Why We Do, What We Do; ISHOF’s Reason for Being……
As many of you may know, the International Swimming Hall of Fame (ISHOF) recently celebrated it’s 60th anniversary of the Honoree Induction Ceremony in Singapore during the World Aquatics World Championships. ISHOF is based in Fort Lauderdale, so why, you ask, would you take your biggest event on the road? Well, there are multiple reasons. One is that we ARE the INTERNATIONAL Swimming Hall of Fame and it is a long way to travel for our friends on the other side of the world every year; another reason is that by taking our ceremony to an event like the World Championships, it broadens our reach to others in swimming that may never have had an opportunity to experience an induction ceremony, but because we are at Worlds, they get to experience an induction first hand. And today, because of social media, we learned how some of those attendees felt about the event.
Below is a post made by a young women named Pauline Yang, who attended the ISHOF Honoree Induction for the first time ever. Pauline is a superstar in her own right. She is a world traveller, a classical pianist and a U.S. Arts Envoy for the State Department. She attended the Honoree event in Singapore on July 28, in support of her friend, Honoree, Ous Mellouli. Simply put, her post is the reason, we at ISHOF, so what we do, day in and day out. Thank you for sharing Pauline!
Pauline Yang is in Singapore.
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I’ve been to a lot of cool events in my life, but this 60th Annual Honoree Induction Ceremony for the Class of 2025 into the International Swimming Hall of Fame (ISHOF) has got to be one of the very coolest ever.
I was literally surrounded by greatness through so many generations of legends in swimming, diving, water polo, and artistic swimming where even “just” winning an Olympic gold medal isn’t enough to be inducted into ISHOF. Despite being friends with so many Olympic medalists, I was still so excited to get to see Kirsty Coventry (the new IOC President! ), Dara Torres, Anthony Ervin, Chad le Clos, and so many others who I had only seen in my swimming magazines as a kid and who I had only watched on TV before. It was also surreal to be seated at the same table as Coach David Marsh and with Jack Alexy’s parents and incredible to discover that a few more of my friends are Hall of Famers which I didn’t even realize!
Most special of all was getting to be there in person to honor and celebrate my legendary friend, fellow USC Trojan/6-time Olympian (!) Ous Mellouli, who has won 66 international medals and became the first swimmer in history to win Olympic gold in both the pool and in Open Water, winning the 1500m free at the 2008 Beijing Olympics and the 10km Open Water at the 2012 London Olympics, a feat henceforth known as “The Mellouli Double.”
It’s no secret that Olympic athletes/coaches have been some of the biggest sources of inspiration for me in both my personal life and professional career, and this absolutely continues to be the case. The amount of new inspiration gained from all the greats in that room that day was truly immeasurable and most certainly lifelong and life-changing, and I bow down to them all. #travelingpauline
#ishof #worldaquatics #singapore #cityoffortlauderdale #worldchampionships #swimming #diving #waterpolo #artisticswimming #openwaterswimming
2024 MISHOF ~ Australian Masters Swimmer Tony Goodwin swims at Masters Worlds and receives his Honoree Induction Award in Singapore
Earlier this week, while in Singapore, I met with this years Masters International Swimming Hall of Fame Honor Swimmer, Tony Goodwin, of Australia, at the World Aquatics Masters World Championships. Tony was on his last day of competition, where he has won all his races in the 85-89 age group.
Unfortunatelty, Tony is unable to travel to Fort Lauderdale from Australia to be with us for his induction, and since we were going to be in Singapore, we took his Honoree award to him. He was thriled to say the least!
While in Singapore at Worlds, Tony swam in five events and won five gold medals. He competed in the 100 meter breaststroke, swimming only 1.5 seconds outside his world record; swimming in the 50 fly, he set the competition record; in the 200 IM, he swam in NSW (Australia) record time; in the 200 Breaststroke, he swam just three seconds outside WR time; and in the 50 breaststroke he swam just 0.8 seconds outside WR time.
Tony lives about two hours south of Sydney in the Southern Highlands, as both his children live nearby. His wife of 62 years died in 2023 from Motor Neurone Disease. He has always competed for Manly Masters (since 1993) despite not living in the area. They were one of the first ever Masters Clubs, beginning in 1975 ~ It is their 50 year anniversary this year as part of Masters Swimming New South Wales. He trains locally by himself and has never been on a team. Tony says, “By now I should know what to do.” With five World Championship gold medals around his neck, it is clear he does!
We will all miss Tony in Fort Lauderdale on Septemeber 13, but he will be there with us in spirit! Congrations to Tony Goodwin on his induction into the Masters International Swimming Hall of Fame and his incredible swimming in Singapore! And now, he is now off to Turkey for a well desevered holiday!
ISHOF Board creates new prestigious award to honor Chairman Bill Kent
On Monday, July 28, 2025, during the 60th Anniversary Honoree Celebration, the ISHOF Board of Directors presented longtime ISHOF Chairman, Bill Kent with a prestigious new award: The Dr. Bill Kent Chairman’s Award. The award was created to recognize individuals who have demonstrated extraordinary dedication, leadership and service to the Hall of Fame, water safety and the aquatics world.
