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Kathleen Baker transitioned from a collegiate swimming standout to an Olympic medalist, leveraging her athletic achievements and personal story to inspire others. She recently partnered with Peloton to share her training methodologies and promote active lifestyles.
Golden Road Brewing signed a multi-year partnership with USA Swimming in July 2019, marking the first-ever alcohol sponsorship for USA Swimming, and Kathleen Baker became a brand ambassador.
Speedo USA announced the addition of two-time Olympic Medalist and World Record holder Kathleen Baker to their team of sponsored athletes. She also launched 'SPEEDO POOL TOGETHER', a fundraiser for the entire month of March.
Kathleen Baker teamed up with Peloton, encouraging users to train with her through curated class stacks on the Peloton App as part of their Champions Collection.
Kathleen Baker partnered with Hayward Pools, discussing her experience with Crohn's disease and Olympic training during an interview about the partnership.
Named in an article: 'For Love of the Sport: A Feature on Kathleen Baker'.
Named in an article: 'For Love of the Sport: A Feature on Kathleen Baker'.
Named in an article: 'For Love of the Sport: A Feature on Kathleen Baker'.
Named in an article: 'For Love of the Sport: A Feature on Kathleen Baker'.
Kathleen Baker, born on February 28, 1997, in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, is an American competition swimmer specializing in freestyle and backstroke events. Her early life included attending Forsyth Country Day School before being homeschooled, which allowed her to train extensively with SwimMAC Carolina. In 2010, Baker was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease, a challenge she openly discusses as part of her journey. She then attended the University of California, Berkeley, where she competed for the California Golden Bears swimming and diving team for three years, from 2015 to 2018. During this time, she consistently showcased her talent, becoming a school record-holder in various backstroke and individual medley events.
Baker’s professional career began to take shape with significant achievements on both national and international stages. At the 2014 Phillips 66 Nationals, she earned a spot on the Pan Pacifics team, and later qualified for the 2015 World Championships in the 100-meter backstroke. A pivotal moment in her career was the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio, where she won a silver medal in the 100-meter backstroke and a gold medal as part of the 4×100-meter medley relay team. She continued her success at the 2017 World Championships, securing three medals, including gold in the 4×100-meter medley relay, where her team set a new world record of 3:51.55. She also briefly held the world record in the individual 100-meter backstroke in 2018 with a time of 58.00 at the Phillips 66 Championships.
Following her collegiate career, Baker decided to turn professional in August 2018, foregoing her final year of eligibility at Cal-Berkeley. Her career progression has been marked by sustained high performance and a commitment to using her platform for advocacy, particularly around Crohn’s disease. She has been recognized with the key to her hometown of Winston-Salem and has been a recipient of academic honors such as CSCAA Scholar All-American. Her journey highlights dedication, resilience, and the ability to maintain peak athletic performance while managing a chronic health condition, making her an influential figure in and out of the pool.
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