Meet one of your 2026 ISHOF Honoree Ceremony Co-Emcees, Sam Dorman
Sam Dorman finished his career with a national championship in the 3M dive / Courtesy JC Ridley / Miami Athletics
Olympic silver medalist diver inducted into UM Athletics Hall of Fame
Shared from by Miami Hurricane
by: Bella Armstrong
May 2, 2026
Sam Dorman post-dive at the 2018 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, credit: Getty Images
After climbing out of the pool at the 2016 Summer Olympics, Sam Dorman threw up The U.
A small gesture — easy to miss if you weren’t looking for it — but intentional. That moment before he was crowned an Olympic silver medalist wasn’t just about the enormity of what he had accomplished; it was an honor to everyone and everything that got him to that point.
Now, ten years later, Dorman’s name was etched into the University of Miami Athletics Hall of Fame. It’s a permanent honor for a career built on years of sacrifice for singular moments that never lasted long enough.
Diving, unlike its athletes, doesn’t stretch. It doesn’t linger.
It compresses.
Years of training collapse into seconds in the air and into a single splash that decides everything.
Dorman spent nearly two decades building toward that compression.
At the Olympics, it lasted less than a minute. He earned a silver medal alongside synchro partner Mike Hixon, stood on the podium under the American flag, listened to raucous cheering — but then it was over.
“There’s really no such thing as a professional diver,” Dorman said. “The Olympics is it.”
Unlike other sports, where there are stages of professional leagues that feed into one that will sustain careers for decades, divers don’t have that option. The Olympics are not the beginning of something bigger, nor are they a stepping stone.
The Olympics are the end.
It’s bittersweet. You spend your whole life working towards this competition, and, in turn, it throws cold water on your face to remind you that time’s almost up.
But decades before all of that inevitability, diving didn’t feel like something that would eventually end.
For the Olympian, it started as a game.
Growing up in the Arizona heat, Dorman spent his childhood summers in a family friend’s backyard pool, where the earliest version of diving looked a lot more like play than pursuit. A red ball would be tossed into the water, and Dorman, balanced on someone’s back, would watch the dive before trying it himself.
Sam Dorman throws up The U at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, credit: Miami Athletics via X
No judges, no scores, no consequence for missing.
Just the feeling of cutting cleanly into the water.
Somewhere along the way, that feeling evolved into a hunger for more.
The game became repetition, repetition became expectation and expectation became identity.
That momentum took him all the way to various national and world championships.
While diving for UM, he was crowned the 2015 NCAA champion in the 3-meter springboard with a score of 529.10 points, setting an NCAA record as the first diver to ever exceed the 500-point mark.
At UM, under longtime head coach Randy Abelman and assistant coach Dario di Fazio, who has since taken over the program, diving continued to sharpen into something precise, controlled and demanding.
By this point, diving had long since stopped being something Dorman did. It had become integral to who he was.
And then, abruptly, it wasn’t anymore.
“Post-Olympic depression is real,” Dorman said. “I spent 19, 20 years training for one hour of competition. Once that’s over, what happens next?”
But that’s the cycle every diver finds themselves tumbling through eventually.
There’s no slow fade into the truth — just a finish line you don’t realize you’ve crossed until you’re already standing on the other side of it.
Nearly a decade after his first and only Olympic medal, Dorman laughs when he talks about life after it — what’s changed and what remains. He’s happy, working for a company that manufactures diving springboards and still spending time in the pool — for fun now, rather than pushing the limits of physics in a body that once felt more like weaponry than anything else.
But freedom, without structure, can feel like falling — except this time, there’s no water waiting to catch you.
Which is why being honored for his career carries its own kind of weight.
It’s a strange contradiction. Diving is a sport defined by movements and routines that begin and end in the span of a few seconds, but have the potential to be remembered forever.
There is a timer on every diver’s career. The human body can only handle so much twisting, so much compressing, until it’s time to walk away for good.
Maybe that’s where the meaning of it all settles. The pool is fixed, even if the career that unfolded within it never was.
“I wouldn’t trade it for anything,” Dorman said. “If I could do it all over again, I wouldn’t change a thing.”
The injuries, the pressure, the tears and the heartbreak were worth the joy he found in the deep end of a pool.
He paused. Just for a second.
“I just hope I represented Miami well,” Dorman said. “I owe them a lot.”
Now, with his place in Miami’s legacy secured, those moments no longer live only in recollection.
Some things are meant to be eternal, even in a fleeting sport like diving. That’s what the hall of fame does — it gives permanence to a career built on moments that vanished almost as soon as they happened.
Sam Dorman will be co-hosting the ISHOF Honoree Induction weekend this coming Friday and Saturday, May 15 and 16 with Olympic Swimmer, Elizabeth Beisel. To buy your tickets, get them here. Only two days left!
Tickets for the ISHOF Class of 2026 Honoree Induction Ceremonies
WHEN: Saturday, May 16, 2026
WHERE: War Memorial Auditorium, 800 Northeast 8th Street, Ft. Lauderdale, FL, 33304
Tickets are NOW ON SALE ~ PURCHASE THEM HERE!
