21-time World Championship medalist Mallory Burckle (née Comerford) and Olympic finalist Clark Burckle have welcomed their first child, Wynn Elizabeth Burckle, born Sunday, May 25th.
The couple announced the news in a joint Instagram post, writing: “Our hearts have never been so full — we love you so much, sweet girl.”
Mallory Burckle, 27, swam collegiately for the University of Louisville from 2015 to 2019. During her NCAA career, she won three consecutive national titles in the 200-yard freestyle (2017–2019) and added a title in the 100-yard freestyle in 2019. Notably, she tied with Katie Ledecky for the 2017 NCAA title in the 200 freestyle and, in 2018, became just the second swimmer in history to break the 1:40 barrier in that event, clocking a 1:39.80.
Her breakout moment on the global stage came at the 2017 U.S. National Championships in Indianapolis, where she won the 100-meter free in a U.S. Open record time of 52.81, edging 2016 Olympic Champion Simone Manuel. Later that summer, Burckle delivered a 52.59 relay lead-off leg at the World Championships in Budapest—an American record at the time—and walked away with five relay gold medals.
Burckle continued to be a fixture on the U.S. National Team, competing at the 2018 Pan Pacific Championships, 2018 Short Course Worlds, and the Long Course Worlds in 2019 and 2022. She earned a total of 14 relay golds across short course and long course World Championships.
Individually, Burckle earned a silver medal in the 200 free and a bronze in the 100 free at the 2018 Short Course World Championships. She was also named the 2017 Golden Goggles Breakout Performer of the Year. Although she never qualified for a U.S. Olympic Team, she bounced back from a disappointing showing at the 2021 Olympic Trials—where she missed the semifinals in the 100 butterfly and placed 14th in the 100 free—by finishing 6th in the 100 free at the 2022 International Team Trials. That result earned her a prelims spot on the 4×100 free relay at the World Championships, where the U.S. team went on to win silver.
She has not officially announced her retirement, but has not competed since 2022.
Clark Burckle, 37, began his collegiate career at the University of Florida before transferring to the University of Arizona for his senior year. In 2010, he captured the NCAA title in the 200 breaststroke, helping the Wildcats place 3rd overall at the NCAA Championships.
Burckle qualified for the 2012 U.S. Olympic Team by placing 2nd at Trials in 2:09.97 and went on to finish 6th in the final at the London Games, where he clocked a personal best of 2:09.11 in the semifinals.
After concluding his competitive swimming career at the 2013 U.S. Nationals, he earned an MBA from Stanford University in 2015 and worked in sports media with Nielsen and FloSports. He later returned to Louisville to help manage the family-owned Blairwood Tennis, Swim & Fitness Club and the Louisville Tennis Club. Following the sale of both clubs in early 2023, he co-founded Reimagine Golf alongside Mallory; they both currently serve as managing partners and part owners.
Watch out Olympics 2044 !
Best “feel-good” story of the day on this site. Congrats to the proud parents.