Awarded only on rare occasions to maintain its distinction, the Chairman’s Award celebrates the lifelong achievements and unparalleled contributions of those who exemplify the values and mission of the International Swimming Hall of Fame.
The first recipient of this award is Dr. Bill Kent, who’s life’s work has been a beacon of positive transformation for Fort Lauderdale and beyond.
Dara Torres and Bill Kent2025 WorldAquatics/DBM_Deepbluemedia
Honoring Dr. William Kent: A Lifetime of Leadership and Service
Dr. Bill Kent’s remarkable career spans over five decades, marked by a visionary dedication to safety, community, and innovation in the aquatic industry.
* A Champion of Youth Safety and Aquatic Education: Dr. Kent’s advocacy for youth drowning prevention has set a new national standard. His groundbreaking Every Child a Swimmer program, which offers free swimming lessons to underserved children, has impacted countless lives. This program, passed by the Florida legislature and now adopted in several other states, aims to make swimming a universal life skill, with over 600 children reached so far and many more to come.
* A Vision for the International Swimming Hall of Fame: Under Dr. Kent’s leadership as Chairman of the Board, ISHOF has embarked on a $221 million renovation, transforming it into a world-class attraction featuring a state-of-the-art aquarium, museum, and public spaces. His vision has ensured that ISHOF will continue to inspire future generations and contribute to Fort Lauderdale’s cultural and economic vitality.
* A Legacy of Recognition: Dr. Kent’s contributions have been celebrated by his community and around the globe. Named Philanthropist of the Year by the Florida Swimming Pool Association and recognized as one of the “10 Most Impactful People” by Swimming World Magazine, Dr. Kent’s dedication to service, innovation, and safety has established a legacy of enduring impact.
Dr. Bill Kent is a model of leadership, philanthropy, and commitment to a better future for all, making him the ideal inaugural recipient of the Dr. Bill Kent Chairman’s Award. His contributions will forever inspire ISHOF and the aquatics community he has so deeply enriched.
As an added note, after this first inaugural presentation, this award will forever be known as the Dr. Bill Kent Chairman’s Award.
Dr. and Mrs. Bill Kent
ISHOF’s 60th Anniversary ~ A Smashing Success in Singapore!
ISHOF’s 60th anniversary celebration marked many firsts: Celebrating in a new city; Honorees from four new countries; new traditions; and lots of excitement!
2025 WorldAquatics/DBM_Deepbluemedia
The year 2025 marked 60 years the International Swimming Hall of Fame (ISHOF) has been inducting the greatest aquatic athletes, coaches, and contributors from around the globe, and we thought it only fitting to do something extra special.
Singapore and ISHOF celebrate 60 years!!!
On Monday, July 28, 2025, the second day of the World Aquatics World Championships swimming competition, just after prelims concluded, ISHOF officially inducted its 60th anniversary class in Singapore. The Honoree Induction was celebrated at the beautiful Park Royal Collection, Marina Bay, and thanks to the support of World Aquatics, the event had more than 300 attendees, 30-plus Federation Presidents, World Aquatic Bureau Members, Honorees, aquatic superstars, and friends and family who enjoyed lunch, followed by the Induction ceremony.
In a different twist this year, planned by ISHOF Historian and Curator, Bruce Wigo, ISHOF used superstar presenters to introduce each of the Honorees. World Aquatics was gracious enough to allow their WA athletes to participate, as well as ISHOF Honorees who were in attendance. We could not have been more pleased with how it turned out. ISHOF Honoree Dara Torres and Olympian Elizabeth Beisel shared the hosting duties and were splendid!
Elizabeth Beisel and Dara Torres2025 WorldAquatics/DBM_Deepbluemedia
There were numerous Singaporean VIPs, which included a welcome from the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment and Minister in Charge of Trade Relations, Ms. Grace Fu Hai Yen, and Mr. Ng Ser Miang, Vice President of the IOC, under Thomas Bach, newly retired.
Easily, the most exciting guest of the afternoon was our own 2023 Honoree and newly elected President of the International Olympic Committee, Madame President Kirsty Coventry, who had flown in that morning from Paris.
Kirsty Coventry, Madame President, International Olympic Committee2025 WorldAquatics/DBM_Deepbluemedia
It was an exciting year for so many reasons, one being, ISHOF welcomed Honorees from four new countries to our list: Kuwait, India, Tunisia, and Singapore.
The afternoon began with Kuwait, as the first Honoree inducted was Captain Husain Al Musallam, President of World Aquatics. “The Captain,” as he is known, was introduced by his good friend, and 2023 ISHOF Honor Contributor, Sam Ramsamy, of South Africa.
