Lenny Krayzelburg is a swimmer who has competed for the United States. He competed at the 2000 and 2004 Summer Olympic Games.
Krayzelburg was widely regarded as the world's top backstroker in the early 2000s. At his first Olympics in 2000, he seized a lead on the initial length and fought off a sprint challenge from the home favorite Matthew Welsh for a gold in the 100 metres backstroke with a new Olympic record. His winning time of 53.72 slashed 0.14 seconds off a mark set by Jeff Rouse in Barcelona 1992. Few days later, he surged past his teammate Aaron Peirsol by more than half a second to touch the wall first with an Olympic record time of 1:56.76. Krayzelburg became the fourth swimmer to strike a backstroke double (100 and 200) at the Games, following Roland Matthes, John Naber, and Richard Carey. He also helped the U.S. men's team of Ed Moses, Ian Crocker, and Gary Hall put together a blazing finish to defend their 4x100 metres medley relay title for the fourth straight streak with a world record time (3:33.73).
Four years later in Athens, Krayzelburg returned to his second Games as the defending champion in the 100 metres backstroke, but he lost the title to Peirsol and barely missed the podium by 0.02 of a second. He redeemed to swim through the backstroke leg in the heats of the 4x100 metres medley relay before Peirsol replaced him on the U.S. men's team that defended the title for the fifth time in the final.
Olympic Results[]
| Year | Event | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | Men's 100m backstroke | 
|
| Men's 200m backstroke |
| |
| Men's 4x100m medley relay |
| |
| 2004 | Men's 100m backstroke | 4th |
| Men's 4x100m medley relay |
|
2000[]
| Discipline | Round | Time | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 100 metres backstroke | Heats | 54.38 | |
| Semifinal | 54.32 | ||
| Final | 53.72 | OR | |
| 200 metres backstroke | Heats | 1:58.40 | OR |
| Semifinal | 1:57.27 | OR | |
| Final | 1:56.76 | OR | |
| 4x100 metres medley relay | Heats | 3:38.59 (Reserve) |
|
| Final | 3:33.73 (53.87 split) |
WR |
2004[]
| Discipline | Round | Time | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 100 metres backstroke | Heats | 54.87 | |
| Semifinal | 54.63 | ||
| Final | 54.38 | ||
| 4x100 metres medley relay | Heats | 3:35.10 (54.27 split) |
|
| Final | 3:30.68 (Reserve) |
WR |