Happy Birthday 2025 Honor Diver Chen Ruolin ~ (December 12)
Chen RUOLIN (CHN) 2025 Honor Diver
We want to wish 2025 Honor Diver, Chen Ruolin, a very Happy Birthday! We met her in Singapore this past July where we celebrated her induction into ISHOF. Good luck in 2026 Ruolin!
FOR THE RECORD: 2016 OLYMPIC GAMES: gold (10m platform synchronized); 2012 OLYMPIC GAMES: gold (10m platform, 10m platform synchronized); 2008 OLYMPIC GAMES: gold (10m platform, 10m platform synchronized); 2015 FINA WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS: gold (10m platform synchronized), bronze (mixed 3m & 10m Team); 2013 FINA WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS: gold (10m platform synchronized), silver (10m platform); 2011 FINA WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS: gold (10m platform, 10m platform synchronized); 2009 FINA WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS: gold (10m platform synchronized), silver (10m platform); 2007 FINA WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS: gold (10m platform synchronized), silver (10m platform); Diving World Series: 48 gold, 5 silver, 1 bronze; Diving Grand Prixes: 17 gold, 5 silver; Diving World Cup: 8 gold, 1 silver; Asian Games: 2 gold.
Chen was born in Nantong, Jiangsu Province, China, a city surrounded by water. Upon entering elementary school, her family noticed she was shy and didn’t talk much. They exposed her to various activities until she found one that she loved. It was swimming.
Then, upon learning to swim at the age of 5, Chen Roulin discovered diving. “There was something mesmerizing about standing at the edge of the springboard, staring down at the deep blue below,” she says, “It felt like home.”
It was while she was playing on the board that her natural talent was noticed by Gao Feng, coach of the Jiangsu Provincial Team. It was under Gao’s guidance that Chen built the foundation for her future success.
In 2003 when she was only 11 years old, Chen swept three gold medals in the National Children’s Diving Competition. Being highly self-motivated, she challenged herself to “jump to a higher level and be the best.” When she won fifth place in the 10-meter event at the National Diving Championships in 2004, Zhou Jihong, the director of the Chinese National Diving Team, selected her for the national team to train under coach Ren Shaofen.
In 2006 at the age of 14, Chen made her international debut on the Australian stage at the FINA Grand Prix. It was her first major experience standing atop a podium, and it ignited her love for competing overseas.
Eighteen months later at the age of 16, Chen won two gold medals in the 10-meter platform events at the Beijing Olympic Games; one individual and another in synchronized with partner, Wang Xin. She would repeat this success at the 2011 FINA World Championships in Shanghai and again at the 2012 London Olympic Games with new partner, Wang Hao.
But Chen’s path was neither glamorous nor easy.
Post London, the years of grueling training sessions and high-velocity impacts began to take their toll. Despite more frequent recurring injuries and problems adjusting to bodily changes brought on by maturation, all compounded by the relentless pressures of social media scrutiny, her commitment never wavered. Fueled by an indomitable spirit, she captured her fifth Olympic gold medal at the Rio Games in 2016, winning her third consecutive 10-meter synchronized title, this time alongside Liu Huixia.
Chen retired after Rio at the age of 24, leaving an unparalleled legacy. Beyond being the first woman to defend both Olympic 10-meter titles, she was undefeated in major 10-meter synchronized competitions for nearly a decade from 2008 to 2016 with three different partners.
After earning a degree in Public Administration from Renmin University, Chen sought to give back to the sport she loved. Following brief roles as a diving judge and as a member of the FINA Technical Diving Committee, she found her true calling in coaching. Joining the Chinese National Team staff in 2021, her impact was immediate, guiding athletes Quan Hongchan and Lian Junjie to Olympic gold in Paris 2024. Her passion now lies in mentoring the next generation towards LA 2028 and beyond.