Sam Ramsamy and Captain Husain Al Musallam2025 WorldAquatics/DBM_Deepbluemedia
Captain Husain AL MUSALLAM (KUW) began serving the world of sport as an Olympic Counsel of Asia Member in 1982. He began his tenure at FINA as a Bureau Member in 1996 through 2009, also serving simultaneously as Deputy Director General and Technical Director, on the Olympic Counsel of Asia (1998-2003). He was promoted to FINA Vice President (2009-2015); Also served as DIRECTOR GENERAL, OLYMPIC COUNSEL OF ASIA: (2005-PRESENT); He served as World Aquatics First Vice President (2015-2021); He is the Current President of World Aquatics (2021-Present) and Secretary General, Kuwaiti Olympic Committee: (2023-2027).
Pernille Blume and Anthony Ervin2025 WorldAquatics/DBM_Deepbluemedia
WA Athlete and, as she put it, her “twin gold medal winner” at the 2016 Rio Games in the 50-free, Pernille Blume, of Denmark, introduced our next Honoree, who aside from local Singaporean, Joseph Schooling, may have had the largest cheering section in attendance.
Anthony “Tony” Ervin (USA) has been called one of the most naturally gifted swimmers to ever compete, a three-time Olympian, with four Olympic medals, three gold and one silver, 16 years apart – 2000 and 2016. He also holds the record for being the oldest swimmer to win Olympic gold. Tony is also a World Aquatics athlete.
Chad LeClos and Ashoke Nag, son of Sachin Nag2025 WorldAquatics/DBM_Deepbluemedia
WA Athlete and South African Olympic Champion, Chad LeClos, introduced our next Honoree, Pioneer Sachin Nag, who was represented by his son, Ashoke Nag and family.
Sachin NAG* (IND) is India’s only gold medal winner in swimming at the Asian Games. As important, he also finished in sixth place at the 1948 London Olympics in the 100m freestyle event, also competing for the Indian water polo team, scoring four goals. He would also go on to compete in the 1952 Helsinki Olympics, representing India in water polo. Following his incredible achievements in the pool, he would train future generations of Indian swimmers.
Daniel Gyurta and Endre Molnar’s grandsons2025 WorldAquatics/DBM_Deepbluemedia
2024 Honor Swimmer, Daniel Gyurta, presented fellow Hungarian great water polo player, Endre “Bandi” Molnar, who was represented in Singapore by his grandsons, Bertalan and Benedek, young men who play water polo like their grandfather.
Endre “Bandi” Molnar (HUN) was a goalkeeper for Hungary in the 1970s, when Hungary was a powerhouse. He was considered one of the best goalkeepers in the world at the time. He is one of only eight male athletes who won four or more Olympic medals in water polo (1976-gold, 1972-silver, 1968-bronze, 1980-bronze). He is a world champion (1973), with two silver medals, and a two-time European champion (1974, 1977).
Daichi Suzuki and Guo Jingjing2025 WorldAquatics/DBM_Deepbluemedia
2021 ISHOF Honor Swimmer, and President of the Japanese Swimming Federation, Daichi Suzuki, was next up to introduce another great in a long line of Chinese divers.
Guo Jingjing (CHN) is a four-time Olympian in the sport of diving, with a total of 95 medals in international competition, 77 gold, 14 silver, and four bronze medals. In Olympic competition, she has four gold and two silver. In World Championships competition, Guo has 10 gold and one silver medal.
Vladimir Salnikov and Ous Mellouli2025 WorldAquatics/DBM_Deepbluemedia
Vladimir Salnikov, longtime friend and 1993 ISHOF Honor Swimmer and hero of our next Honoree, enjoyed his task of introducing the first man to win an Olympic medal in both the pool and open water.
Oussama “Ous” Mellouli (TUN) is a three-time Olympic medalist who competed not only in the freestyle and IM races in the pool, but also in marathon swims and international open water swimming competitions. The world’s most successful crossover swimmer, who at the 2012 London Olympic Games, established the “Mellouli Double,” when, he won the 10km open water event in the Serpentine, five days after winning the bronze in the 1500m freestyle in the pool.
Tian Liang and Chen Ruolin2025 WorldAquatics/DBM_Deepbluemedia
ISHOF 2012 Honor Diver, Tian Liang, now a huge television celebrity in China, was happy to return to his diving days to introduce former teammate and friend, Chen Ruolin.
Chen Ruolin (CHN) is a five-time Olympic gold medalist in the sport of diving on the 10-meter platform, competing in three Olympic Games: 2008, 2012, and 2016. She won 100 medals in major competitions, 84 of which were gold, 14 silver and two bronze. She is now loving her role as Coach!
Ranomi Kromowidjojo and Andrea Fuentes2025 WorldAquatics/DBM_Deepbluemedia
Three-time Olympic Dutch gold medalist, Ranomi Kromowidjojo, another World Aquatics athlete, and new mother, was on hand to introduce another successful woman in her own right, Honor Artistic Swimmer, Andrea Fuentes.
Andrea Fuentes (ESP/USA) is the most decorated artistic swimmer in the history of the Spanish National team. She won a total of four Olympic medals, three silver and a bronze from two Olympic Games – London 2012 and Beijing 2008, as a member of the Spanish Synchronized swimming Team. Today, Andrea is the Head Coach of the Spanish National Artistic Swimming Team.
