View source for Anthony Nesty

{{Short description|Surinamese swimmer (born 1967)}}
{{redirect|Nesty|the reggaeton producer|Nesty (producer)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=September 2021}}
{{Infobox swimmer
| name           = Anthony Nesty
| image          = Anthony Nesty 2025 (cropped).jpg
| image_size     = <!-- Only for images narrower than 220 pixels -->
| alt            = 
| caption        = Nesty in 2025
| full_name      = Anthony Conrad Nesty
| nicknames      = 
| national_team  = Suriname
| birth_date     = {{Birth date and age|1967|11|25|mf=y}}
| birth_place    = [[Port of Spain]], Trinidad and Tobago
| death_date     = 
| death_place    = 
| height         = 5 ft 11 in
| weight         = 172 lb
| strokes        = [[Butterfly swimming|Butterfly]]
| club           = 
| collegeteam    = [[Florida Gators swimming and diving|University of Florida]] (U.S.)<br>B.A. 1994
| medaltemplates = 
{{MedalSport | Men's swimming}}
{{MedalCountry | {{SUR}}}}
{{MedalCompetition | [[Swimming at the Summer Olympics|Olympic Games]]}}
[[File:Olympic rings.svg|center|80px]]
{{MedalGold  | [[1988 Summer Olympics|1988 Seoul]] | [[Swimming at the 1988 Summer Olympics - Men's 100 metre butterfly|100 m butterfly]]}}
{{MedalBronze | [[1992 Summer Olympics|1992 Barcelona]] | [[Swimming at the 1992 Summer Olympics - Men's 100 metre butterfly|100 m butterfly]]}}
{{MedalCompetition | [[FINA World Aquatics Championships|World Championships (LC)]]}}
{{MedalGold | [[1991 World Aquatics Championships|1991 Perth]] | 100 m butterfly}}
{{MedalCompetition | [[Pan Pacific Swimming Championships|Pan Pacific Championships]]}}
{{MedalGold | [[1989 Pan Pacific Swimming Championships|1989 Tokyo]] | 100 m butterfly}}
{{MedalCompetition | [[Pan American Games]]}}
{{MedalGold | [[Swimming at the 1987 Pan American Games|1987 Indianapolis]] | 100 m butterfly}}
{{MedalGold | [[1991 Pan American Games|1991 Havana]] | [[Swimming at the 1991 Pan American Games|100 m butterfly]]}}
{{MedalSilver | [[1991 Pan American Games|1991 Havana]] | [[Swimming at the 1991 Pan American Games|200 m butterfly]]}}
{{MedalBronze | [[Swimming at the 1987 Pan American Games|1987 Indianapolis]] | 200 m butterfly}}
{{MedalCompetition | [[Goodwill Games]]}}
{{MedalGold | [[1990 Goodwill Games|1990 Seattle]] | [[1990 Goodwill Games|100 m butterfly]]}}
}}
{{Infobox college coach
| name               =  
| image              =  
| alt                =
| caption            =  
| current_title      =
| current_team       =
| current_conference =
| current_record     =
| contract           =
| birth_date     =   
| birth_place    =  
| death_date     =  
| death_place    =  
| spouse         =  
| alma_mater     = University of Florida 
| player_years1      =  
| player_team1       =  
| player_positions   =  
| coach_years1       = 1996-1998 
| coach_team1        = Swim Florida Swim Club  
| coach_years2       = 1998-1999 
| coach_team2        = [[Florida Gators swimming and diving|U of Florida]]<br>Asst. Men's Coach 
| coach_years3       = 2004 
| coach_team3        = Suriname National Swim Team  
| coach_years4       = 2006-present 
| coach_team4        = '''[[Florida Gators swimming and diving|U of Florida]]''' 
| coach_team5        = Suriname Olympic Team  
| coach_years5       = 2008 
| coach_team6        = U.S. National Team<br>2011 World Univ. Games 
| coach_years6       = 2011 
| coach_team7        = U.S. Olympic Men's Team<br>Asst. Coach 
| coach_years7       = 2021 
| coach_team8        = U.S. Olympic Men's Team<br>Named Head Coach in '23 
| coach_years8       = 2024  
| overall_record     =  
| bowl_record        =
| tournament_record  =
| championships      = 8 SEC Titles  
| awards             =  
| coaching_records   =
}}
[[File:Anthony Nesty Sporthal, 2.jpg|thumb|235px|Anthony Nesty Sporthal, [[Paramaribo]]]]
[[File:Médaille commémorative 2008 - anthony nesty.jpg|thumb|235px|Commemorative medal of 20 [[Surinamese dollar|SR$]], 2008]]
'''Anthony Conrad Nesty''' (born November 25, 1967) is a former competition [[swimming (sport)|swimmer]] from [[Suriname]] who was an Olympic gold medallist in the 100-metre [[butterfly swimming|butterfly]] event in [[1988 Summer Olympics|1988]]. He is currently the head coach of the [[Florida Gators swimming and diving|Florida Gators men's and women's swim team]] at the [[University of Florida]], where he attended school.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://floridagators.com/coaches.aspx?rc=896&path=swimmingdiving-men |title=Anthony Nesty - Men's Swimming & Diving Coach |website=floridagators.com |publisher=University of Florida |access-date=April 25, 2019}}</ref>  

