<p id=”par-1_49″>The U.S. Men’s Swim Team has been dominant at the <a href=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/tag/olympics/?swcfpc=1″>Olympic</a> Games for decades thanks to legendary <a href=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/tag/sports/”>swimmers</a> like Ryan Lochte, Nathan Adrian, and <a href=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/entertainment/how-many-olympic-medals-michael-phelps.html/”>the GOAT Michael Phelps</a>. Without those <a href=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/tag/celebrity-athletes/”>icons</a> in the 2020 Tokyo Games, Caeleb Dressel filled in nicely winning the gold while setting Olympic records. </p>
<p id=”par-2_62″>At the 2024 Paris Games, newcomer Jack Alexy competed in his first Olympics. Right out of the gate he, along with Dressel, Chris Guiliano, and Hunter Armstrong collected a gold medal for Team USA in the 4×100 meter freestyle relay. As they jumped around and celebrated their win, fans noticed a tattoo on Jack’s back and immediately wanted to know the story behind it. </p>
<p id=”par-3_14″>Here’s more about the swimmer and the reason he has a bear tattoo. </p>
<h2 class=”wp-block-heading” id=”h-jack-alexy-comes-from-a-family-of-athletes”>Jack Alexy comes from a family of athletes</h2>
<figure class=”wp-block-image size-full” id=”emb-1″><img decoding=”async” src=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Jack-Alexy-and-other-members-of-Team-USA-Team-celebrate-after-winning-gold-in-the-Mens-4x100m-Freestyle-Relay-Final-1-1.webp?strip=all&quality=80″ alt=”Jack Alexy and other members of Team USA Team celebrate after winning gold in the Men’s 4x100m Freestyle Relay Final” class=”wp-image-3693802″><figcaption class=”wp-element-caption”>Jack Alexy and other members of Team USA Team celebrate after winning gold in the Men’s 4x100m Freestyle Relay Final | Ian MacNicol/Getty Images</figcaption></figure>
<p id=”par-4_21″>Jack Alexy was born on Jan. 19, 2003, in Morristown, New Jersey to parents Lynn (nee Ebben) and Matthew Alexy. </p>
<p id=”par-5_19″>Jack has three siblings Kate, Max, and Rob. He attended Delbarton School before enrolling in the University of California Berkeley. </p>
<p id=”par-6_41″>Jack’s father is a graduate of the University of Massachusetts Amherst and earned a degree in Economics. Matthew has worked for Lehman Brothers and Goldman Sachs. Today, he serves as the director of Corporate Risk Solutions at TD Securities. </p>
<p id=”par-7_50″>While Matthew is one of his son’s biggest supporters, Jack takes after his mother when it comes to collegiate athletics. Lynn was also an athlete in school. She was a star guard for the Notre Dame women’s basketball team in the ’80s and won a pair of conference titles. </p>
<p id=”par-8_33″>Jack’s grandfather, Bill Ebben, also played sports. He spent time in the NBA after being drafted in the third round by the Detroit Pistons and was a member of the team from 1957-58.</p>
<h2 class=”wp-block-heading” id=”h-why-jack-has-a-bear-tattoo”>Why Jack has a bear tattoo</h2>
<figure class=”wp-block-image size-full” id=”emb-2″><img decoding=”async” src=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Jack-Alexy-looks-on-after-Team-USA-wins-the-gold-medal-in-the-4x100m-during-the-Swimming-Finals-1.webp?strip=all&quality=80″ alt=”Jack Alexy’s tattoo is visible as he looks on after Team USA wins the gold medal in the 4x100m Swimming Finals” class=”wp-image-3693804″><figcaption class=”wp-element-caption”>Jack Alexy’s tattoo is visible as he looks on after Team USA wins the gold medal in the 4x100m Swimming Finals | Tim Clayton/Corbis via Getty Images</figcaption></figure>
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<p id=”par-9_22″>Now for those fans who went online asking if there’s a story behind the bear tattoo on Jack’s back, there is. </p>
<p id=”par-10_26″>Members of Cal’s swim team have a long-standing tradition of getting the school’s golden bear mascot tattooed on them if they score points in the NCAAs.</p>
<p id=”par-11_32″>Jack did not record any points as a freshman in his individual event. The following season, he focused more on his diet, his training, and his whole mindset, and became very successful.</p>
<p id=”par-12_69″>“I was approaching every practice with that mindset and question of asking myself, what do I do today in these next two hours that I have in the water to make an Olympic team or make a world team or win an Olympic medal,” the swimmer recalled to <a href=”https://www.nbcsports.com/olympics/news/jack-alexy-swimming” target=”_blank” rel=”noreferrer noopener”>NBC Sports</a>, before adding, “If I didn’t have that failure, I wouldn’t have been able to get to where I am now.”</p>
<p id=”par-13_16″>After the 2023 World Championships, Jack finally got the Golden Bear tattooed behind his left shoulder.</p>