Global growth and new hosts headline 2025 World Aquatics Recognised Diving Events Report
SHARED FROM WORLD AQUATICS: Diving | World Aquatics releases the 2025 Report on the Recognised Diving Events
Written by:World Aquatics Communication Department
World Aquatics has released the 2025 Report on the Recognised Diving Events, highlighting a season that underscored both the competitive depth and global reach of one of the sport’s most important development pathways.
Across seven competitions on four continents—from Auckland to Rostock and from Bolzano to Kuala Lumpur—the 2025 circuit continued its mission of providing a high-level international platform for emerging divers and training opportunities for officials. The series mirrors the format of World Championships and Olympic competitions, giving athletes and judges essential preparation as they advance toward the sport’s top tier.
Image Source: Maddie Meyer/Getty Images
A major milestone this season was the addition of Hong Kong, which hosted a Recognised Event for the first time. The Hong Kong Open Diving Championships drew eight National Federations and has already been confirmed for 2026, strengthening the series’ footprint in Asia.
Image Source: Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images
Participation remained strong throughout the season, with Rostock, Germany again leading the way as the most-attended event—continuing a legacy that dates back to the former FINA Diving Grand Prix. That historic circuit, launched in 1995, laid the foundations for today’s Recognised Events and helped establish long-standing hosts, including Spain, Canada, Italy, and Germany.
Image Source: Quinn Rooney/Getty Images
The momentum now builds toward a record year ahead. Nine cities are confirmed to host Recognised Diving Events in 2026—the largest calendar in the series’ history—reflecting growing demand for international competition opportunities and renewed global investment in the sport.
With more hosts, more athletes, and more pathways into elite competition, the Recognised Events series continues to play a vital role in developing the next generation of divers and officials—ensuring the sport remains strong, competitive, and truly global.
You can find the whole 2025 World Aquatics Recognised Diving Events Report by clicking HERE.
Water Polo: That feeling of pulling on the cap for the first time
Image Source: Strahinja Rasovic (SRB)//Getty Images/World Aquatics
Written by: Scoring Goals with Russell McKinnon, World Aquatics Water Polo Correspondent and ISHOF Selection Committee Chairman
Shared from World Aquatics
Playing for your country is something special. It has to start somewhere, so Shooting Goals asked 14 elite athletes what it felt like to wear that cap for the first time at the senior level.
Dusan Mandic (SRB)
Image Source: Dusan Mandic (SRB)/World Aquatics
“My first international match was in a 2011. In November that year was an official match against the national team of Netherlands, just a few weeks before the European competition that was held in January in Eindhoven 2022, which unfortunately I did not participate. I remember it was an overwhelming experience. I was afraid and excited at the same time, and happy and proud after the match. I was grateful that I had the opportunity to play for the national team of Serbia.”
Roberta Bianconi (ITA)
Image Source: Roberta Bianconi (ITA)/World Aquatics
“My first cap with the senior team was almost by accident. I mean my summer training started knowing that I had to do training to compete at the World University Games but in the end the head coach changed his mind and he decided to put me on the list for the World championships in Rome 2009. I was very happy to compete in my first big event at home and the first game was against Uzbekistan, then Hungary and China.”
Strahinja Rasovic (SRB)
Image Source: Stahinja Rasovic (SRB)/Getty Images/World Aquatics
“It was against Spain in Barcelona, 2013. We won that match. I didn’t feel so much pressure because we came there with younger squad. But I was very, very motivated like always when I’m playing for national team.”
Emma Wright (CAN)
Image Source: Emma Wright (CAN)/World Aquatics
“Obtaining my first cap with the senior team was a crazy, exciting and unexpected experience for me. I was only 16 and I was called up to the senior team for the tournament in May after the team unfortunately didn’t qualify for the London Olympic Games. I remember being extremely nervous before my first game, but I was also so happy to be a part of the team and grateful for the opportunity to play with such amazing women! The tournament was the World League Super Finals in Changshu, China in 2012 and the match was against Australia.”