Developer’s Corner ~ May 2026
For those who may not be familiar, the ISHOF Redevelopment is a major public-private partnership between Capital Group P3 and the City of Fort Lauderdale with a single goal: to transform the Fort Lauderdale waterfront into an enduring, world-class destination. Anchored by the historic International Swimming Hall of Fame, the redevelopment will seamlessly blend elite aquatics, marine education, and vibrant public spaces — creating a dynamic environment for the community to gather, perform, compete, learn, and play. There has been a lot of curiosity surrounding the future of the Hall of Fame, and we want you to hear it directly from us: the best is yet to come.
This month marked an exciting milestone as Jon Whitehead of Deep Blue Attractions delivered a compelling presentation of the project’s planned joint attractions to the City of Fort Lauderdale Commission, with developer Mario Caprini in attendance.
The presentation highlighted three world-class experiences that will anchor the redevelopment:
The Aquarium will serve as one of the core ground-level attractions, centered around a massive 10,000-gallon tank. The visitor experience is built around a single unifying idea — that all life begins in water. Guests will start their journey immersed in the marine world, then follow a seamless pathway upward, naturally transitioning into the ISHOF Experience above.
The ISHOF Experience is at the soul of this redevelopment. Designed to be highly interactive, this elevated space will bring the Hall of Fame’s incredible legacy to life in ways never seen before — putting visitors face to face with the history, the athletes, and the sport they love. For the ISHOF community, this is the centerpiece of everything we are building.
Frameless — a groundbreaking immersive art experience that originated in London, where it has become one of the city’s most beloved attractions — rounds out the vision. Frameless projects iconic masterpieces from artists including Monet, Van Gogh, and Dalí onto walls, floors, and ceilings, surrounding visitors in colour, movement, and sound, adding a cultural dimension unlike anything currently in South Florida.
Together, these attractions will position Fort Lauderdale’s waterfront as a true destination — where aquatic heritage, marine wonder, and world-class art come together in one remarkable place.
We look forward to sharing more as the project continues to move forward!
“What Jon and the team presented to the Commission is just a glimpse of what’s coming. We’re bringing to life something entirely new for Fort Lauderdale.”
— Mario Caprini, Capital Group Ventures
After the Applause – May 2026 – Hungarian Superstar Agnes Kovacs ~ Honor Swimmer 2014
Honoree Questions for: Agnes Kovacs ~ May 2026
You were inducted in 2014, tell us what you have been up to since then?
Thank you, I am doing great. In 2015 I had another induction in the U.S., I was inducted into the Sun Devil Hall of Fame at Arizona State University where I spent 4 years as a student athlete. Both titles mean a lot to me.
In 2022 I got married and in the same year my second son arrived in the family, which is a highlight in our lives.
I finished my PhD studies at the Hungarian University of Physical Education in 2022 in the Department of Social Sciences. My research field was related to elite athletes and to sport media.
What do you do for work / as a profession?
I am a career coach; I earned my certificate from U.C. Berkely in 2017. I work for companies and for different organizations as a trainer and as a business coach in leadership programs and other fields as well.
I returned to the Hungarian University of Physical Education in 2026 as an assistant professor in the Department of Social Sciences. I teach sport communication and sport diplomacy for foreign students in English. I am also active in international sports diplomacy on behalf of the Hungarian Olympic Committee. I am the co-chair of the Budapest Olympic Committee. We are the only country in the all-time top 10 medal ranking who haven’t hosted a game yet. We hope this will change!
Are you still involved in swimming in any capacity?
I was the CEO of my own swimming academy for 8 years. It was great to be involved with the sport that I love, swimming. Under my leadership 15,000 kids learned to swim in our program. I am still so proud of my team for accomplishing this huge achievement in terms of quality and volume at the same time.
Do you still stay in touch with any swimming friends from your competition days, if so, who?
Yes, I keep in touch with fellow swimmers at national and international level. Globalization, especially social media, helps a lot with communication.
If you have children, do your kids swim, if yes, tell us about them, if no, tell us about what they are involved in (sports, arts, etc.)
My 14-year-old was swimming for 8 years and then he decided to choose another sport. My 3-year-old will start swimming next fall. Both have loved water from a very early age.
What is best memory of your days in swimming? (You can have more than one)
I always loved competing better than practicing. My favorite swim is from Sydney 2000 when my Olympic dream came true. My other big memory is from the 2006 European Championships which were held in my hometown of Budapest. I have competed in so many places before and finally it was magnificent to swim in front of the Hungarian audience and to celebrate the medals with them after the races.
Seeing the changes that have occurred in swimming/aquatics now versus when you were competing, do you wish you could have competed now, or are you glad you competed when you did and why?
I was happy being a swimmer back then and I would be happy to be a swimmer nowadays as well. There are always pros and cons about when is the best time, but what really matters to me is that my love for swimming is timeless.
Have you written a memoir/book about yourself, if yes, what’s the title and can our readers purchase it? If not, do you ever plan on writing a book?
I do not have a book yet, but I am planning on writing one.
Any advice to all the future want-to-be Olympic swimmers out there?
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Have big dreams, have goals, have ambitions, find a coach who believes in you and guides you, work hard and never ever give up!!!
As an Olympian, National Team Member, you travelled all over the world. What was your favorite place you visited, or your favorite meet to attend?
I love traveling and I love many places. My favorite one is still my home country Hungary, and my hometown Budapest. The best thing about traveling is to explore and then to return home. This is what I felt as a swimmer and this is what I still feel when I am traveling. We have hosted many huge swims meets – we will have the World Championships in Budapest again next year – and many other sport events. I hope one day we can host the Olympic Games as well, then the whole world can see our beautiful capital and the entire country as well.
