Lenny Krayzelburg glides through the water- his muscular arms acting like powerful oars as he swims the backstroke at record speeds. The 6'2" Olympic champion won three gold medals for the United States at the 2000 Games, breaking two Olympic records in the process. Although Lenny makes swimming at breakneck speeds look easy, doing so took years of tireless training. Moreover, his quest for Olympic gold included a struggle for freedom that carried his family from the former Soviet Union- where Jews faced discrimination behind the Iron Curtain of communism- halfway around the globe to the United States. The family immigrated in 1989 when Lenny was 13.

Today, Lenny lives in Southern California, where he trains five hours a day, hoping to qualify for the 2004 Olympics, to be held this August in Athens, Greece. That same determination carried him to Israel to compete in the Maccabiah Games in 2001, when other athletes were reluctant to go because of security concerns. We caught up with Lenny before his morning swim and dove right into this interview.

BABA: Hi, Lenny. What do you like best about swimming?

LENNY: I like that it teaches you personal responsibility and self-commitment. Swimming is an individual sport, and success depends on each swimmer. I know that if I don't swim well, I must look within myself to see how I'm going to improve.

BABA: Why did your family leave the Soviet Union when you were a teenager?

LENNY: We left for better opportunities. The United States offers everyone opportunities to achieve their dreams and be successful. Here, people are free to become whoever they want to be. When my family left the Soviet Union, we didn't have that opportunity. But we also fled the Soviet Union for religious reasons. Growing up as a Jew in the Soviet Union wasn't easy. On more than one occasion, I faced anti-Semitism and was called names in schools. Jews weren't accepted at many universities and finding good jobs was difficult. My parents faced that kind of prejudice, and they didn't want their kids to suffer as they had.

BABA: What do you like most about living in America?

LENNY: I especially like the freedom of religion. I'm very proud of being Jewish, and I'm involved with a lot of Jewish and Israel-related organizations. For example, I'm spokesperson for the U.S.-Israel "Citizenship Through Sports" Student Athlete Exchange Program, an organization that teaches American and Israeli high school athletes how to become better citizens using values taught in sports. I cherish that I'm free to learn about Judaism here- to go to synagogue on Yom Kippur and to visit my friend's sukkah on Sukkot. In the Soviet Union, my family wasn't able to do these things.

BABA: Why is freedom so precious to you?

LENNY: A lot of people in America take freedom for granted, because they've grown up in a free society, where they can say whatever they want and do whatever they want. But there are people all around the world who don't have that freedom. It's important that kids realize they have something very special in this country. It's a unique thing to have freedom and to wake up every morning and not worry that a college won't accept you because of your religion. You don't get that in too many places around the world, even today.

BABA: How did you feel when you won three gold medals at the 2000 Olympics?

LENNY: It's so special knowing that my parents made this big sacrifice for us to come to this country, and that they were rewarded by seeing their child achieve. Swimming in the Olympic Games and winning the gold medal is the highest achievement I'll ever get in my sport- it's like reaching Mount Everest. And I was able to do that three times in six days.

BABA: What did it mean to you to travel to Israel in 2001 to compete in the Maccabiah Games?

LENNY: Visiting the Jewish homeland was very special. First of all, I had never been to Israel. What also made it important is that the Intifada [Palestinian uprising] had just started, and there was talk of canceling the Maccabiah Games. For me, it was important to go and show support for Israel. I wanted the Israelis to know that I care about them and that I was coming to compete, even during tough times.

BABA: Thanks, Lenny. Good luck with your Olympic training!

By the Numbers
3—Number of gold medals that Lenny won at the 2000 Olympics
5—Amount of hours that he trains each day
53.72—Number of seconds it takes Lenny to swim the 100-meter backstroke
2001—Year that Lenny competed in the Maccabiah Games in Israel
2—Number of times he’s been named Swimmer of the Year by USA Swimming (1999 and 2000)
1995—Year that Lenny became a U.S. citizen

Going for the Gold
Meet five other famous Jewish Olympic medalists:

• Basketball player Larry Brown helped the U.S. team win the gold in 1964. This summer he’ll return to the Olympics as coach of the U.S. Men’s Basketball Team.
• Gymnast Kerri Strug vaulted her way into sports history in 1996 on an injured ankle, helping the U.S. Women’s Gymnastics Team earn the gold.
• Gymnast Mitch Gaylord earned a silver medal and two bronze medals in 1984, and became the first American to score a perfect “10” in an event.
• Skater Sarah Hughes surprised the world when her flawless routine took the gold at the 2002 Olympics.
• Swimmer Mark Spitz won more gold medals in a single Olympics than any other athlete at the time, earning seven gold medals in 1972.