Name: McKenzie Coan
Sport: Swimming
Event(s): 50-meter Freestyle, 100-meter Freestyle, 400-meter Freestyle, 100-meter Backstroke, 50-meter Butterfly
Classification: S7, SB6, SM7
Height: 4-3
DOB: 6/14/1996
Birthplace: Clarkesville, Ga.
Hometown: Clarkesville, Ga.
High School: Homeschooled
College: Loyola University Maryland ’18, Political Science
Coach(es): Head Coach: Brian Loeffler, Assistant Coach: George Kennedy
Paralympic Experience
  • Three-time Paralympian (2012, 2016, 2020); Six-time Paralympic medalist (4 golds, 2 silver)
  • Paralympic Games Tokyo 2020, gold (400-meter freestyle), 4th (100-meter backstroke), silver (100-meter freestyle), 7th (50-meter butterfly)
  • Paralympic Games Rio 2016, gold (50-meter freestyle, 400-meter freestyle, 100-meter freestyle), silver (34 pt. 4x100-meter freestyle relay), 5th (100-meter backstroke), 6th (50-meter butterfly)
  • Paralympic Games London 2012, 6th (400-meter freestyle)
World Championship Experience
  • Most recent: 2022 (GOLD, 400-meter freestyle, 100-meter freestyle, 50-meter freestyle; SILVER, mixed 4x100-meter freestyle relay 34pt.; BRONZE, 100-meter backstroke)
  • Years of Participation: 2015, 2017, 2019, 2022
  • Medals: 16 (8 gold, 7 silver, 1 bronze)
  • Gold – 2022 (400-meter freestyle, 50-meter freestyle, 100-meter freestyle); 2019 (100-meter freestyle, 400-meter freestyle); 2017 (100-meter freestyle, 50-meter freestyle, 400-meter freestyle)
  • Silver – 2022 (34 pt. 4x100-meter freestyle) 2019 (50-meter freestyle, 34 pt. 4x100-meter freestyle, 34 pt. 4x100-meter medley); 2017 (50-meter butterfly); 2015 (34 pt. 4x100-meter freestyle)
  • Bronze – 2022 (100-meter backstroke)
Personal: Coan’s swimming career began with aquatic therapy in 2001 having been diagnosed with osteogenesis imperfecta (brittle bone disease) as a child...She quickly joined the swim team at her local pool after seeing how much fun her brothers had being on the team and her resume continues to have new additions...Daughter of Marc and Teresa Coan...Has two brothers, Grant and Eli...Enjoys photography, travelling, spending time with friends and dogs, and reaching out to kids with similar disabilities through her organization, 'Kenzie Kares'...In 2021, published a memoir entitled “Breaking Free: Shattering Expectations and Thriving with Ambition in Pursuit of Gold."...Loves reading political philosophy and her favorites are the works of Aristotle and John Locke...Has three dogs, a German shepherd named Zeus, a toy poodle named Hershey and a Yorkie named Chewie...Favorite movie series is Harry Potter...Works at her alma mater, Loyola University Maryland, in issues related to Title IX and will pursue law school in the fall of 2021 while she continues her swimming career.