We are all looking forward to visiting Agnes and her beautiful hometown of Budapest next Summer, as the city hosts the World Aquatics World Championships in 2027.
To read Agnes’s 2014 bio and watch her Honoree Induction speech, click here:
ISHOF’s First Corporate Swim Challenge
Last weekend ISHOF hosted the it’s very first Corporate Swim Challenge at the Fort Lauderdale Aquatic Center.
The event was held on Saturday, April 25, 2026 and had eight teams participating. The format was simple: Swim as many laps as you can in the 30-minute time frame.
All teams did GREAT!!!!
The winning team was FLLCF – For Life and Love CrossFit with a total of 44 laps.
First Place Winners: Matt, Andrew, Sean and Travis
Second Place: FLL CrossFit: (above photo) Jen, Judit, Scott and Diddy
Third Place (Tie) AquaCal (above photo)
Nick McCollum, Selah McCollum, Evie McCollum and Noelle McCollum
Third Place Tie: Hayes Locums
Michael Daniel, Kate Wilkerson, Chase Markowitz,
It was a great day for all and families, friends, and coworkers cheered on teams throughout the event. Guests and swimmers enjoyed the races while DJ Lanka from Lanka Entertainments LLC kept the energy high and motivated participants. Attendees also enjoyed cornhole, Connect Four, and Jenga while listening to music.
A BIG Thank you to our sponsors: Aquacal, Capital Group, Hensel Phelps, RMZ Law, Stoke, Fiduciary Trust, Hasty Awards, The CornerStone Group, and Tripp Scott, Hayes Locums and for all those who came out and swam for the TEAMS!
Thank you to everyone who joined us and we look forward to next year!
A Special shoutout to Devin Ginas for organizing, Rob Marvin for working the event and ISHOF Board, Tyler Beard for emceeing and taking on this event!
U.S. Divers Claim Three Gold Medals on Final Day of American Cup at Fort Lauderdale Aquatic Center
Share from USA Diving
Jack Ryan and Quinn Henninger
Photo Courtesy USA Diving
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – Three medals, three gold for Team USA.Three events, three golds for Sophie Verzyl.
The American Cup wrapped up Sunday with U.S. divers winning three more medals – all gold.In all, the U.S. won 10 medals – five gold, three silver and two bronze – throughout the four-day competition.
Verzyl won the individual women’s 3-meter gold medal on Sunday after winning gold in synchronized 3-meter and in the mixed 3-meter and 10-meter event earlier in the week.
Also on Sunday, Jack Ryan and Quinn Henninger won the gold medal in men’s synchronized 3-meter and Josh Hedberg won the men’s 10-meter contest .
Verzyl capped off an impressive week with 329.40 points for her 3-meter gold. She took the lead in round four and sealed the victory with 81.60 points on her front 2 ½ with 2 twists in the final round.
Great Britain’s Desharne Bent-Ashmeil came away with the silver at 303.60, and Australia’s Natalie Phan took bronze with 296.10 points.
USA’s Kyndal Knight scored 279.65 for sixth, and Margo O’Meara was eighth at 266.40.
Henninger and Ryan won gold in 3-meter synchro with 433.83 points, including more than 80 points on three of their four optionals. Their front 4 ½ tuck went for 90.06 points, and their front 2 ½ with 3 twists earned 88.92.
Ukraine’s Stanislav Oliferchyk and Kirill Boliukh claimed the silver with 397.47 points. USA’s Josh Sollenberger and Luke Sitz were third with 383.55, but the bronze medal went to Australia’s Sam Fricker and Ben Wilson. As the host country, the United States could enter two synchro teams, but only one could medal.Hedberg scored 474.80 to edge Ukraine’s Oleksii Sereda by 1.60 points for the gold. Great Britain’s Noah Williams took third with 428.65 points. Hedberg was consistent, scoring no lower than 73 points on any dive and having two go for more than 80 points – including 88.20 on a back 3 ½ pike.The U.S. had four other divers in the men’s 10-meter final. Leyton Dean finished fourth for Team USA with 420.95 points, and Max Weinrich scored 409.60 for sixth. Drew Bennett finished ninth and Nathaniel Grannis placed 11th.
Bayleigh Cranford and Ella Roselli finished fourth with 255.72 points in the women’s synchronized 10-meter contest, just 3.6 points behind bronze medalists Lois Toulson and Eden Cheng of Great Britain. Australia’s Lauren Flint and Laura Hingston scored 284.70 for gold, and Kseniia Bailo and Sofia Vystavkina of Ukraine came away with the silver.
ISHOF Specialty Awards to be presented Friday, May 15 in Fort Lauderdale
The International Swimming Hall of Fame (ISHOF) Specialty Awards are presented annually to individuals for outstanding contributions to aquatics. 2026 will be jam packed will a line-up a who’s-who from the aquatic world. As a kick-off to the ISHOF Honoree weekend, this year’s awards will be presented on Friday evening, May 15, 2026 in conjunction with the ISHOF Aquatic Awards, presented by AquaCal and MISHOF (Masters) Honoree Induction Ceremonies in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, USA.
