Making a Splash: Cullen Jones

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CULLEN JONES SPRINTED his way to a gold medal at the Beijing Olympics, but his introduction to the water wasn't so golden: He nearly drowned at a water park on an inner tube ride. Jones' mom immediately stuck her 5-year-old in swimming classes.

But many other kids, especially minorities like Jones, never get those lessons. Drowning is a leading cause of death for America's youth — and black children ages 5 to 14 face triple the drowning threat of white children.

"African-Americans have been told black people don't swim," explains Jones, who launched the Cullen Jones Diversity Tour last week in D.C. He hopes early exposure can change these views (and rates of childhood obesity). Scared? All the more reason to dive in. "It's a skill that can save your life," he says.

Jones' schedule — five hours of pool time a day, plus lifting sessions and plenty of cross-training (including volleyball) — would be going off the deep end for most folks. So, he advocates laps as a full-body workout that's easy on the joints and accessible for all ages. "Go with a friend and race," he suggests. "It's fun to win, even if you're not competitive."

Photo by Jamie Squire for Getty Images