Carli Elizabeth Cronk (born 2006) is an American deaf swimmer. In May 2022, she set the world Deaflympic record for having won the most number of gold medals by an athlete in a single edition of the Summer Deaflympics with a haul of 12 gold medals.[1] She secured gold medals in women's 1500m freestyle, women's 200m butterfly, women's 200m freestyle, women's 200m and 400m individual medley, women's 200m backstroke, women's 400m freestyle, women's 4 × 200 m free relay, women's and mixed 4 × 100m medley relay, women's and mixed 4 × 100 m free relay events.[2][3][4][5]

Carli Cronk
Personal information
Full nameCarli Elizabeth Cronk
National teamUnited States
Born2006 (age 1920)
United States
Sport
Country United States
SportSwimming
Medal record
Women's swimming
Representing  United States
Event 1st 2nd 3rd
Deaflympics 19 1 1
Deaflympics
Gold medal – first placeCaxias Do Sul 20211500m freestyle
Gold medal – first placeCaxias Do Sul 2021200m butterfly
Gold medal – first placeCaxias Do Sul 2021200m freestyle
Gold medal – first placeCaxias Do Sul 2021400m individual medley
Gold medal – first placeCaxias Do Sul 2021200m backstroke
Gold medal – first placeCaxias Do Sul 2021400m freestyle
Gold medal – first placeCaxias Do Sul 2021mixed relay
Gold medal – first placeCaxias Do Sul 20214 × 100m medley relay
Gold medal – first placeTokyo 2025200m freestyle
Gold medal – first placeTokyo 2025400m freestyle
Gold medal – first placeTokyo 2025100m butterfly
Gold medal – first placeTokyo 2025200m butterfly
Gold medal – first placeTokyo 2025400m medley
Gold medal – first placeTokyo 20254 × 100m medley mixed relay
Gold medal – first placeTokyo 20254 × 100m freestyle mixed relay
Silver medal – second placeTokyo 202550m butterfly
Bronze medal – third placeTokyo 20254 × 100m medley relay

Biography

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Cronk was born with deafness and she relies heavily on hearing aids and lip reading. She attended Churchill High School.[1]

Career

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She took part at the 2019 World Deaf Swimming Championships and claimed a solitary silver and two bronze medals in the competition.[6] In February 2022, she claimed bronze medal in the women's 200m freestyle at the University Interscholastic League Class 6A state championships.[1][7]

She made her Deaflympic debut representing United States at the 2021 Summer Deaflympics (held in May 2022) at the age of 16 and was one of the cadres of the thirteen member swimming contingent to represent America at the 2021 Summer Deaflympics.[8] She won record 12 gold medals in her maiden appearance at the Deaflympics eventually surpassing the American records held by Jeff Float and Laura Ann Barber for claiming the most number of gold medals at any Deaflympics.[1] She also teamed up with fellow swimmers Matthew Klotz, Brooke Thompson and Collin Davis to secure gold in mixed free relay category.[9]

During the 2021 Summer Deaflympics, she set three world records in deaf swimming for women. On May 4, 2022, she set the new world record in women's 1500m freestyle event by clocking 17:33.90 seconds.[10] On May 5, 2022, she surpassed the world record in women's 200m butterfly event with a timing of 2:18.40 seconds.[11] On May 7, 2022, she broke the world record in women's 400m individual medley event by clocking 4:58.53 seconds.

References

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  1. 1 2 3 4 Ortiz, Edmond (May 10, 2022). "Hill Country Village teen swims for records in Deaflympics". impact. Retrieved May 11, 2022.
  2. "US bag two swimming golds as Ukraine add another title in pool at Deaflympics". www.insidethegames.biz. Retrieved May 11, 2022.
  3. "Carli Cronk Adds Two More Gold Medals on Day 6 of Deaflympics". SwimSwam. May 8, 2022. Retrieved May 11, 2022.
  4. "Matthew Klotz Nears Deaf World Record in 50 Back on Day 7 of Deaflympics". SwimSwam. May 9, 2022. Retrieved May 11, 2022.
  5. "United States enjoy success on final day of swimming events at Deaflympics". www.insidethegames.biz. Retrieved May 11, 2022.
  6. "USA Wins Three Silvers on Day 3 of World Deaf Championships". SwimSwam. August 29, 2019. Retrieved May 11, 2022.
  7. Cely, Andrew (February 20, 2022). "SWIMMING: Johnson's Scott, Clark's Stallworth headline UIL Class 6A State Championships". KSAT. Retrieved May 11, 2022.
  8. "USADS Announces 2022 Deaflympics Roster". SwimSwam. May 2, 2022. Retrieved May 11, 2022.
  9. "American Matthew Klotz Wins a Pair of Gold Medal on Day 5 of Deaflympics". SwimSwam. May 7, 2022. Retrieved May 11, 2022.
  10. "American Carli Cronk Wins Women's 1500 & 200 Free Gold on Day 3 of Deaflympics". SwimSwam. May 5, 2022. Retrieved May 11, 2022.
  11. "Deaflympics Concludes With Stellar Medal Count From United States, Ukraine, Italy". Swimming World News. May 10, 2022. Retrieved May 11, 2022.
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