This year’s 2026 ISHOF Specialty Award Recipients:
~The 2026 Every Child A Swimmer Award~
Pool Nation
The Pool Nation Podcast Team are true innovators and unifiers within the pool and spa industry and far beyond using their platform to bring people together, elevate voices, and spark meaningful change. Through authentic conversations and bold industry leadership, they have created a space where collaboration thrives and purpose leads. Their selfless commitment to raising awareness around drowning prevention and water safety is both powerful and deeply impactful, extending far beyond the microphone and into communities across the country. Leading with heart, the Pool Nation Podcast team is driven by a genuine desire to help others, give back, and use their influence to protect lives. By amplifying the mission of Every Child a Swimmer, they have helped give a voice to lifesaving work and inspired action throughout the industry. Their passion, generosity, and unwavering sense of purpose continue to make the pool industry safer, stronger, and more united.
About G. Harold Martin: Back in 1908, G. Harold Martin almost drowned in the Ohio River. Over the next two decades he nearly drowned two more times. From these experiences evolved a mission to make “Every Child A Swimmer.” His civic involvement led to the building of Fort Lauderdale’s first municipal pool in 1927. Kiwanian sponsored free swim lessons at the pool and eventually influenced the decision by ISHOF to be in Fort Lauderdale. An active Kiwanian his entire adult life, he was instrumental in making the Key Club an integral club within Kiwanis International and the adoption of Every Child A Swimmer as a Kiwanian project. It has since been taken over by ISHOF and become the spiritual mission.
~The 2026 Buck Dawson Author’s Award~
Katie Ledecky ~ co-recipient of the 2026 Buck Dawson Author’s Award
Just Add Water charts Ledecky’s life in swimming. It details her start in Bethesda, Maryland, where she played sharks and minnows and first discovered the joy of the pool; her early foray into the Olympics at the tender age of fifteen where, as the youngest member of the American team, she stunned everyone by winning her first gold medal; her time balancing competition and her education at Stanford University; how she developed a champion’s mindset that has allowed her to persevere through so many meets, even under intense pressure; and how she has maintained her dominance in a sport where success depends on milliseconds. You learn how every element of her life—from the support of her family to the tutelage of her coaches, from her childhood spent in summer league swimming to the bright lights of Olympic pools in London, Rio, and Tokyo—set her up to become the champion she is today.
Micki King and Elaine K. Howley ~ co-recipients 2026 Buck Dawson Author’s Award
In 1968, 24-year-old Maxine “Micki” King stood atop diving’s biggest stage poised to claim the gold medal in the women’s 3-meter event. She’d led for the entirety of the competition, but on the 9th of 10 dives, disaster struck and she finished in 4th place.
But destiny – and diving – was far from done with King, who went on to claim that gold in the 1972 Munich Games while pioneering a new leadership model for women in sports, the military, and public life.
In this inspiring recitation of her journey from suburban Michigan to the White House and beyond, King shares her tale of breaking boundaries and supporting athletes’ rights across the full spectrum of Olympic sports.
While King’s story is all because of diving, it isn’t just about diving; it’s about persistence, principle, and paving the way for others to achieve their fullest potential.
Elaine K. Howley is an award-winning freelance journalist and editor based in Boston, Massachusetts. A southern New Jersey native and a lifelong swimmer.
Howley holds a bachelor’s degree from Georgetown University and a master’sdegree in publishing and writing from Emerson College in Boston.Specializing in sports, health, and history topics, Howley’s freelance work hasappeared in TIME, U.S. News & World Report, AARP.org, espnW, and manyother publications. She is a frequent contributor to U.S. Masters Swimming’sflagship SWIMMER magazine and the UK-based open water swimmingpublication Outdoor Swimmer magazine.
Elaine’s first book-length memoir ghostwriting project, “A Life Aloft” completed with Tom Gompf and published by CG Sports Publishing in 2021, was awarded the 2023 Buck Dawson Authors Award from ISHOF.
About Buck Dawson: Dawson was a veteran of WWII who served as assistant and publicist for Generals Gavin and Ridgeway in the 82nd Airborne. From the time he was chosen to lead ISHOF in 1962, until his death in 2008, Buck traveled the world armed with Hall of Fame brochures, books, and bumper stickers.
~The 2026 John K. Williams, Jr. Adapted Aquatics Award ~
Beth Scalone (USA) — 2026 John K. Williams, Jr. Adapted Aquatics Award
Beth Scalone is a licensed physical therapist specializing in orthopedic and aquatic therapy. As the owner of North County Water & Sports Therapy Center it is her goal to provide quality one on one care to a variety of patients.
Beth is a Doctor of Physical Therapy and private practice owner with over 30 years of experience in aquatic and orthopedic physical therapy.She has a passion for problem solving and guiding her patients and clients back to doing the things they love. She has had the good fortune to share her experience with other aquatic therapists around the world. Beth finds that “treating and teaching keeps her curious, expands her knowledge and energizes her soul”.
~The 2026 Al Schoenfield Media Award ~
Ted Robinson (USA) — 2026 Al Schoenfield Media Award
Ted Robinson is a three-time Emmy award-winning sports broadcaster with a 45-year career spanning television and radio across global, professional and collegiate sports.
He has provided commentary on the last 15 Olympic Games, more than 60 professional Grand Slam tennis championships and as a lead play-by-play announcer for teams in the NFL, MLB and NBA.