David Tatrai (HUN)
Image Source: David Tatrai (HUN)/World Aquatics
“My first match was against Spain in 2023. What made it special was that I got to play in front of a home crowd here in Hungary. I can still hear the fans cheering us on. Fantastic feeling…”
Abby Andrews (AUS)
Image Source: Abby Andrews (AUS)/World Aquatics
“I played my first match in a test series against Italy in 2018 in Perth. Receiving the swimsuit and putting on that cap is a moment I will never forget. Wearing the senior suit and gaining that exposure to the new level was daunting, but so exciting. I was lucky enough to debut for the senior national team with two of my very close friends, which made it even more special, as they had been with me and training with me since we were 13. While we didn’t hit the water for too long during that match, I loved learning from everyone in and out of the water and trying to work out what differences and challenges there were in comparison to the junior level.”
Mia Rycraw (FRA)
Image Source: Mia Rycraw (FRA)/French Swimming Federation/World Aquatics
“I played my first senior international match for France at the 2023 World Aquatics Championships in Fukuoka. It was an emotional return to the international stage after last competing for USA in 2017. Our group featured the USA, China and Australia, with the Aussies up first. Despite the intense emotions, our coach had trained us well, and I felt fully prepared. The result aside, the match was a personal breakthrough for me.”
Alexandros Papanastasiou (GRE)
Image Source: Alexandros Papanastasiou (GRE)/Getty Images/World Aquatics
“It was a dream come true playing alongside players I was admiring growing up. But most of all it was a huge opportunity to prove to myself that I belonged there and I was one of them. Lastly, it was a small taste of what could follow and it filled me with motivation to chase higher and higher goals.”
Tony Azevedo (USA)
Image Source: Tony Azevedo (USA)/Getty Images/World Aquatics
“I didn’t want to disappoint my friends and family. It was the wrong mindset and within my first 30 seconds of playing I got ejected! I thought my coach was going to bench me but instead he let me play. Now my mindset was to prove I belonged. It was against Yugoslavia in SoCal I was 16 and (Veijko) Uskokovic was the guy who got me booted! I scored three that game and never didn’t play for USA again.”
Stavroula Kozompoli (GRE)
Image Source: Stavroula Kozompoli (GRE)/Getty Images/World Aquatics
“Pulling on the Greek cap for the first time at senior level was in 1995 in Vienna at the European Championships and was an incredibly emotional moment! It was a huge honour and a dream that came true! The moment I put on the cap, I felt a mix of pride and responsibility. It reminded me why I’ve worked so hard, and it motivated me to give everything for the team and for Greece. That moment I realised I wanted to contribute to something bigger than myself!”
Aaron Younger (AUS)
Image Source: Aaron Younger/Getty Images/World Aquatics
“My first caps for Australia were in 2009 in South Australia for the World League preliminaries. They weren’t hard games but the thrill of being able to play alongside so many players I had looked up to as a kid was incredible. In 2011, I played my first major tournament for Australia at the Shanghai World Championships. I was the youngest player in the team, and I was roomed up with Sam McGregor, the team captain. The whole experience as a young player was incredible and the guidance I received from Sam and the older players was definitely formative for my career.”
Mercedes Stieber (HUN)
Image Source: Mercedes Stieber (HUN)/Getty Images/World Aquatics
“I was 14 years old when I joined the senior national team. I didn’t even dare to speak at the first training session! I was so shy and overwhelmed. This was my big dream. The European Championships in Bonn in 1989 was the first big tournament I participated in. We achieved second place, but for me it was worth a gold medal. It was great; everyone looked after me. The whole team was like a big family. This experience was very decisive for the next 20 years in the national team. It was an honour to represent my country for those 20 years.”
Stylianos Argyropoulos (GRE)
Image Source: Stylianos Argyropoulos (GRE)/Getty Images/World Aquatics
“My first appearance with the senior national team was in a tournament before Olympics 2016 in Rio. The tournament took place in Serbia in Bor .Ioannis Fountoulis was injured and I was actually wearing number five, as well. The first match was against Serbia and I scored my first goal in the second game against Spain. We won that tournament in penalties against Serbia.”