In September 2023, Nesty was named the Head Coach for the US Men's Swimming team at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris.<ref name=24Olympics>{{Cite web|url=https://virginiasports.com/news/2023/09/21/todd-desorbo-named-2024-u-s-olympic-womens-swimming-team-head-coach/|title=Todd DeSorbo Named 2024 US Olympic Women's Swimming Team Head Coach|date=21 Sep 2023}}</ref>

== Early years ==
Anthony Nesty was born in [[Port of Spain]] in 1967,<ref name=sroprofile>{{cite Sports-Reference |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/ne/anthony-nesty-1.html |title=Anthony Nesty |access-date=June 4, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200417163836/https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/ne/anthony-nesty-1.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=2020-04-17}}</ref> the youngest of five children in his family.  Nesty's family migrated to Suriname when he was seven months old, and he started swimming at the age of 5.  Nesty trained and competed in Suriname and the Caribbean through the beginning of his teenage years. He represented Suriname along with his sister, Pauline, at the [[1983 Pan American Games]].<ref name=s322>Stutgard, Ricky W. (1990) [http://www.dbnl.org/tekst/stut004eers01_01/stut004eers01_01.pdf ''De eerste Surinaamse sportencyclopedie (1893–1988)'']. Alberga, Paramaribo. {{ISBN|9991494936}}. p. 137</ref>  After placing twenty-first in the 100-metre butterfly at the [[1984 Summer Olympics]] in Los Angeles at just 16 years old, Nesty enrolled in [[The Bolles School]] in Jacksonville, Florida, a prep school with an athletic program known for training elite, world-class swimmers.  While training under Bolles coach [[Gregg Troy]], Nesty broke the prep school 100-yard butterfly record held by [[Pablo Morales]].<ref name=ishofprofile>{{cite web |url=http://www.ishof.org/Honorees/98/98anesty.html |title=Anthony Nesty (SUR) |website=ISHOF.org |publisher=[[International Swimming Hall of Fame]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101124074446/http://www.ishof.org/Honorees/98/98anesty.html |archive-date=November 24, 2010 |access-date=July 23, 2011}}</ref> Breaking Morales's record was the beginning of prominent successes for Nesty. He graduated from the Bolles School in 1987.<ref name=bolles>{{cite web |url=http://www.bolles.org/page.cfm?p=915 |title=Bolles Olympic Medalists |publisher=The Bolles School, Athletics |access-date=March 6, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150707225559/http://www.bolles.org/page.cfm?p=915 |archive-date=2015-07-07}}</ref>

== International swimming career ==
Nesty returned to international competition at the [[1987 Pan American Games]] in Indianapolis, Indiana, winning a gold medal in the 100-metre butterfly and a bronze medal in the 200-metre butterfly.<ref name=ishofprofile/>