His Olympic career has been highlighted by calling the diving competition in the last 6 Summer Games as well as the last 6 US Olympic Diving Trials with partner Cynthia Potter. In the first Summer Games he covered, Ted received a late assignment to cover Synchronized Swimming with partner Tracie Ruiz. In 2003, NBC/USA Swimming opened the door to aquatics with the chance to call the inaugural Duel in the Pool. Ted, partnered with Rowdy Gaines, went on to call the 2011 World Championships in Shanghai, the 2010 US National Championships, 2 Pan Pacific Championships and multiple years of USA Swimming Pro events, including Katie Ledecky’s first professional meet (Charlotte 2012.)
About Al Schoenfield: He was the Editor and Publisher of Swimming World Magazine (1960-1977) and served on various international committees of swimming, including the FINA Technical Swimming Committee (1980-1984). Schoenfield’s life was a commitment to swimming, and he participated in its administrative structure and spread its stories through his magazines and promotions. Al died in 2005, but his legacy will forever endure to all who have benefited from his lifetime of service to swimming.
About ISHOF
The International Swimming Hall of Fame (ISHOF) museum opened its doors to the public in December of 1968 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. That same year, the Fédération Internationale de Natation (FINA) – the governing body for Olympic aquatic sports – designated the ISHOF museum as the “Official Repository for Aquatic History”. Today, ISHOF’s vision is to be the global focal point for recording and sharing the history of aquatics, promoting swimming as an essential life-skill, and developing educational programs and events related to water sports.
For ISHOF Aquatic & Specialty Awards and Masters Induction Ceremony (Friday, May 15, 2026) Buy Tickets Here: AWARDSMASTERSTICKETS
For Saturday 61st Annual Honoree Induction,(Saturday, May 16, 2026) Buy Tickets Here: INDUCTIONTICKETS
HOST HOTEL:Embassy Suites 17 th St, 1100 S.E. 17 th Street, Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33316,Phone: 954.527.2700 / Hotel Nightly Rate: $219.Hotel Link:– Use this link to make hotel reservations:
Embassy Suites 17th Street, 1100 S. E. 17th Street, Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33316
Use QR Code to make your Hotel Reservations
Click link below to see all award winners
ASCA/ISHOF Coaches Clinic Featuring Honoree Gregg Troy: https://web.cvent.com/event/95f72cfc-f855-4e4d-bfb4-856f4b86ddc
ISHOF to celebrate Aquatic Awards presented by AquaCal as kickoff to Honoree weekend
The 2026 ISHOF Aquatic Awards presented by AquaCal will be truly international this year as the individuals represent four countries out of the five categories this year. The ISHOF Aquatic Awards are presented annually to individuals or organizations for outstanding contributions to aquatics. This year’s awards will be held Friday evening, May 15, 2026, as a kick off to the 61st Annual ISHOF Honoree Induction weekend in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, USA.
If you have not bought your tickets yet, get them now, sets are limited!!!!
The annual awards are a spectacular event that celebrates the unsung heroes who make competitive and recreational aquatics possible. These are the people who save lives, promote water safety and further aquatic education around the world. We are proud to recognize these important individuals at the International Swimming Hall of Fame.
About this year’s ISHOF Aquatic Awards presented by AquaCal
David Szanto (HUN) – Competitive Swimming
David Szanto has been involved with swimming dating back from the time he was an athlete. He currently serves as the Chief Operating Officer for the Hungarian Swimming Federation (Magyar Uszo Szovetseg). He also holds the role of COO for various major organizing committees, including those of the 2022 FINA World Championships and the upcoming Budapest 2027 World Aquatics Championships, to be held next Summer.
He has been a central figure in bringing major international swimming events to Hungary, serving as head of the local organizing committee, bringing multiple World Aquatic World Cups (2021, 2023) and the 2024 World Swimming Championships (25m).
Drew Johansen (USA) – Competitive Diving
Drew Johansen is only the third Coach to lead one of the most storied programs in the country: Diving at Indiana University. Johansen took over the IU program in 2013. He has been Head Coach for the U.S. Diving Team for the 2012, 2016, 2020 and 2024 Olympic Games. Prior to the appointments, Johansen spent ten years as a U.S. National Team Coach. Under Johansen’s direction, the United States took home one gold, five silver and four bronze medals, putting the U.S. team as the number two medal producer in the world.
Mary Black (SCO) – Artistic Swimming
96 year old Mary Black has spent a lifetime involved in synchronized swimming. She began by attending courses at the Crystal Palace in London and soon after, synchro was born in Scotland. Mary represented Scotland, performing overseas, including a demonstration at the 1970 Commonwealth Games.
By 1974 Mary was Chair of the International Synchronized Swimming Coaching Panel. Next, she became an international judge, where she served at numerous national and international synchro events, including the Commonwealth Games, Pan American Games, as well as many regional and national synchro championships. The pinnacle was when Mary was selected as event referee at four Olympic Games (1984, 1988, 1992, 1996).
Mary was a member of the FINA Technical Synchronized Swimming Committee almost continuously from 1984 to 1996. She was also the first woman to become President of the Scottish Amateur Swimming Association and the first person, male or female, to serve two terms.
Mary, along with husband Bill, developed the Judges’ Evaluation criteria document which evolved into the Synchronized Swimming Operating Manual used at all international competitions.
