Ashley Tappin (born December 18, 1974 in Marietta, Georgia) is an American swimmer and olympic champion. She competed at the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona, where she received a gold medal in 4 × 100 m freestyle relay (she participated in the heats, but not in the final). At the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney she received two gold medals, in 4 × 100 m medley relay, and in 4 × 100 m freestyle relay, again by participating in the heats only.
Tappin attended the University of Florida in Gainesville, Florida, where she swam for the Florida Gators swimming & diving team in National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) competition in 1993 and 1994.
Tappin is a veteran celebrity swimmer for Swim Across America (SAA), a charitable organization that raises funds for cancer research, and she has participated in three SAA events in Boston, Massachusetts.
Tappin, who retired from competitive swimming in 2001, is a three-time Olympic Gold Medalist. In the summer of 2003, Tappin established a non-profit organization called "Paddle and Paint" for the purpose of educating public school kids in the sixth grade on water safety and art appreciation. The project was done in conjunction with New Orleans Saints assistant coach Joe Baker at the UNO Lakefront Arena Natatorium.
During her time off, Ashley began a successful modeling career and was offered a part on Baywatch, which she refused when they moved the set from CA to HI. Now Head Coach of Women's Swimming and Diving at the University of New Orleans, Ashley has participated in three SAA events in Boston Harbor.