Cate Campbell and Joseph Schooling2025 WorldAquatics/DBM_Deepbluemedia
Australian superstar and WA athlete, Cate Campbell, recently retired with eight Olympic medals, four of which are gold, seemed most appropriate to introduce the homegrown Singaporean son everyone was waiting to see…..
Joseph Schooling (SIN), known as Singapore’s Flying Fish, is the only person, male or female, to win a gold medal in Olympic competition, in any sport, for the country of Singapore. It just so happens that it was at the Rio Olympic Games, in 2016, in the 100-meter butterfly, where he beat his idol, the greatest Olympian of all-time, Michael Phelps.
As you can imagine, Joseph is a hero in Singapore and even has an orchid named after him. The Singaporean National Parks Service generously made it possible for us to have the orchid, Dendrobium Joseph Schooling, on display during the Honoree Induction for everyone to see and as you can imagine, it was quite the showpiece!
Dendrobium Joseph Schooling Orchid
Unfortunately, there were three Honorees who could not be with us this year. Federica Pellegrini was shooting a television show, and it was just bad timing. Ryan Lochte and Gregg Troy could not make the trip to Singapore. All three, Pellegrini, Lochte and Troy, plan to be inducted next year in 2026 in Fort Lauderdale.
In closing, there are so many people to thank in helping making ISHOF’s 60th Anniversary Honoree Induction Ceremony in Singapore a success! We hesitate to name anyone in particular, because we undoubtably will leave people off, but there are some, we simply cannot go without thanking: First and foremost, a huge thank you to Madame President, Kirsty Coventry. From World Aquatics: Brent Nowicki, Mike Unger, Clea Muralti-Gonzalez, Ahmad Al Saabi, Ema Balciute; the World Aquatic athletes: Pernille Blume, Cate Campbell, Chad LeClos, and Ranomi Kromowidjojo. Emcees, Dara Torres and Elizabeth Beisel; ISHOF Historian Bruce Wigo, who spent hundreds of hours working tirelessly creating the Honoree videos, correcting, redoing, and perfecting, so they were all perfection, and to our very special AV guru Edison Rumbos, who also worked tirelessly to put this show together, in his free time, fly all the way to Singapore just to make sure it all ran smoothly ~ we thank you! Honorees and presenters: Daniel Gyurta, Tian Liang, Sam Ramsamy, Vladimir Salnikov, and Daichi Suzuki; To all our friends in Singapore, beginning with our new friend, the very best, Mark Chay, we couldn’t have done it without you! Also, Edwin Ker, Dr. Kenneth Goh, Derrick Gui, Cassandra Ong, Melissa Lo, Khoo Zhi Yu, Sherine Chen, Muhammad Hafid, and Shu Fen Ho; the ISHOF Board of Director who made the trip to Singapore: Mario (Eddy) Caprini, Mike (Bonnie) Dooley, Bill (Kim) Kent, Merle Liivand, Matt McKean, Dara (Tessa ) Torres, Rich (Brooke) Waltzer. And to Kathy Casey, thank you for all your hard work!!! Please forgive us if we have forgotten anyone!
Keep checking back to ISHOF.org. We will post all Honoree videos soon. See you next year!
Happy Birthday Michael Phelps!!
Country: USA
Honoree Type: Swimmer
FOR THE RECORD: GREATEST ATHLETE/SWIMMER IN THE HISTORY OF THE OLYMPIC GAMES; 28 total Olympic medals: 23 gold, 3 silver, 2 bronze; 2016 OLYMPIC GAMES: gold (200m butterfly, 200m I.M., 4 x 100m medley relay, 4 x 100m, 4 x 200m freestyle relay), silver (100m butterfly); 2012 OLYMPIC GAMES: gold (100m butterfly, 200m, I.M., 4 x 100m medley relay, 4 x 200m freestyle relay), silver (200m butterfly, 4 x 100m freestyle relay); 2008 OLYMPIC GAMES: gold (100m, 200m butterfly, 200m freestyle, 200m, 400m I.M., 4 x 100m medley relay, 4 x 100m, 4 x 200m freestyle relay); 2004 OLYMPIC GAMES: gold (100m, 200m butterfly, 200m, 400m I.M., 4 x 200m freestyle relay); 2013 FINA WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS: gold (100m, 200m butterfly, 4 x 200m freestyle relay, 4 x 100m medley relay), silver (200m freestyle, 200 I.M.), bronze (4 x 100m freestyle relay); 2011 FINA WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS: gold (100m, 200m butterfly, 4 x 200m freestyle relay, 4 x 100m medley relay) silver (200m freestyle, 200 I.M.), bronze (4 x 100m freestyle relay); 2009 FINA WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS: gold (100m, 200m butterfly, 4 x 100m, 4 x 200m freestyle relay, 4 x 100m medley relay), silver (200m freestyle); 2007 FINA WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS: gold (100m, 200m butterfly, 200m freestyle, 200m, 400m I.M., 4 x 100m, 4 x 200m freestyle relay); 2005 FINA WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS: gold (200m freestyle, 200m, 400m I.M., 4 x 100m, 4 x 200m freestyle relay), silver (100m butterfly); 2003 FINA WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS: gold (200m butterfly, 200m, 400m I.M.), silver (100m butterfly, 4 x 200m freestyle relay); 2001 FINA WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS: gold (200m butterfly).
