Ricky Berens

Sport: Swimming

Nation: United States of America

DOB: April 21, 1988

Hometown: Charlotte, NC

Career Highlights: Having already secured spots in the 4x100- and 4x200-meter freestyle relay events in London, Berens also will race in the 200 free after Michael Phelps decided to drop the event. "To swim it individually is a whole different race and, if anything, it's going to be an experience and one of the most fun things I'll ever do," said Berens, who finished third at the U.S. trials, making him the first alternate. It will be the first individual Olympic race for Berens, who won gold as part of the 4x200 free relay team in Beijing along with Phelps, Ryan Lochte and Peter Vanderkaay. Berens, who dates fellow Olympian Rebecca Soni, also won gold as part of the 4x200 free relay at the 2011 world championships, and he was a member of the 4x200 free team that set a world record at worlds two years earlier. Berens earned a finance degree from the University of Texas in 2010.

Olympic History: 2008