Amanda Beard is now an icon both inside and outside of the pool, becoming much more than the 14-year-old Olympic gold medalist with the teddy Bear. At 14 in 1996, Amanda made her first Olympic swimming debut, winning one Gold and two Silver medals, which set the tone for the rest of her career. She went on to win another Gold medal, two Silvers and a Bronze at the next two Olympic Games. Beard also holds an impressive eight national titles and is a former world record holder.

When Beard isn’t swimming, her energy is focused on being a mom to son Blaise and building her brand. She connects with mothers and fans through her blog, Swim Like a Mom, where she actively shares her passion for raising her son, journey of motherhood, favorite recipes, secret to staying in great shape, in addition to her Olympic experience. As a huge advocate for living a healthy life and taking care of herself, Amanda is also currently a partial owner in Mission Skincare Products, a line designed for people with active lifestyles. The company endorses super stars, such as Dwayne Wade, Serena Williams and many other high-profile athletes.

In April 2012, Amanda released her first book, New York Times bestseller In The Water They Can’t See You Cry, a riveting memoir revealing the truth behind the Olympic spotlight, the battles that she fought along the way and her new found happiness in love and motherhood. Touring coast to coast, Amanda stays busy talking about her book, hosting swim clinics, endorsing products, speaking at events and making appearances in top national media outlets, like the Today Show, Dr. Phil, Access Hollywood, CNN, USA Today, FOX Sports and more.

Amanda recently participated in the 2012 Olympic Trials in July 2012. Although she missed qualifying for what would have been her fifth Olympic Games, Amanda plans to continue blogging, supporting her skincare product line and current sponsors, growing her family and training for the 2016 Olympic Games.