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For One Senior, Four More Medals

Swimmer Roy Perkins shines in London.

November/December 2012

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For One Senior, Four More Medals

Photo: Andrew Fielding/USPresswire

For all the success of Stanford students and alums in London this summer, no Cardinal Olympian came close to matching the medal haul of swimmer Roy Perkins, '13. Racing in freestyle, butterfly and backstroke events, the senior collected four medals—two bronze and two silver—at the 2012 Paralympics, adding to the gold and bronze he won in Beijing four years ago.   Born without hands and feet, Perkins played all manner of sports growing up, including soccer and basketball. He learned to swim only at age 12, but was soon competing at the highest levels. His secret, he says, is largely mental: "I have always been able to swim my best at the most important meets." After stopping by the White House with his fellow athletes, the earth systems major returned to Stanford ready to focus on school, though the call of the pool continues. "It's definitely not too soon to be thinking about Rio 2016."

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