At the [[Swimming at the 1988 Summer Olympics|1988 Summer Olympics]] in Seoul, Korea, Nesty edged American favorite [[Matt Biondi]] by one one-hundredth of a second to win the [[Swimming at the 1988 Summer Olympics - Men's 100 metre butterfly|100-metre butterfly]]; he finished the event in 53.00 seconds and Biondi in 53.01.<ref name=sroprofile/>  Nesty is the only Olympic medal winner from [[Suriname]]<ref>{{cite web |url=https://olympics.com/en/athletes/anthony-conrad-nesty |title=Anthony Conrad Nesty |website=Olympics.com |access-date=August 18, 2021}}</ref> and after winning his Olympic gold medal, he was unbeaten in the 100-metre butterfly event for three years. Nesty was the first black male athlete and only the second black athlete to win an individual Olympic medal in swimming following [[Enith Brigitha]] at the [[1976 Summer Olympics]], and only the second South American swimmer to win an Olympic gold medal after [[Alberto Zorrilla]] in the [[1928 Summer Olympics]].

Nesty's victory in Seoul was a momentous social and political event for Afro-Caribbeans.  The Suriname government commemorated his gold-medal performance on a stamp and on gold and silver coins.  A 25-guilders bank note portraying an illustration of a butterfly swimmer was printed in his honor.  [[Surinam Airways]] named one of its planes after Nesty (this plane was [[Surinam Airways Flight 764|destroyed in an accident while operating as Surinam Airways Flight 764]]),<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19890607-2 |title=ASN Aircraft accident McDonnell Douglas DC-8-62 N1809E Paramaribo-Zanderij International Airport (PBM) |website=aviation-safety.net}}</ref> and the indoor stadium in [[Paramaribo]] was renamed for him.

Nesty won gold medals in the 100-metre butterfly at the [[Goodwill Games]] in 1990 and the [[FINA World Aquatics Championships]] in 1991.  At the 1991 [[Pan American Games]] in Havana, Cuba, he again won a gold medal in 100-metre butterfly and a silver in the 200-metre butterfly.<ref name=ishofprofile/>  He attempted to defend his 1988 Olympic gold medal in the 100-metre butterfly at the [[Swimming at the 1992 Summer Olympics|1992 Summer Olympics]] in Barcelona, Spain, but finished with a third-place bronze.<ref name=sroprofile/> At the [[2008 Summer Olympics Parade of Nations]] of the [[2008 Summer Olympics]] in [[Beijing]], while long retired from competition as an athlete himself, Nesty was invited to be Suriname's [[List of flag bearers for Suriname at the Olympics|flag bearer]] at the opening ceremony.

Nesty was inducted into the [[International Swimming Hall of Fame]] (ISHOF) as an "Honor Swimmer" in 1998,<ref name="ishofprofile" /> and the [[List of University of Florida Athletic Hall of Fame members|University of Florida Athletic Hall of Fame]] as a "Gator Great" in 2002.<ref>{{cite web |title=Gator Greats |url=http://www.gatorfclub.org/hall-of-fame/greats |access-date=December 15, 2014 |website=gatorfclub.org |publisher=F Club, Hall of Fame}}</ref><ref name=gatorzone>{{cite web |date=April 4, 2002 |title=Nine Former Gators Named to UF Hall of Fame |url=http://www.gatorzone.com/story.php?id=4231 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924050234/http://www.gatorzone.com/story.php?id=4231 |archive-date=2015-09-24 |access-date=July 21, 2011 |website=GatorZone.com}}</ref>