Leanne Barnes (AUS) – Water Polo
Leeann Barnes is all things Water Polo. She played on the Victorian State Team from 1975, leading to selection on the Australian National Team from 1978 to 1982. Next, she Barnes stepped into the vacated national coach role at the 1982 World Championships in Guayaquil, Ecuador, followed by the manager role with the Australian National team from 1983 to 1992. Barnes then joined the international committee pursuing the inclusion of women’s water polo onto the Olympic program, working tirelessly from 1982 until the success of that campaign in 1997. Leanne then stepped into leadership roles with the Australian women’s program from 1986 until 2008.
Barnes has been recognized in the Australian Honours system with the Order of Australia Medal OAM, in 2019, for services to water polo and women’s sport; and in 2021, with the Public Service Medal PSM, for services to local government and community, particularly in emergency management and resilience.
The New Jersey Swim Safety Alliance –Aquatic Safety
The New Jersey Swim Safety Alliance is a collaborative coalition dedicated to advancing water safety and preventing drowning across communities throughout New Jersey. Through strong partnerships with swim schools, public agencies, healthcare leaders, and community organizations, the Alliance works to expand access to swim education and promote evidence-based safety practices. Their efforts focus on innovative programs, public awareness, and policy solutions that help keep children and families safe around water. United by a shared mission, the Alliance believes collaboration is the most powerful tool in creating lasting, community-wide impact.
Together, they are building safer environments and saving lives through prevention, education, and action.
Please join us in celebrating these stellar individuals and their achievements on Friday, May 15, 2026 at the Embassy Suites, 1100 S.E. 17th Street., Fort Lauderdale, FL 33316; to purchase tickets, click here:
Use QR Code to buy tickets to Friday night, May 15th ISHOF Aquatic Awards, Specialty Awards and Masters Induction Ceremony
WHERE: Embassy Suites 17th Street, 1100 S. E. 17th Street, Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33316
WHEN: Friday, May 15, 2026
Tickets are NOW ON SALE ~ PURCHASE THEM HERE!
Click link below to see all award winners
HOTEL:
Make your Hotel reservations Now! The Host Hotel ~ Special Rate $219
Photo Courtesy: Embassy Suites Fort Lauderdale
Embassy Suites 17th Street, 1100 S. E. 17th Street, Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33316
Use QR Code to make your Hotel Reservations
Tickets for the ISHOF Class of 2026 Honoree Induction Ceremonies
WHEN: Saturday, May 16, 2026
WHERE: War Memorial Auditorium, 800 Northeast 8th Street, Ft. Lauderdale, FL, 33304
Tickets are NOW ON SALE ~ PURCHASE THEM HERE!
AquaCal® has been the leading swimming pool heat pump manufacturer since 1981, offering a full range of units to meet any heating need. AquaCal® can maintain anything from small above ground pools up to very large commercial facilities. (Currently heating and chilling the City of Fort Lauderdale’s Aquatic Center pools) The chillers, as well as the heat and cool units, can be used to create cold plunge pools for therapy too. Whatever your pool heating/cooling needs, AquaCal® can help!
For more information call Meg Keller-Marvin at 570.594.4367
#ISHOF #Aquaticawards #AquaCal #Swimming #Fortlauderdale #Diving #Waterpolo #Artisticswimming #Everychildaswimmer #swimlessons #WorldAquatics
Flashback Friday – 1923: Six World Record Holders and Five Honorees
Six World Record Holders after competing in the greatest water carnival, 1923 at the famed Broadripple Pool, Indianapolis (L to R) Ludy Langer, Charlotte Boyle, Johnny Weissmuller, Norman Ross, Robert L. Pearson, Ethelda Bleibtry.
Five of the six would become Honorees in the International Swimming Hall of Fame. What are the odds?
Reach what made each one of these Honorees so special and learn their about history.
Honoree Bios:
Johnny Weissmuller
https://ishof.org/honoree/honoree-johnny-weissmuller/
Ethelda Bleibtrey
https://ishof.org/honoree/honoree-ethelda-bleibtrey/
Norman Ross
https://ishof.org/honoree/honoree-norman-ross/
Charlotte Boyle
https://ishof.org/honoree/honoree-charlotte-boyle/
Ludy Langer
ISHOF Celebrates 2026 Masters International Swimming Hall of Fame Honoree Ceremony ~ Friday, May 15
The Masters International Swimming Hall of Fame Honoree Induction Ceremony will take place on Friday, May 15 and serve as a kickoff to the Honoree weekend along with the ISHOF Aquatic and Specialty Awards, presented that same evening. The Class of 2026 includes four Masters Swimmers, and one Masters Water Polo Player. We will also be inducting one Masters Swimmer and one Masters Artistic Swimmer from last year who were unable to attend.
MISHOF’s Class of Honorees includes swimmers, Ellen Reynolds (USA), Kirsten Cameron (NZL, AUS, GBR, NED), Eiji Nomura (JPN), Toshio Tajima (JPN) and Hiroshi Matsumoto (JPN), Artistic Swimmer, Joyce Corner* (CAN), and Water Polo Player, Georgy “Misha” Mshvenieradze. “It’s quite a remarkable group”, said Bruce Wigo, ISHOF Historian, and former CEO; “We look forward to welcoming them to Fort Lauderdale and celebrating them during our Honoree weekend!”
Kirsten CAMERON (NZE, AUS, GBR, NED) Masters Swimmer
Kirsten is still relatively new to Masters Swimming. She did not even begin swimming competitively until she was 30 years old. She joined a Masters Club in Wellington, New Zealand, and that was the beginning of her swimming career. Yet, at 52, she already has 24 Masters World Records and 1033 World Points. A New Zealander, who began competing in the 30-34 age group, she is currently swimming in the 50-54 age group.
