (200m butterfly) in Edmonton, Canada, in 1991.

At his first Olympic Games in Seoul, South Korea, in 1988, Stewart finished fifth in his favorite event, the 200m butterfly. From 1991 to 1995, Melvin held the world record in this event with a time of 1:55.69, until it was surpassed by Russian swimmer Denis Pankratov.

After failing to qualify for the 1996 Olympics, Stewart decided to try his hand in the entertainment industry. He appeared on television, participated in games, and had cameo roles in several movies. He then worked as a sports commentator on ABC. Currently, Melvin serves as an ambassador for the USA Swimming Foundation, an organization that supports various children's projects. Ambassadors help promote the foundation and raise funds. Additionally, he hosts the show "Golden Minute."

Melvin Stewart, his wife Tiffany, and their daughter Bailey reside in Austin, Texas.