== College swimming career ==
After winning his gold medal in Seoul, Nesty accepted an athletic scholarship to attend the [[University of Florida]] in Gainesville, Florida, where he enjoyed a successful swimming career with the [[Florida Gators swimming and diving]] team under coach [[Randy Reese]] and coach Skip Foster from 1989 to 1992.  During his four years of [[National Collegiate Athletic Association]] (NCAA) competition, he won three consecutive NCAA individual championships in the 100-yard butterfly (1990, 1991, 1992), one in the 200-yard butterfly (1990), and one as a member of the team's 400-yard medley relay team (1991), and received sixteen [[All-American]] honors. Nesty also won eleven [[Southeastern Conference]] (SEC) titles—five in individual races and six as a member of Gators relay teams.<ref name=ufmediaguide>{{cite web |url=http://web.gatorzone.com/swimmingdiving/media/2009/pdf/85_history.pdf |title=Gator History & Records |work=UF Swimming & Diving 2009–2010 Media Guide |publisher=University Athletic Association, Gainesville, Florida |pages=88–89, 90, 92–93, 96–97, 99, 102–105, 107, 117 |date=2009 |access-date=June 4, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110711081413/http://web.gatorzone.com/swimmingdiving/media/2009/pdf/85_history.pdf |archive-date=2011-07-11}}</ref>

Nesty graduated from the University of Florida with his bachelor's degree in 1994.<ref name=ufprofile>{{cite web |url=http://web.gatorzone.com/swimmingdiving/coaches.php?sport=swimm&coach=nesty.html |title=Anthony Nesty |publisher=GatorZone.com, Swimming & Diving Coaches |access-date=June 4, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120402034906/http://web.gatorzone.com/swimmingdiving/coaches.php?sport=swimm&coach=nesty.html |archive-date=April 2, 2012}}</ref>

== Coaching career ==
In the mid 1990s, Nesty returned to the Bolles School as a member of the swim coaching staff, while also serving as head coach at Nease High School in Jacksonville.<ref name=gatorzone/>

Nesty was named the Assistant Men's Coach for University of Florida in 1998 and associate head coach for the Florida Gators men's swimming team in 2006.<ref name="ufprofile" />  On April 13, 2021, the university announced that Nesty would henceforth also be head coach of the Florida Gators women's swimming team.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.swimmingworldmagazine.com/news/anthony-nesty-to-coach-florida-women-after-jeff-poppells-departure/ |title=Anthony Nesty to Coach Florida Women After Jeff Poppell’s Departure |website=SwimmingWorldMagazine.com |first=Andy |last=Ross |date=April 13, 2021}}</ref> In November 2021, [[Caeleb Dressel]] would move under Nesty's college group at the University of Florida from his former long-time coach [[Gregg Troy]]. Notable swimmers currently under Nesty's direction include [[Katie Ledecky]], [[Robert Finke|Bobby Finke]], and [[Kieran Smith]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-11-16 |title=Caeleb Dressel Announces Move To Train Under Anthony Nesty At Florida |url=https://swimswam.com/caeleb-dressel-announces-move-to-train-under-anthony-nesty-at-florida/ |access-date=2022-05-01 |website=SwimSwam |language=en-US}}</ref>

In June 2021, Nesty was named Assistant Coach to the U.S. Men's Olympic Swim Team.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://floridagators.com/news/2021/6/21/mens-swimming-diving-anthony-nesty-named-assistant-coach-to-the-mens-us-olympic-swim-team.aspx |title=Anthony Nesty named assistant coach to the men's US Olympic swim tesportsam |website=FloridaGators.com |first=Bridgette |last=Underwood |date=June 21, 2021}}</ref> In February 2022, he was named Head Coach of the U.S. Men's Swim Team for the 2022 FINA World Championships in Budapest.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.swimmingworldmagazine.com/news/nesty-and-desorbo-named-us-coaches-for-2022-world-championships/ |title=Nesty and DeSorbo Named U.S. Coaches for 2022 FINA World Championships |website=SwimmingWorldMagazine.com |first=Ashleigh |last=Shay |date=February 14, 2022}}</ref>

In September 2023, Nesty was named the Head Coach for the US Men's team at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, France, with [[Todd DeSorbo]] as Women's Head Coach.<ref name=24Olympics>{{Cite web|url=https://virginiasports.com/news/2023/09/21/todd-desorbo-named-2024-u-s-olympic-womens-swimming-team-head-coach/|title=Todd DeSorbo Named 2024 US Olympic Women's Swimming Team Head Coach|date=21 Sep 2023}}</ref>

