Dana Vollmer
An Olympic champion who battled back from heart surgery to set a world record and win gold as a new mother.
Born 1987 (age 39)·American swimmer·Birthday: November 13·Millennials
Biography
Dana Vollmer’s swimming career is a story of brilliant peaks separated by valleys of profound adversity. She burst onto the scene as a 16-year-old, winning relay gold at the 2004 Athens Olympics. Then, a series of injuries and a diagnosis of a heart condition called supraventricular tachycardia sidelined her; she missed the 2008 team entirely. After surgery to correct the issue, she mounted one of the sport’s great comebacks. At the 2012 London Games, she didn’t just win the 100-meter butterfly—she shattered the world record, becoming the first woman to break the 56-second barrier. Vollmer’s resilience reached its apex after the birth of her son in 2015. Defying expectations, she returned to training and qualified for the 2016 Rio Olympics, where she won a relay gold and two other medals, cementing her legacy not just as a speedster, but as an athlete of extraordinary mental and physical fortitude.
Millennials
1981–1996
The first digital natives. Grew up with the internet, came of age during 9/11 and the 2008 crash. Highly educated, deeply indebted, slower to marry and buy houses. Redefined work, identity, and what it means to be an adult.
Dana was born in 1987, placing them squarely in the Millennials. The events that shaped this generation — the internet revolution, 9/11, and the 2008 financial crisis — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Dana Was Born
The biggest hits of 1987
#1 Movie
Three Men and a Baby
Best Picture
The Last Emperor
#1 TV Show
The Cosby Show
Dana's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1987Born
Black Monday stock market crash
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $72,400Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Walk Like an Egyptian" — The BanglesBest Picture: The Last Emperor
1992Started school
LA riots after Rodney King verdict
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $84,300Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"End of the Road" — Boyz II MenBest Picture: Unforgiven
2000Became a teenager
Y2K passes without incident; contested Bush-Gore election
Gas: $1.51/galHome: $119,600Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Breathe" — Faith HillBest Picture: Gladiator
2003Could drive
US invades Iraq; Human Genome Project completed
Gas: $1.59/galHome: $146,000Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"In Da Club" — 50 CentBest Picture: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
2005Could vote
Hurricane Katrina devastates New Orleans; YouTube launches
Gas: $2.30/galHome: $167,500Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"We Belong Together" — Mariah CareyBest Picture: Crash
2008Turned 21
Barack Obama elected first Black US president; financial crisis
Gas: $3.27/galHome: $153,100Min wage: $6.55/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Low" — Flo RidaBest Picture: Slumdog Millionaire
2017Turned 30
#MeToo movement; solar eclipse crosses the US
Gas: $2.42/galHome: $195,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Shape of You" — Ed SheeranBest Picture: The Shape of Water
2026Age 39 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Set a world record (55.98 seconds) to win the gold medal in the 100-meter butterfly at the 2012 London Olympics.
- Won five Olympic gold medals across three separate Olympic Games (2004, 2012, 2016).
- Became the first American woman to officially swim the 100-meter butterfly in under 56 seconds.
- Returned to win an Olympic gold medal (4x100m medley relay) just 17 months after giving birth to her son.
Did You Know?
She was born with two extra vertebrae in her back, which she believes contributed to her flexibility and powerful kick.
Vollmer was a member of the U.S. team that broke the world record in the 4x200m freestyle relay at the 2004 Olympics while she was still in high school.
She publicly advocated for and successfully pushed for rule changes to allow breastfeeding athletes to have their infants at competitions.
“I want to show women and moms that you can still be fierce and strong and go after your dreams.”