Tamas Molnar (HUN)
Image Source: Tamas Molnar (HUN)/Getty Images/World Aquatics
“It was very good one. A friendly against Italy in ‘95 January. We had a year before the scandalous Hungary-Italy with the fight. Italy was Olympic and world champion. I was a bit lost from the atmosphere but I played few minutes and had one steal.”
December 6 ~ Today we remember one of our most celebrated Honorees on the day she was born: Eleanor Holm!
Eleanor Holm (USA) Honor Swimmer
FOR THE RECORD: OLYMPIC GAMES: 1928 5th (100m backstroke); 1932 gold (100m backstroke); 1936 (removed from U.S. Olympic team during trip to Berlin); U.S. NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS: 29 (individual medley; 100yd, 220yd backstroke); Performed professionally at 1939 and 1940 New York World’s Fairs.
Eleanor Holm was the star backstroker from the New York Women’s Swimming Association. She was the 15-year-old baby of the 1928 Olympic team, was a gold medal winner in 1932, and was the Grand Dame of the 1936 Games, a married woman (Art Jarrett) and expected to win until she was kicked off the team for sipping champagne with the officials on shipboard.
Eleanor was swimming her career and world best times when disqualified in 1936. She says she could go even faster after six shows a day at the 1939 and 1940 New York World’s Fair where she starred opposite Hall of Famers Johnny Weissmuller and Buster Crabbe.
Eleanor showed her swimming versatility early by winning nine national golds in the individual medley beginning in 1927. Katherine Rawls caught up with Eleanor as queen of the individual medley, but Katherine says she or no one else could catch Eleanor on her backstroke, where she held six World Records. Her 100 yard backstroke times held up 16 years in the U.S. and her 200 yard back times even longer, although less frequently swum. All totaled, Miss Holm won 29 National Championships before turning pro to be in the movies.
Not only did she have the glamour for show business, but also the speed and the record of many years as a top amateur swimmer. In 1937, she was signed to star in the Billy Rose Aquacades where she married the boss. “The Aquacade was my idea,” she says, “but the marriage was his.”
Although she appeared in at least four films as herself, Holm appeared in only one Hollywood feature film, starring opposite fellow Olympian Glenn Morris in the 1938 film Tarzan’s Revenge. On November 10, 1939 a year after Jarrett divorced her, claiming that his wife’s expulsion from the 1936 Olympics and her affair with another man had caused him embarrassment, Holm married Billy Rose, who had divorced first wife Fanny Brice. At the 1939 New York World’s Fair, Holm did 39 shows a week at Rose’s “Aquacade”, co-featured with Johnnt Weissmuller and, later Buster Crabbe. In 1954, Holm and Rose divorced – this sensational divorce trial was called “the war of the Roses”. Several months later, Holm married Thomas Joseph Whalen, an oil-drilling executive. They remained married until his death in 1986. All of the unions were childless.
In 1966, Holm was inducted into ISHOF, where we remained active and a friend to Buck Dawson and living in Miami Beach, she was around at all events or anytime she was called upon.
The information on this page was written the year of their induction
Happy Birthday to Pablo Morales ~ December 5
Pablo Morales (USA) 1998 Honor Swimmer
FOR THE RECORD: 1984 OLYMPIC GAMES: gold (4x100m medley relay), silver (l00m butterfly, 200m individual medley); 1992 OLYMPIC GAMES: gold (l00m butterfly, 4x100m medley relay); FOUR WORLD RECORDS: 2-100m butterfly, 2-4xl00m medley relay); 1986 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS: gold (100m butterfly, 4x100m medley relay); 1983 PAN AMERICAN GAMES: silver (l00m butterfly); 1983 PAN PACIFIC CHAMPIONSHIPS: gold (200m butterfly); 1985 PAN PACIFIC CHAMPIONSHIPS: gold (l00m butterfly, 200m individual medley); 1987 PAN PACIFIC CHAMPIONSHIPS: gold (l00m butterfly), bronze (200m individual medley); WORLD SWIMMER OF THE YEAR: 1984; SEVEN U.S. NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS: short course (l00y butterfly), long course (l00m butterfly, 4x100m medley relay); ELEVEN NCAA CHAMPIONSHIPS: 100y butterfly, 200y butterfly, 200y individual medley, 4xl00y medley relay); THREE NCAA WATER POLO CHAMPIONSHIPS: 1985,1986,1987.
