Carey, "Rick" (Richard J.)
Swimming
b. March 13, 1963, Mt. Kisco, NY
Carey was harshly criticized by the press after appearing angry and dejected despite winning a gold medal in the 200-meter backstroke at the 1984 Olympics. He had hoped to break his own world record in the event.
He went on to win the 100-meter event as well. This time he showed his happiness and issued a formal apology, saying, "I found it very difficult to smile when my performance didn't live up to may expectations. By not breaking the world record I felt I had not only let myself down, but also the crowd." Carey won a third gold medal as a member of the 4 by 100-meter freestyle relay team.
As a high school senior, Carey won the national indoor 100- and 200-yard backstroke championships in 1981. He entered the University of Texas that fall and was the NCAA 200-meter backstroke champion from 1982 through 1984. He also won the 100-meter in 1983 and 1984.
In 1983, Carey set world records of 55.38 seconds in the 100-meter and 1:58.93 in the 200-meter backstroke, breaking marks set in 1976 by John Naber. At the Pan-American Games that year, he lowered the 100-meter record to 55.19 and he also won the 200-meter event.
Carey was the national outdoor 100-meter and 200-meter champion in the backstroke in 1985 and 1986; the indoor 100-yard champion in 1985; and the indoor 200-yard champion in 1985 and 1986 before retiring from competition.