University of California Athletics

As one of the top backstrokers in the world, Bengt Baron earned All-America honors all four years at Cal from 1982 to 1985. He won an Olympic gold medal in 1980 in the 100 back and came back to win a bronze medal in 1984 as part of Sweden's 400 free relay. Baron was an Olympic finalist in '84 in the 100 back and 100 fly. He set the Swedish national record in the 100 back that stood for 19 years until broken in 1999. Baron won 33 national titles at the Swedish national championships. He finished second in the 100 back at the NCAA meet his freshman year in '82, breaking the Golden Bears’ school record. Baron won seven Pac-10 gold medals as an individual or on a relay, including the 1985 backstroke crown. He was part of Cal's NCAA winning 400 free relay and 800 free relay teams in 1985. He finished with a 3.7 GPA at Cal and earned an NCAA Top 10 Scholar-Athlete Award, an NCAA Post Graduate Scholarship and a Pac-10 Medal for Exceptional Achievement in 1985.