ANNAPOLIS, Md. –– Olympic Gold Medalist Rowdy Gaines will return to Annapolis this week to serve as the analyst for Thursday's Army-Navy swimming and diving meet.  He will be joined on the Lejeune Hall pool deck by Navy play-by-play announcer Pete Medhurst.

The meet will begin at 5 p.m. and be streamed on ESPN+.

This will be the fourth time Gaines will call the Army-Navy meet after having done so in 2015, '17 and '19.  The preeminent voice of and ambassador for the sport, he recently announced swimming for NBC Sports at his eighth Olympic Games and has been the analyst for the NCAA Championship meets for two decades.

"Rowdy is the voice of the world of swimming and has had such an incredible impact in the sport, from world record holder to broadcaster," said Navy women's swimming head coach John Morrison.  "To have, Rowdy Gaines support and call this meet is so special.  It pays homage to our incredible student-athletes and service communities and raises the acknowledgment of how special of a meet this is."

"We are so appreciative that Rowdy Gaines is going to call the 2021 edition of the Army-Navy swimming and diving meet this week," said Navy men's swimming head coach Bill Roberts.  "His contributions to our sport are at the highest level so it is a true honor to share the Lejeune Hall pool deck with him on Thursday night.  He will no doubt elevate the energy and excitement of the meet and the day."

"Rowdy was amazing in the pool," said Medhurst, who has been part of Navy announcing teams for two decades and in recent years has worked as a radio announcer for the Washington Nationals, "and he's become even more of an icon and ambassador for the sport as a broadcaster.  To be able to work alongside him as I've done for this meet multiple times now is always humbling and a tremendous thrill."

A native of Florida, Gaines attended Auburn where he won eight NCAA event titles and earned 22 All-America certificates.  After qualifying for the boycotted 1980 U.S. Olympic Team, Gaines qualified for the 1984 Games in Los Angeles.  He would set an Olympic record in winning the 100 freestyle final and earn two more Gold Medals as a member of victorious 400 freestyle and 400 medley relay teams.  

The 1981 World Swimmer of the Year is a member of both the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame and the International Swimming Hall of Fame.  This fall he was named by Swimming World Magazine as one of the top 100 college men's swimmers.