Brooke Forde

Brooke Forde, born on March 4, 1999, is an accomplished American swimmer who has made significant strides in the sport from a young age. Growing up in a family deeply rooted in athletics, with her father being a sportswriter and her mother a former swimmer at Northwestern University, Brooke was naturally drawn to swimming. Her early exposure to the sport, coupled with the influence of her older brothers, who also swam at the NCAA Division I level, set the stage for her remarkable journey.

Forde began her swimming career at Lakeside Swim Club in Louisville, Kentucky, where she quickly made a name for herself. By the age of eight, she had already set her first Kentucky state record, and the following year, she achieved the best age-group time in the U.S. for the girls' 50m butterfly. Her talent flourished at Sacred Heart Academy in Louisville, where she not only won multiple state championships but also earned recognition as the national high school girls' swimmer of the year.

After receiving numerous NCAA Division I offers, Forde chose to attend Stanford University, where she was welcomed by Olympic gold medalist Katie Ledecky during her recruiting visit. At Stanford, she was a vital member of two NCAA championship teams and secured four individual NCAA titles. In 2021, she was honored as the Pac-12 Conference scholar-athlete of the year in women's swimming and diving, graduating with a degree in human biology.

Forde's swimming career continued to thrive as she took advantage of the extra year of eligibility granted by the NCAA due to the COVID-19 pandemic. She remained at Stanford for the 2021–22 season, pursuing a master's degree in epidemiology while continuing to compete. At the 2020 United States Olympic Trials, she finished sixth in the 200m freestyle, ultimately qualifying for the relay team at the 2020 Olympics, where she earned a silver medal as part of the preliminary 4x200-meter freestyle relay team.

In addition to her Olympic success, Forde showcased her prowess at the 2021 NCAA Division I Women's Swimming and Diving Championships, winning the 400m individual medley, her fourth overall title. She also finished fourth in the Women's 500 yard freestyle at the 2022 NCAA Championships, further solidifying her status as a leading swimmer in the United States.