== See also ==
{{Portal|Biography|Olympics}}
* [[Florida Gators]]
* [[List of Olympic medalists in swimming (men)]]
* [[List of University of Florida alumni]]
* [[List of University of Florida Olympians]]
* [[List of University of Florida Athletic Hall of Fame members]]
* [[List of World Aquatics Championships medalists in swimming (men)]]

== References ==
{{Reflist|colwidth=30em}}

== External links ==
* {{Olympedia}}
* {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120402034906/http://web.gatorzone.com/swimmingdiving/coaches.php?sport=swimm&coach=nesty.html |title=Anthony Nesty – University of Florida coach profile at GatorZone.com}}
* {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101124074446/http://ishof.org/honorees/98/98anesty.html |title=Anthony Nesty (SUR) – Honor Swimmer profile at International Swimming Hall of Fame}}

{{S-start}}
{{s-sports|oly}}
{{succession box
| before = [[Siegfried Cruden]]
| title  = [[List of flag bearers for Suriname at the Olympics|Flagbearer]] for {{SUR}}
| years  = [[1988 Summer Olympics|Seoul 1988]]
| after  = [[Tommy Asinga]]
}}
{{succession box
| before = [[Letitia Vriesde]]
| title   =[[List of flag bearers for Suriname at the Olympics|Flagbearer]] for {{SUR}}
| years = [[2008 Summer Olympics|Beijing 2008]]
| after = [[Chinyere Pigot]]
}}
{{S-end}}

{{Footer USA Swimming 2020 Summer Olympics}}
{{Footer USA Swimming 2024 Summer Olympics}}
{{Footer Olympic Champions 100 m Butterfly Men}}
{{Footer World LC Champions 100m Butterfly Men}}
{{Footer Pan Pacific Champions 100m Butterfly Men}}
{{Footer Pan American Champions 100 m Butterfly Men}}
{{Footer CAC Champions 100m Butterfly Men}}
{{Florida Gators swimming and diving coach navbox}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Nesty, Anthony}}
[[Category:1967 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Florida Gators men's swimmers]]
[[Category:Expatriate swimmers in the United States]]
[[Category:Male butterfly swimmers]]
[[Category:Medalists at the 1988 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Medalists at the 1992 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:National swimming team coaches]]
[[Category:Olympic bronze medalists for Suriname]]
[[Category:Olympic gold medalists for Suriname]]
[[Category:Olympic bronze medalists in swimming]]
[[Category:Olympic swimmers for Suriname]]
[[Category:Pan American Games bronze medalists for Suriname]]
[[Category:Pan American Games gold medalists for Suriname]]
[[Category:Pan American Games silver medalists for Suriname]]
[[Category:Pan American Games gold medalists in swimming]]
[[Category:Pan American Games silver medalists in swimming]]
[[Category:Pan American Games bronze medalists in swimming]]
[[Category:Surinamese male swimmers]]
[[Category:20th-century Surinamese sportsmen]]
[[Category:Swimmers at the 1983 Pan American Games]]
[[Category:Swimmers at the 1984 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Swimmers at the 1987 Pan American Games]]
[[Category:Swimmers at the 1988 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Swimmers at the 1991 Pan American Games]]
[[Category:Swimmers at the 1992 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:World Aquatics Championships medalists in swimming]]
[[Category:Olympic gold medalists in swimming]]
[[Category:Bolles School alumni]]
[[Category:Competitors at the 1986 Central American and Caribbean Games]]
[[Category:Central American and Caribbean Games gold medalists for Suriname]]
[[Category:Central American and Caribbean Games medalists in swimming]]
[[Category:Goodwill Games medalists in swimming]]
[[Category:Competitors at the 1990 Goodwill Games]]
[[Category:Medalists at the 1987 Pan American Games]]
[[Category:Medalists at the 1991 Pan American Games]]
[[Category:Sportspeople from Paramaribo]]
[[Category:Coaches at the 2024 Summer Olympics]]