More than 20 years ago, a teenager from Baltimore arrived on the swimming scene, hungry to showcase his prodigious talent. Yet, for all the potential he flashed at a young age and for all the promise recognized by coach Bob Bowman, there was still no way of predicting a career that can only be described as one-of-a-kind.
The summer of 2000 was a transformative period for the sport as USA Swimming watched a special group of teenage boys emerge as cornerstones for the future. One of them was Phelps, who as a 15-year-old qualified for the Olympic Games in Sydney in the 200-meter butterfly, in the process becoming the youngest male swimmer to qualify for Team USA in 68 years. A month later, Phelps claimed a fifth-place finish at the Games, and his journey to greatness was underway.
Within a year of making his Olympic debut, Phelps had elevated to another level, thanks to a world record in the 200 fly while still 15 years old, and by claiming the first world championship of his career in the summer of 2001. From there, additional events were added to Phelps’ program, this expansion providing the opportunity to showcase his vast skill. While additional world records were registered in the 200 fly, Phelps also defined himself as a world-record setter in the 100 butterfly, 200 individual medley and 400 individual medley.
At the 2004 Games in Athens, the birthplace of the Olympics, Phelps embraced an eight-event schedule that resulted in eight medals – six gold and two bronze. A world record in the 400 individual medley launched his efforts in Greece, which also included solo titles in the 200 IM, 100 butterfly and 200 fly. A bronze was earned in the 200 freestyle, where Phelps challenged himself on the turf of legends Ian Thorpe and Pieter van den Hoogenband.
Over the next few years, Phelps continued to reign, enhancing his portfolio via the World Championships and Pan Pacific Championships, and by encouraging growth in the sport among young boys who envisioned themselves as the next Michael Phelps. When he walked away from the 2007 World Champs in Melbourne with seven gold medals, including four solo world records, the stage was set for the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing.
Not since the great Mark Spitz in 1972 had an athlete captured seven gold medals in a single Olympiad, and inside the Water Cube in China, Phelps was prepared to chase eight. To accomplish the feat, Phelps needed to be at his peak, and required a little good fortune. Both proved true. From August 9 through August 17, Phelps was perfect. Eight events. Eight gold medals. There were also seven world records.
In the 400 freestyle relay, Phelps’ pursuit of history was kept alive by the greatest relay leg in history, Jason Lezak’s epic anchor and rundown of France’s Alain Bernard. Meanwhile, Phelps’ instinctual decision to take an extra half-stroke at the finish of the 100 butterfly handed him an improbable comeback triumph over Serbia’s Milorad Cavic, the margin of victory as small as possible – .01. Simply, it was a special week, one forever etched in the annals of the Olympic Games and the sport of swimming.
Following Beijing, Phelps remained an ever-present force, evident in further world championships, world records and epic performances, including another comeback victory over Cavic in the 100 fly at the 2009 World Champs. Come the 2012 Olympics in London, Phelps may not have been in peak form, but he still secured six medals – four of them gold. When the torch was extinguished in the British capital, Phelps headed for retirement.
Eventually, Phelps returned to the pool, eager to end his competitive career with a flourish at the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. Again, Phelps collected six medals, headlined by a fourth consecutive title in the 200 individual medley and the recapturing of gold in the 200 butterfly, the event that initially sparked the Phelps phenomenon.
All told, Phelps captured 28 Olympic medals during his illustrious career, 10 more than the second-most ever. Of that total, Phelps won 23 gold medals, 14 more than the second-most in history. His career featured 33 medals from the World Championships and 21 medals from the Pan Pacific Championships, along with an incredible 39 world records.
As impressive, Phelps has served as an inspiration to the next generation of athletes to walk the deck, and his public emphasis on the importance of mental health has highlighted the need to take care of oneself and seek support when necessary.
The information on this page was written the year of their induction
Today is World Drowning Prevention Day and the Chairman of ISHOF is fighting everyday to Make “Every Child A Swimmer”
Story By Rebecca Robledo, Aquatics International, March 2025 Power Issue
As with so many things, the seeds for the every-child-a-swimmer movement were planted years before the fruits were borne. Decades, in fact. The basic idea — that teaching every child to swim would make the most effective way to prevent drownings — was first expressed in the 1980s. Between then and the late 2010s, though, this concept saw little to no follow-through in the pool and spa industry. In the last decade, these efforts have blown up and become a common mission among the aquatics and pool/spa industries, not only raising funds for swim lessons, but resulting in legislation to promote the water-safety message. Bill Kent was there during the more dormant stages. Then he became a major driver converting idea into reality. Through his service for the National Swimming Pool Foundation and, more recently, the International Swimming Hall of Fame, he played a key role in starting two of the largest learn-to-swim initiatives in the field. And the recent push by the pool/spa industry to lobby for legislation started with him. “Every organization needs a spiritual mission,” says the CEO of Team Horner, in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. “For the swimming pool industry, the right swimming pool mission is ‘every child a swimmer.’ For 20 years, he has worked to see that the idea takes that lofty position.
