GILCHRIST Kaleigh

United States of America
Water Polo
16 May 1992
29
Female
1.75/5'8''
NEWPORT BEACH, CA
 
United States of America
NEWPORT BEACH, CA
 
United States of America

Events and Medals

Discipline Event Rank Medal
WPO Water Polo Women
USA
United States
 1 Gold Medal

Schedule

Change
Start Time Location Event Status
Tatsumi Water Polo Centre
Women's Preliminary Round - Group B
#04
JPN
Japan
4
USA
United States
25
Finished
Tatsumi Water Polo Centre
Women's Preliminary Round - Group B
#06
USA
United States
12
CHN
China
7
Finished
Tatsumi Water Polo Centre
Women's Preliminary Round - Group B
#11
HUN
Hungary
10
USA
United States
9
Finished
Tatsumi Water Polo Centre
Women's Preliminary Round - Group B
#16
USA
United States
18
ROC
ROC
5
Finished
Tatsumi Water Polo Centre
Women's Quarterfinal
#24
CAN
Canada
5
USA
United States
16
Finished
Tatsumi Water Polo Centre
Women's Semifinal
#28
ROC
ROC
11
USA
United States
15
Finished
Tatsumi Water Polo Centre
Women's Gold Medal Match
#32
ESP
Spain
5
USA
United States
14
Finished

Biographical Information

Highlights

:
Olympic Games
RankEventYearLocation
1Women2016Rio de Janeiro, BRA

World Championship
RankEventYearLocation
1Women2019Gwangju, KOR
1Women2015Kazan, RUS

World League - Super Final
RankEventYearLocation
1Women2021Athens, GRE
1Women2018Kunshan, CHN
:
Kales, KG, Giggily [she got the nickname 'Giggily' while on holiday with fellow US water polo player Maggie Steffens' father Carlos. He called her Giggily and it stuck ever since]. (nbcolympics.com, 16 Jun 2016)
:
Surfing, travelling. (Facebook page, 24 Aug 2018)
:
Athlete, Business Owner
:
Communications - University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
:
Partner Tom Gehret
:
English
:
Adam Krikorian [national], USA
:
Centre forward (usawaterpolo.org, 10 May 2016)
:
Right (usawaterpolo.org, 10 May 2016)
:
Her father Sandy was a member of the University of Southern California swim team from 1964 to 1968 and represented Canada at the 1964 and 1968 Olympic Games. Her uncle Allen Gilchrist represented Canada in swimming at the 1948 and 1952 Olympic Games. (usawaterpolo.org, 15 Aug 2015; neontommy.com, 08 Apr 2016; nbcolympics.com, 05 Jun 2016; swimoutlet.com, 22 Sep 2016; SportsDeskOnline, 31 May 2021)
:
She has competed in surfing at elite level, and won the US U18 championship title in 2009 and 2010. She has represented the United States of America on the World Surf League Qualifying Series. (espn.go.com, 03 May 2016; mn2s.com, 01 Jan 2017; forbes.com, 25 Mar 2020)
:
She received deep lacerations to her leg that required surgery after she was out celebrating winning a gold medal at the 2019 World Championships in Gwangju, Republic of Korea. She was at the 'Coyote Ugly' nightclub near the athletes' village when a balcony collapsed, killing two people and injuring 16 more. Her teammate Paige Hauschild required stitches for an arm injury. (msn.com, 27 Jul 2019)
:
She began swimming at age five in Newport Beach, CA, United States of America. She started playing water polo at age eight or nine. (neontommy.com, 08 Apr 2016; USA Water Polo YouTube channel, 10 May 2016)
:
One of her friends encouraged her to try the sport. "I fell in love with water polo because I have never been the greatest swimmer. I loved the competitiveness of water polo and the idea that everybody is fighting for a common goal." (usawaterpolo.org, 10 May 2016; neontommy.com, 08 Apr 2016)
:
To win a gold medal at the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo, and to compete on the World Surf League Championship Tour. (kaleighgilchrist.com, 01 Jan 2018)
:
Winning a gold medal at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro. (medium.com, 24 Dec 2018)
:
US basketball player Kobe Bryant, US surfer Kelly Slater. (usawaterpolo.org, 15 Aug 2015)
:
Her family. (surfcitystillworks.com, 01 Jan 2020)
:
"I'm too positive to be doubtful, too optimistic to be fearful, and too determined to be defeated." (usawaterpolo.org, 15 Aug 2015)
:
In 2010 she was named the Orange County Register Athlete of the Year. (mn2s.com, 01 Jan 2017)

General Interest

General
SURFING VS WATER POLO
She grew up in the water, either in the swimming pool for water polo or at the beach for surfing. She excelled in both sports, and considered surfing as a profession after winning the U18 US championship title in 2009 and 2010. In 2013 she was invited to try out for the US national water polo team for the first time, but pulled out because of surfing contests in Peru and France. Later that year she was selected for the national water polo programme and decided to focus on the sport with the goal of competing at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro. She plans to switch her focus to surfing after competing at the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo. "I am thinking, try to make one more run in water polo in Tokyo. My dad actually swam in 1964 [Olympic Games] which was held in Tokyo, so that's some extra motivation. After that I'll be pretty satisfied in water polo and focus on surfing." (Facebook profile, 09 Dec 2019; neontommy.com, 08 Apr 2016; espn.go.com, 03 May 2016; nbcolympics.com, 05 Jun 2016; Surf Channel Television Network YouTube channel, 27 Jun 2018)

OTHER ACTIVITIES
She is the co-founder of Camps4Champs alongside US water polo player Kami Craig, which runs water polo camps for athletes. She also owns a clothing brand called I Miss South Central, which sells nostalgic t-shirts. She has served as a member of the USA Surfing High Performance Committee and has been an ambassador for non-profit cancer support community The Young and Brave Foundation. (medium.com, 24 Dec 2018; LinkedIn profile, 01 Aug 2017; mn2s.com, 01 Jan 2017)

Legend
:
Gold Medal
:
Gold Medal Event
:
Silver Medal Event
:
Bronze Medal Event
Content 1 (removed through CDN)
Content 2 (removed through CDN).
Timing and scoring provided by OMEGA. Results powered by Atos