Clark Burckle

Who is Clark Burckle?

Christopher Clark Burckle, Jr. is an American competition swimmer who specializes in breaststroke and medley events. He competed in the 200-meter breaststroke at the 2012 Summer Olympics.

Burckle was born in Louisville, Kentucky. He attended St. Xavier High School in Louisville, and was a member of St. Xavier Tigers Sharks high school swim team. He was raised in an athletic family. His father Chris swam at the University of Louisville and his mother Jill played tennis for the University of California, Santa Barbara and Indiana University. His older sister Caroline swam for the University of Florida and was an Olympic bronze medalist.

Burckle initially attended the University of Florida in Gainesville, Florida, where he swam for coach Gregg Troy's Florida Gators swimming and diving team in National Collegiate Athletic Association competition from 2006 to 2008. For his senior year in 2010, he transferred to the University of Arizona in Tucson, Arizona, where he swam for the Arizona Wildcats swimming team. Burckle won the NCAA championship in the 200-yard breaststroke while at the University of Arizona, helping the Wildcats to a third-place team finish at the NCAA national championship in 2010.