Katie Hoff is a formidable contender in multiple events for the 2008 Olympic Games and is on her way toward being one of the most decorated swimmers in her sport. Her strongest events are the 200 and 400 individual medley and she holds the American record in the 200 meter individual medley at 2:10.05. She was also world record holder in the 400 meter individual medley until being beaten out by Stephanie Rice at the Australian Swimming Championship in March 2008. Born in Stanford, California where her mother played basketball for Stanford University, Hoff has since transplanted to Towson, Maryland where she has trained with Olympic Gold Medalist Michael Phelps and currently trains with Paul Yetter at the North Baltimore Aquatic Club.
Hoff was the youngest swimmer on the 2004 Olympic team where she took home two golds in the Trials despite a disappointing performance at the actual Games (overall 7th place in the 200 meter individual medley and 17th place in the 400 meter medley). During the Beijing Games she will be 19 and no longer the youngest swimmer. At the 2005 World Championships, Hoff set a Championships Record for her time of 2:10.41 in the women's 200m individual medley. She received two more gold medals at the competition, one in the 400m medley and the other for the 4x200m freestyle. Other stand out performances included first place in the 200 meter, Free and 400 meter individual medley’s at the 2006 Pan Pacific Swimming Championships, two golds and a silver at the 2006 U.S. Nationals and three golds at the 2007 World Championships.
Hoff enjoys writing in her limited spare time and plans to pursue a degree in journalism or broadcasting. Her pet cause is combating illiteracy and she has volunteered for literacy programs in the Baltimore school district. She has attracted an impressive line up of corporate sponsors including Speedo, Visa, Playtex and Omega watches. In fact, Speedo issued Hoff their longest contract in the brand’s history which will run through the 2016 Olympics; they will also be paying her college tuition when she is ready. Hoff was recognized by Teen People as one of “twenty teens who will change the world” in 2006.