He became known as the “Comeback Kid” in 1991 when, at the age of 27, returning from a three year hiatus, he still looked like a kid – lean body, innocent smile, and full of hope. He became the oldest Olympic gold medalist in swimming while at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics. It was the culmination of a long career filled with a lot of success and a little disappointment.
Having grown up in California, under the watchful eye of his Cuban immigrant parents, Pablo learned the traditional values of respect, hard work, love and sharing. Between swimming practices, at Santa Clara Swim Club with Coach Mitch Ivey, he gave volunteer service to hospitals, local kids groups and institutions for the elderly, and still managed to study hard and maintain a high grade point average. As an age group swimmer, he was a national record holder in the butterfly with a smooth natural stroke. As a teenager, he broke Mark Spitz’ 16 year old high school 100yd. butterfly record.
By 1984 he was swimming fast enough to qualify for the U.S. Olympic Team in three events, setting the world record in the 100m butterfly at the trials. At the Olympics in Los Angeles, he won the gold medal as a member of the 4 x 100m medley relay in the world record time of 3:39.30 with teammates Rick Carey, Steve Lundquist and Rowdy Gaines. He won silver medals in two other events, the 100m butterfly and the 200m individual medley, pushing Michael Gross of Germany in the butterfly and Alex Baumann of Canada in the individual medley, to world records. For his achievements, Pablo was named World Swimmer of the Year for 1984.
Between 1984 and 1988, Pablo swam to win, placing first at the 1985 Pan American Games in the 100m butterfly and 200m I.M.. At the 1986 Madrid World Championships he was the gold medalist in the 100m butterfly and 4 x 100m medley relay. His World Championship Trials’ time set the world record for the 100m butterfly at 52.84, a record which stood for almost 10 years until it was broken by Denis Pankratov of Russia in 1995.
In 1987, the nation saw the greatest achievement in the United States Collegiate Swimming history, when Pablo won his 11th NCAA National Championship title, one more than Hall of Famer John Naber of the University of Southern California, and a record which stands today. His Skip Kenny-coached Stanford University Team won its third consecutive National Championship with Pablo as team captain. Pablo also played on three Stanford NCAA Water Polo Championship Teams, one of a very few players to win national championships in these two disciplines.
However, after all this success, disappointment set in when Pablo, as the best butterfly swimmer in the world, failed to qualify for the 1988 US. Olympic Team at the Olympic Trials in Austin, Texas. Devastated, he retired from the sport but only temporarily. Three years later, in 1991, he returned to training, qualified for the 1992 U.S. Olympic Team as the “old man of the team” and came back to win the Olympic gold medal in the 100m butterfly in Barcelona.
Pablo Morales was always a team player who achieved individual success. When asked to have his picture taken at the 1987 NCAA Championship, Pablo responded “I only have my picture taken with my team.”
He is an athlete who exhibited a tremendous amount of sportsmanship to his competitors and a lasting impression of support to his teammates. His yearning desire to succeed was never diminished. His inspiration came from his mother and father, Bud Greenspan Olympic documentaries, and a popularity from his peers that was initiated by his own positive leadership qualities in which he lead by example. Following the 1992 Olympics, he was chosen the USOC Sportsman of the Year.
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Pablo admired the Olympic experience where the best in the world come together to compete. Pablo Morales is the well respected swimmer who rose above the crowds of great competitors. In 1998, he will be putting these qualities together for others as the head coach for the San Jose State University Women’s Swimming Team in California.
The information on this page was written the year of their inductionToday Pablo is the Head Coach at the University of Nebraska, in his 25th Season (2025-26) this year. To read his Huskers bio, click here: https://huskers.com/staff/pablo-morales
Happy Birthday Mike Barrowman~December 4
Mike Barrowman was inducted into ISHOF in 1997 when the ISHOF Induction Ceremony was held in Nagoya, Japan at ISHOF Aichi/Asia. Read more about how Barrowman revolutioned the Breaststroke.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY MIKE!!!
