Swimming one 10-kilometer open water race in a summer is an achievement. Swimming two or three is impressive. Swimming 50 within 30 days, each in a different state is an incredible feat—and one that Lake Forest College alum Joe Zemaitis and his brother John did this summer.
The duo, known as the Swim Brothers, swam a different 10k open water course in a different state every day (sometimes twice a day) from July 20 to August 13. They began in Hawaii and finished in Arizona, where they live.
Joe and John co-created Swim Brothers to promote water safety, drowning prevention, and competitive and open water swimming in local communities. They partnered with the USA Swimming Foundation to also raise money for their causes. As of August 2022, they successfully exceeded their $10,000 goal, raising $11,739 in total to fund USA Swimming Foundation programs that save lives and build champions.
Joe Zemaitis graduated Lake Forest College in 2002 and was a four-year letter winner in cross country and swimming and diving. In the pool, he set a pair of program records and was a two-year captain. He helped Lake Forest claim a pair of Midwest Conference championships, was named the team’s Most Valuable Performer as a senior, and finished his career with five conference titles (one individual, four relay). He was inducted into the Lake Forest College Athletic Hall of Fame in 2016.
Joe is now the founder, owner, and head coach of Swim Neptune, a swim club in Phoenix, Arizona area.