EARLY EXPOSURE
After Kent joined the pool/spa industry in the early 1970s, it didn’t take long for him to move up the ranks, not only in the company he came to own but among pool associations as well. In short order, he held high office in organizations such as the National Spa & Pool Institute (a precursor for today’s PHTA) and the International Swimming Hall of Fame.
That’s how he learned about the “every child a swimmer” concept in the mid 1980s. It was with ISHOF, where he served on the board. There, he met Harold Martin, who had co-founded ISHOF and started its “EveryChild a Swimmer” program. “He kind of infected me with the idea that we should teach children to swim who can’t afford swim lessons,” Kent says. At the time, ISHOF’s program was very small and basically faded away after Martin’s passing. Decades later, another organization began a similar program, this time under Kent’s watch. The National Swimming Pool Foundation started Step Into Swim when Kent was chairman. The program funds lessons for those who otherwise can’t afford them. NSPF saw the idea gain traction, taking spots in the philanthropy portfolios of many industry companies and organizations and increasing the lesson count each year. (NSPF merged with the Association of Pool & Spa Professionals to form the Pool & Hot Tub Alliance, which now runs Step Into Swim.) Later, Kent became the chairman of ISHOF — a title he continues to hold. He created another means for children to receive free swim lessons. “One of the first things I did was revive Every Child a Swimmer,” he says. In fact, he grew it into an operation that came to require a full-time executive director, Casey McGovern, along with two part-time staffers.
A LEGISLATIVE APPROACH
It became clear that embedding the “every child a swimmer”concept into the national fabric would take more than soliciting for donations. “To bring it to life, I needed to do something to create awareness,” Kent says. So he began a campaign to promote legislation that would generate awareness of water safety and the importance of learning to swim. The first bill passed in 2020 in Florida. It requires every school to provide water-safety information to parents of children entering elementary school. When it first sought a legislative solution, Every Child a Swimmer advocated for bills that would require all children to receive swim instruction by a certain age. The organization learned that wouldn’t work, because it would impose a financial burden on families, school districts or other government entities — a serious roadblock to passing legislation, especially in fiscally conservative states. After hearing a fellow drowning-prevention advocate muse that schools should provide water-safety information, Kent set about writing model language for the bill. On his own, he reached out to representatives.
“I was able to go face-to-face with several legislators, drove all over the state, had meetings and explained the goal.” So far, bills have passed in four states – Florida, Georgia, Arkansas and Washington. Soon, Kent and his team hope to see Arizona, Illinois, New Jersey and Ohio added to that list, with the ultimate goal being all 50 states. The organization now promotes a second type of bill. Recently, New York began requiring hospitals to give parents of newborns the option of watching a water-safety video during their stay. Every Child a Swimmer did not initiate that bill, but Kent’s group now advocates for similar language in other states, in addition to its first bill. “This is a long-term marathon race,” Kent says. “But we’re becoming more and more successful. We now have people calling us wanting to get involved.”
Look who was in town for a swim? 2024 Honor Swimmer, Daniel Gyurta of Hungary
ISHOF Honor Swimmer Daniel Gyurta of Hungary was recently in Cocoa Beach and made the trip down to Fort Lauderdale to visit ISHOF. Daniel took a swim in the beautiful new aquatic center. Our guess is, he did a few laps of breaststroke.
Daniel will be joining us in Singapore at ISHOF’s 60th Anniversary Honoree Induction Celebration on July 28, 2025 at the ParkRoyal Collection, Marina Bay. For ticket information, click here: https://halloffameswimshop.com/products/2025-ishof-honoree-induction-ceremony-singapore
See you in Singapore, Daniel!
To read more about Gyurta’s amazing career and watch his induction video, click here: https://ishof.org/honoree/daniel-gyurta/
President of World Aquatics, Captain Husain Al Musallam to be inducted as ISHOF 2025 Honor Contributor
Swimming has always been a part of his life. After representing the State of Kuwait at Pan-Arab, Asian and World Championships, in the mid 1970’s, his competitive swimming career ended at 18, when he enrolled at the Oxford Aviation training school. After receiving his commercial pilot’s license, Al Musallam joined Kuwait Airways but quickly realized how much he missed being involved in sport.
Despite being active with his career and supporting his family, Al Musallam resolved to use his experience to help athletes by taking roles in sports administration, initially at the club level, then at the National Federation with his eventual involvement with the Olympic Committee.