Kirsten left New Zealand and is currently living and swimming in Eindhoven, Netherlands. Prior to that, she was in Great Britain, and has also swum for a Melbourne swim club. She enjoys open water swimming and was part of a group of masters swimmers who attempted to break the English Channel relay record. She has also competed on the Open Water World Cup Circuit. Since COVID saw her return to open water, most recently she has focused on longer events which have included completing Ulswater, Lake Zurich, Capri-Napoli and the challenging Vidosternsimmit and is planning to swim Lake Malawi.
Kirsten has attended three FINA World Championships, Stanford, 2006, Perth, 2008, and Gothenburg, 2010, swimming all freestyle events while winning all gold, 10 medals in total, breaking world records while doing it.
Eiji NOMURA (JPN) Masters Swimmer
Eiji Nomura of Japan began his Masters career swimming in the 30-34 age group. During his Masters career, he has competed in five age groups ranging from the 30-34 through the 50-54 age group. He has broken 22 FINA Masters World Records in the butterfly, freestyle, and I.M. events. He has 889 points and has been in the Top Ten 18 times.
In World Rankings, he has a combined total, long and short course, of 61 – Number 1, 21 – Number 2 and 18- 3 Number 3 in the butterfly, freestyle and I.M.
Nomura also holds many Japanese records, including the fastest 25m butterfly (Masters SC 40-44 men), 100m butterfly (Masters LC 40-44 men), 200m freestyle (Masters LC 45-49 men), 50m freestyle (Masters SC 45-49).
He has not competed in any FINA Masters World Championships, accumulating all of his 889 world points by breaking world records and setting world rankings.
Ellen REYNOLDS (USA) Masters Swimmer
Ellen Reynolds, new to the women’s 60-64 age group in 2024, has set an unprecedented 26 Masters World records this year between long course and short course meters, solidifying her legacy as an extraordinary Masters swimmer. She’s also been a part of five world-record-setting relays as a member of Team Redbird Masters.
Her records span a remarkable range, from the shortest sprints, like the 50 backstroke and fly, to the grueling 1500-meter freestyle, showcasing her versatility. Despite her impressive achievements, Ellen remains humble and focused on enjoying the sport.
One of the more interesting stats is that Ellen holds a world record in every event except the 50 free, 50 breast, 100 breast, and 200 fly. And she didn’t just break these world records—she demolished them by large margins.
Just as impressive, Ellen has balanced a demanding career as a pediatric surgeon with her swimming for many years, but has just retired in September after 25 years in the field. Her work ethic as a surgeon often influenced her approach to swimming. This year, Ellen isn’t just grateful for her fast swimming. She said, “I’d like to say thank you to all of the volunteers running the swim meets. I couldn’t have done it without them!”
Toshio TAJIMA (JPN) Masters Swimmer
Toshio Tajima is a Japanese Masters swimmer who competes in the breaststroke and butterfly events. He has broken a total of 21 world records; Some of his records were broken up to 14 years ago and seven of them are still standing.
He has competed in seven different age groups beginning in the 60-64 age group through 90-94 and he has been in the Top Ten 32 times. He has been in the world rankings since 1985 with a combined total of 45 – Number 1, 22 – Number 2 and 11 Number 3 in the butterfly and breaststroke events.
Tajima competed in six FINA Masters World Championships: 1986, Tokyo; 1988, Brisbane; 1990, Rio; 1998, Casablanca; 2000, Munich; and 2002 Christchurch, winning 2 gold, 2 silver and 3 bronze medals.
Mr. Tajima stopped competing in 2019, where he was swimming in the 90-94 age group.
Georgy “Misha” MSHVENIERADZE (RUS) Masters Water Polo Player
Georgy “Misha” Mshvenieradze is a 65-year old Soviet water polo player.
Misha was known for his strength on the 2-meter line, his ability to score under heavy contact, his positional and tactical intelligence and his natural leadership ~ a combination that defined the center forward role in the 1980’s and remains a benchmark for modern coaches and players.
Misha has been active in Masters water polo since 2000, and his team has won seven gold medals and one silver in FINA/World Aquatics World Masters Championships competition.
He and his team, Moscu 04 also won gold in 2009 at the Copa de Espana Masters event in the 40+ age group, competing in Tenerife, Spain. Mishi has competed for three different clubs, while competing in Masters: WP Moscu04, Dynamo Masters, and Europa Sporting Roma.
Joyce CORNER (CAN) 2025 Masters Synchronized Swimmer
Canadian, Joyce Corner attended her first FINA World Championships in 1992 in Indianapolis, where she and her teammates came away with a bronze medal in the trio 65+ event. Four years later, Corner walked away with her first World title in the duet. She continued attending Masters World Championships, mostly bringing home gold medals. In all, she won ten World Championship gold, five silver, and one bronze.
In the mid-2000’s Corner formed a new club, the New Wave Synchro Masters, where she coached and competed as a member in her last two appearances at Worlds in 2004 and 2008.
Joyce has been involved in just about all areas of synchronized swimming. She was on the Canadian Synchronized Swimming Committee for countless years and represented Canada in Masters FINA meets when present. She was the Canadian representative to the FINA Masters Synchronized Swimming Committee which helped develop the requirements when FINA transitioned from a figure competition to a technical program.
