Olympic Gold Medalist Swims Chicago River to Fight ALS

When you've won four Olympic medals, what's next? For Blake Pieroni, it's swimming Chicago's urban waterway to help find a cure for a devastating disease.

The Chesterton native and Indiana University alum will dive into the Chicago River on September 20 as part of the Chicago River Swim. The event brings together hundreds of open water swimmers raising funds for ALS research, the same cause that sparked the viral Ice Bucket Challenge.

Pieroni's swimming resume shines bright. He competed on three Olympic teams in Rio, Tokyo, and Paris, collecting three gold medals and one silver. He also made history as the first person to break 1 minute 30 seconds in the 200-yard freestyle.

But this swim presents a whole new challenge. "It's hard because you have to look up and position yourself to make sure you're on course," Pieroni explains. "That's not something you ever do in a pool."

The Olympian trains three times a week for the river swim, his first attempt at navigating Chicago's famous waterway. He's already completed two other open water swims, though he admits this one feels different from pool competition.

Still, Pieroni keeps his signature good humor about the adventure. "I don't think it should be too difficult. It's not like it's in the ocean, not like massive waves to worry about or sharks, so I think it'll be alright."

Why This Inspires

What makes this story shine isn't just an Olympian taking on a new challenge. It's watching someone use their platform and passion to serve something bigger. Pieroni remembers when ALS awareness exploded during the Ice Bucket Challenge, and now he's channeling that same energy into action.

The Chicago River Swim represents something powerful: elite athletes and everyday swimmers uniting for hope. Every stroke through the water funds researchers working to crack the code on motor neuron disease. Every dollar raised brings science one step closer to answers for the thousands of families affected by ALS.

ABC7 Chicago will stream the entire event live from 6:30 to 10 a.m., making it possible for supporters nationwide to cheer on the swimmers. You can watch on ABC7Chicago.com, Disney+, or through ABC7's Connected TV apps.

When Olympic champions choose compassion over the podium, everybody wins.