In 1996, Al Musallam joined the FINA Bureau. In 2009, he became FINA Vice President, representing Asia and in 2015, he was elected to First Vice President, becoming a member of its Executive Committee. Then, when he was elected President, in June of 2021, he became the first individual from Asia to lead the organization since its founding in 1908.
In December 2022, Al Musallam, led the FINA Extraordinary Congress into a new future, as FINA officially became inclusive and voted to change its name to World Aquatics. Six months later, Al-Musallam was re-elected as President of World Aquatics in July 2023 for an eight-year term.
President Al Musallam’s vision for the future of aquatic sports around the world is for the world to be united by water for health, life, and sport, so that the world can live a better life, free from modern-day diseases that have spread at a frightening rate and threaten our future generations. Therefore, he says, we strive to preserve our wealth of youth, children, and young people through water.
To learn more about World Aquatics President, Captain Husain Al Musallam‘s story, join him and the other 11 outstanding Honorees who will be inducted this year at ISHOF’s Diamond Anniversary in Singapore! Buy your tickets NOW for ISHOF’s 60th Anniversary of the Honoree Induction Ceremony in Singapore in conjunction with the World Aquatics World Championships
WHEN: Monday, July 28, 2025, 1:00 PM
WHERE: Park Royal Collection, Marina Bay, Singapore
Tickets are NOW ON SALE ~ purchase them HERE!
Buy your tickets NOW for ISHOF’s 60th Anniversary of the Honoree Induction Ceremony
ISHOF Class of 2025
Anthony Ervin (USA) Honor Swimmer
Ryan Lochte (USA) Honor Swimmer
Federica Pellegrini (ITA) Honor Swimmer
Joseph Schooling (SIN) Honor Swimmer
Ous Mellouli (TUN) Honor Open Water Swimmer
Chen Ruolin (CHN) Honor Diver
Endre “Bandi” Molnar (HUN) Honor Water Polo Player
Andrea Fuentes (ESP) Honor Artistic Swimmer
Gregg Troy (USA) Honor Coach
Captain Husain Al Musallam (KUW) Honor Contributor
Sachin Nag* (IND) Honor Pioneer Swimmer
Guo Jingjing (CHN) Honor Diver (Class of 2016)
*deceased
The International Swimming Hall of Fame (ISHOF) is proud to announce this truly international Class of 2025. This year, ISHOF will induct 12 honorees from nine countries. In addition, ISHOF will be inducting Honorees from four new countries that we have never had Honorees inducted from before, Kuwait, India, Tunisia, and Singapore.
Gregg Troy (USA) to be inducted as part of ISHOF Class of 2025 as Honor Coach
From high school to college and to the national and international levels, Gregg Troy has etched himself as a legend in the coaching ranks. It all started at the prestigious Bolles School in Florida, where Troy built scholastic and club programs of national acclaim and began developing world-class athletes.
Some of the biggest names in the sport were coached by Troy while he was at Florida, including Ryan Lochte, Elizabeth Beisel, and Caeleb Dressel. Lochte is a 12-time Olympic medalist while Dressel won five gold medals under Troy’s watch at the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo. As for Beisel, she was a longtime staple for Team USA in international competition, winning gold in the 400 individual medley at the 2011 FINA World Championships and a pair of medals at the 2012 Olympics in London.
That triumvirate of stars, however, accounts for just a small percentage of athletes who have competed at the highest level while benefiting from Troy’s coaching touch. Troy has coached dozens of Olympians during his career, with those athletes representing a multitude of countries from around the world.
“There are a lot of coaches out there that want to do less to get the same results, and Gregg is all about working as hard as you possibly can to get the best results,” said Martin Zubero, the 1992 Olympic champion in the 200 backstroke. “He’s molded a lot of people’s lives. It’s a lot of life lessons that are learned, and he’s a big part of the success of people’s lives, not just in swimming, but beyond swimming.”
On the international stage, Troy has coached at all global competitions. He has been an Olympic coach for several nations, including serving as the head coach for the United States women at the 2012 Olympics. He has also been a coach at the FINA World Championships and Pan Pacific Championships, with his athletes combining to win more than 100 medals.
Join the Class of 2025 and the outstanding Honorees who will be inducted this year at ISHOF’s Diamond Anniversary in Singapore! Buy your tickets NOW for ISHOF’s 60th Anniversary of the Honoree Induction Ceremony in Singapore in conjunction with the World Aquatics World Championships
WHEN: Monday, July 28, 2025, 1:00 PM
WHERE: Park Royal Collection, Marina Bay, Singapore
Tickets are NOW ON SALE ~ purchase them HERE!