She was a FINA-rated “A” international judge, and she has judged Pan American Games, World Aquatics Championships, the Olympic Games in Seoul in 1988, as well as many other events in Canada and around the world.
Hiroshi MATSUMOTO (JPN) 2025 Masters Swimmer
Hiroshi Matsumoto, born in 1936, began swimming in high school. There were no pools where he lived, just a pond with hundreds of frogs. And a few snakes.
When he was in his early 20s, he moved to the area in Japan where Mt. Fuji is, to take a job, as a lumberjack. There was a 50-meter pool near his office. For nine years, he swam there almost every day in the summer.
In his late 50’s, Matsumoto joined Masters Swimming. When he reached his 60’s, he started breaking national records, even though he was diagnosed with cancer, and needed surgery in his mid-60s. In his 70’s, he started breaking world records.
Matsumoto competes mainly in the butterfly and the freestyle events. His favorite stroke is the butterfly, but at 84, he had a terrible accident and tore up his shoulder; the doctors said he might not swim again. He is swimming again and breaking records, but only in the freestyle events.
Matsumoto has broken over 100 national records and 28 world records. He has been in the Top Ten for 27 years and has accumulated 945 world points.
He has attended four FINA/World Aquatic Championships, winning two gold and three silver: 2002: gold (50m butterfly 65-69); 2006: silver (50m butterfly 70-74); 2008: gold (50m butterfly 70-74); 2023: silver (50m free, 100 free 85-89).
Matsumoto still keeps hope that he is going to swim butterfly again someday.
Use QR Code to buy tickets to Friday night, May 15th Masters and Awards Night
WHERE: Embassy Suites 17th Street, 1100 S. E. 17th Street, Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33316
WHEN: Friday, May 15, 2026
Tickets are NOW ON SALE ~ PURCHASE THEM HERE!
Click link below to see all award winners
HOTEL:
Make your Hotel reservations Now! The Host Hotel ~ Special Rate $219
Photo Courtesy: Embassy Suites Fort Lauderdale
Embassy Suites 17th Street, 1100 S. E. 17th Street, Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33316
Use QR Code to make your Hotel Reservations
Tickets for the ISHOF Class of 2026 Honoree Induction Ceremonies
WHEN: Saturday, May 16, 2026
WHERE: War Memorial Auditorium, 800 Northeast 8th Street, Ft. Lauderdale, FL, 33304
Tickets are NOW ON SALE ~ PURCHASE THEM HERE!
ASCA/ISHOF Coaches Clinic Featuring Honoree Gregg Troy:
https://web.cvent.com/event/95f72cfc-f855-4e4d-bfb4-856f4b86ddc
Dutch Superstar Ranomi Kormowidjojo to be inducted as Honor Swimmer on May 16, 2026
Ranomi Kromowidjojo (NED) is a triple Olympic champion, winning the gold medal in the 4 x 100-freestyle relay at the 2008 Olympic Games, and then in London, in 2012, she took gold in the 50- and 100-meter freestyle, as well as a silver in the 400 free relay event. She set most of her world records primarily in the short course (SCM) 50m freestyle and on various Dutch relays, though she still ranks amongst the fastest ever. She has won an astounding 178 FINA/World Aquatics medals in international competition during her career, 70 gold, 62 silver and 46 bronze.
Learn more about Ranomi Kromowidjojo and the other 12 outstanding Honorees who will be inducted this year at ISHOF’s 61st Honoree Induction Ceremony Buy your tickets NOW for ISHOF’s 61st Anniversary of the Honoree Induction Ceremony in Fort Lauderdale in conjunction with the World Aquatics High Dive World Cup
WHEN: Saturday, May 16, 2026
WHERE: War Memorial Auditorium, 800 Northeast 8th Street, Ft. Lauderdale, FL, 33304
Tickets are NOW ON SALE ~ PURCHASE THEM HERE!
~ISHOF Class of 2026~
Nathan Adrian (USA) Honor Swimmer
Laszlo Cseh (HUN) Honor Swimmer
Ranomi Kromowidjojo (NED) Honor Swimmer
Ryan Lochte (USA) Honor Swimmer (Class of 2025)
Ferry Weertman (NED) Honor Open Water Swimmer
Tania Cagnotto (ITA) Honor Diver
Simone Fountain (AUS) Honor Water Polo Player
Heather Simon Carassco (USA) Honor Artistic Swimmer
Jane Figueiredo (ZIM) Honor Coach
Gregg Troy (USA) Honor Coach (Class of 2025)
Stephen A. “Sid” Cassidy (USA) Honor Contributor
Richard Burns (USA) Honor Masters Swimmer
Beatrice Hess (FRA) Honor Paralympic Swimmer
Make your Hotel reservations Now! The Host Hotel ~ Special Rate $219
Photo Courtesy: Embassy Suites Fort Lauderdale
Embassy Suites 17th Street, 1100 S. E. 17th Street, Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33316
Use QR Code to make your Hotel Reservations
Tickets for Friday Night’s Masters Induction, ISHOF Aquatic and Specialty Awards
Use QR Code to buy tickets to Friday night, May 15th Masters and Awards Night.
Click link below to see all award winners
ASCA/ISHOF Coaches Clinic Featuring Honoree Gregg Troy:
https://web.cvent.com/event/95f72cfc-f855-4e4d-bfb4-856f4b86ddc