United States 
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Cullen Jones is an American Olympic gold medalist and former competition swimmer specializing in freestyle sprint events, recognized for his significant achievements in the sport and his advocacy for water safety and diversity.
Jones partnered with Goldfish Swim School as an ambassador and role model, focusing on promoting water safety and diversity in swimming. He participated in their 'Safer Swimmer Pledge' campaign.
Cullen Jones signed a four-year swimwear endorsement deal with Speedo, becoming the face of their swim safety promotions and later joining their North American team as a Philanthropic Sales Manager.
In 2020, Cullen Jones assisted USA Swimming in forming Team BLAC, a group dedicated to providing expertise and strategic guidance to USA Swimming staff and leaders on diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Cullen Jones collaborated with Jolby & Friends, a creative studio, on a special project titled 'Art of the Cap'.
Phillips 66 sponsored a tour with Jones to raise awareness for water safety, providing grants to support reduction of drowning incidents nationwide.
Cullen Andrew Jones was born on Leap Day, February 29, 1984, in the Bronx, New York City. His introduction to swimming came after a near-drowning incident at Dorney Park & Wildwater Kingdom in Pennsylvania at the age of five. This experience motivated him to learn to swim, and he subsequently joined Metro Express, a club team in West Orange, New Jersey, before transferring to the Jersey Gators Swim Club in Cranford. Jones attended Saint Benedict’s Preparatory School in Newark, graduating in 2002. During his time there, he swam under coach Glenn Cassidy, establishing multiple Essex County swimming records.
Jones continued his swimming career at North Carolina State University from 2003 to 2006, where he majored in English and competed for the NC State Wolfpack swimming and diving team. His professional career began in the summer of 2006, marked by a contract with Nike. That same year, he quickly established himself at the 2006 Pan Pacific Swimming Championships, setting a meet record in the 50-meter freestyle with a time of 21.84 seconds. He was also a crucial member of the world record-breaking 4×100-meter freestyle relay team, alongside Michael Phelps, Neil Walker, and Jason Lezak. In 2007, Jones secured another gold medal in the 4×100-meter freestyle relay at the World Aquatics Championships with the same teammates.
His Olympic debut at the 2008 Beijing Games saw him win a gold medal in the 4×100-meter freestyle relay, setting a new world record. Jones is notably the first African-American swimmer to hold a world record in swimming. At the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, he further cemented his legacy, earning silver medals in the 50-meter freestyle and the 4×100-meter freestyle relay, as well as a gold medal in the 4×100-meter medley relay. The 2012 U.S. Olympic swim team, featuring Jones, Anthony Ervin, and Lia Neal, was the first U.S. Olympic swim team to include more than one Black swimmer, marking a historic moment for diversity in the sport.
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