Buy your tickets NOW for ISHOF’s 60th Anniversary of the Honoree Induction Ceremony
ISHOF Class of 2025
Anthony Ervin (USA) Honor Swimmer
Ryan Lochte (USA) Honor Swimmer
Federica Pellegrini (ITA) Honor Swimmer
Joseph Schooling (SIN) Honor Swimmer
Ous Mellouli (TUN) Honor Open Water Swimmer
Chen Ruolin (CHN) Honor Diver
Endre “Bandi” Molnar (HUN) Honor Water Polo Player
Andrea Fuentes (ESP) Honor Artistic Swimmer
Gregg Troy (USA) Honor Coach
Captain Husain Al Musallam (KUW) Honor Contributor
Sachin Nag* (IND) Honor Pioneer Swimmer
Guo Jingjing (CHN) Honor Diver (Class of 2016)
*deceased
The International Swimming Hall of Fame (ISHOF) is proud to announce this truly international Class of 2025. This year, ISHOF will induct 12 honorees from nine countries. In addition, ISHOF will be inducting Honorees from four new countries that we have never had Honorees inducted from before, Kuwait, India, Tunisia, and Singapore.
Federica Pellegrini to be honored as part of ISHOF’s 60th Anniversary Class in Singapore
For some countries, identifying the greatest swimmer of all-time can be difficult. For Italy, there is only one correct answer: Federica Pellegrini.
PELLEGRINI Federica ITA Gold Medal
Women’s 200m Freestyle
swimming
26/07/2017
XVII FINA World Championships Aquatics
Duna Arena Budapest Hungary
Photo Andrea Staccioli/Deepbluemedia/Insidefoto
Over nearly two decades, Pellegrini reigned as one of the greatest middle-distance freestylers the sport has seen, the 200 freestyle her pet event. During her illustrious career, Pellegrini continually flourished under pressure, evidenced by the 64 medals she claimed in international competition.
Pellegrini first broke out on the global scene at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, where she claimed the silver medal in the 200-meter freestyle behind Romania’s Camelia Potec. From that point forward, her name became synonymous with the event, with more than half of her individual medals on the international stage arriving over four laps of freestyle.
Nicknamed “La Divina” and “The Lioness of Verona,” Pellegrini was the bronze medalist in the 200 freestyle at the 2007 World Championships and entered the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing as a leading contender for gold in the 200 and 400-meter freestyle. After finishing fifth in the final of the 400 freestyle, despite being the world-record holder, Pellegrini rebounded in dynamic fashion.
PELLEGRINI Federica ITA Gold Medal
Women’s 200m Freestyle
swimming
26/07/2017
XVII FINA World Championships Aquatics
Duna Arena Budapest Hungary
Photo Andrea Staccioli/Deepbluemedia/Insidefoto
In the preliminaries of the 200 freestyle, held just a few hours after her disappointment in the 400 freestyle, Pellegrini set a world record of 1:55.45. She took that standard lower in the final, cementing her Olympic title with a time of 1:54.82.
During her career, Pellegrini established nine world records in the long-course pool – six in the 200 freestyle and three in the 400 freestyle. Her final world record in the 200 freestyle, the 1:52.98 that won her the 2009 world championship, endured for nearly 14 years. Meanwhile, her final world record in the 400 freestyle, a 3:59.15, lasted five years and made Pellegrini the first woman to break the four-minute barrier in the event.
PELLEGRINI Federica ITA
Women’s Freestyle 200m Final Gold Medal
Day 13 26/07/2017
XVII FINA World Championships Aquatics
Duna Arena Budapest Hungary
Photo ©A.Masini/Deepbluemedia/Insidefoto
As a testament to her desire, Pellegrini won gold in the 200 freestyle at the last two editions of the World Championships – in 2017 and 2019. She was also the world champion in the 400 freestyle in 2009 and 2011.
Join Federica Pellegrini and the other 11 outstanding Honorees who will be inducted this year at ISHOF’s Diamond Anniversary in Singapore! Buy your tickets NOW for ISHOF’s 60th Anniversary of the Honoree Induction Ceremony in Singapore in conjunction with the World Aquatics World Championships
WHEN: Monday, July 28, 2025, 1:00 PM
WHERE: Park Royal Collection, Marina Bay, Singapore
Tickets are NOW ON SALE ~ purchase them HERE!
Buy your tickets NOW for ISHOF’s 60th Anniversary of the Honoree Induction Ceremony
ISHOF Class of 2025
Anthony Ervin (USA) Honor Swimmer
Ryan Lochte (USA) Honor Swimmer
Federica Pellegrini (ITA) Honor Swimmer
Joseph Schooling (SIN) Honor Swimmer
Ous Mellouli (TUN) Honor Open Water Swimmer
Chen Ruolin (CHN) Honor Diver
Endre “Bandi” Molnar (HUN) Honor Water Polo Player
Andrea Fuentes (ESP) Honor Artistic Swimmer
Gregg Troy (USA) Honor Coach
Captain Husain Al Musallam (KUW) Honor Contributor
Sachin Nag* (IND) Honor Pioneer Swimmer
Guo Jingjing (CHN) Honor Diver (Class of 2016)
*deceased
The International Swimming Hall of Fame (ISHOF) is proud to announce this truly international Class of 2025. This year, ISHOF will induct 12 honorees from nine countries. In addition, ISHOF will be inducting Honorees from four new countries that we have never had Honorees inducted from before, Kuwait, India, Tunisia, and Singapore.