Mike Barrowman (USA) Honor Swimmer 1997
FOR THE RECORD: 1988 OLYMPIC GAMES: 4th (200m breaststroke); 1992 OLYMPIC GAMES: gold (200m breaststroke); 1989, 1990 World Swimmer of the Year; WORLD RECORDS (7): 200m breaststroke; 1991 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS: gold (200m breaststroke); 1987 PAN AMERICAN GAMES: silver (200m breaststroke); US NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS (6): 2 short course (200yd), 4 long course (200m); NCAA CHAMPIONSHIPS (3).
During the 20 year period between the 1972 Munich Olympics and the 1992 Barcelona Olympics, the world record was held by only five swimmers – Hall of Famers John Hencken (USA), David Wilkie (GBR) and Victor Davis (CAN) among them.
Nick Gillingham (GBR) held the record for two days in 1990 sandwiched between USA’s Mike Barrowman. Barrowman joins 1940s swimmer Joe Verdeur (USA) in breaking the 200m breaststroke world record, a record number of six times. Between 1988 and 1992, Barrowman dominated the 200m breaststroke as no other swimmer did, winning 15 of 16 major national and international competitions.
His first world record came after five years and one day in the same pool, same lane when Davis had set the mark of 2:13.34 at the 1984 Olympic Games. Until his retirement after the 1992 Olympics, that mark was to fall an additional five times by another 23 seconds, by Mike.
To Barrowman, success came all of a sudden, but not without a considerable amount of hard work and training. Leading up to the 1988 Olympic Trials, he was ranked 64th in the world and no one had heard of Mike Barrowman. To his astonishment, he dropped an incredible seven and one-half seconds, from 2:21.39 to 2:13.74, to make the US Olympic Team and travel to Seoul. But it was while at Seoul, after finishing a disappointing fourth place that he set his sites for the greatest achievements yet to come that made swimming history. When they played the national anthem of Hungary for Seoul’s winner Jozef Szabo, Mike was under the bleachers in the practice pool – all alone. He had wanted the gold medal. The memory of not getting it was the catalyst that drove him to higher achievements during the next four years.
Barrowman began his first swimming lessons at five months old, from his grandmother, a Red Cross instructor. By eighteen months, he could jump off the diving board and dog paddle to the side, and at four years he could swim freestyle and backstroke. Through high school, he swam for the Rockville, Maryland-Montgomery Swim Club and Churchill High School. But it was in 1986 that he met the Hungarian-born coach Jozsef Nagy and moved with him to Curl-Burke Swim Club and then stardom. The Hungarian-speaking Nagy’s first words to Barrowman were “breaststroke strong.”
Nagy developed the “wave-action technique” of the breaststroke, and Barrowman became the showman of the stroke. Through the technical use of physics and the practical use of “borrowing” the same head and shoulder characteristics of a cheetah running, Barrowman turned this stroke into the fastest in the world. On land, he re-popularized the use of medicine balls, taken from the 1950s, to increase quickness, particularly in the recovery phase of the stroke. Dryland work, but not weight training, was a very important part of his total training. His secret to success was none other than “good ole hard work.”
It was the desirable balance of his University of Michigan coach Jon Urbanchek, and Hungarian-born Nagy that helped Mike perform so well. He not only wanted to succeed for himself, but more so for his coaches and family. Under Urbanchek’s guidance, Barrowman earned three NCAA breaststroke championships and was selected the NCAA 1990 Swimmer of the Year. Urbanchek describes Barrowman as being “very meticulous. He can describe exactly what he is doing in his stroke.”
Under Nagy’s guidance, Barrowman perfected his stroke. His style of coaching, Mike was to criticize. “Nothing is ever good enough. Everything I do, 100 people have done better, girls can do better. Some people couldn’t handle it, but it works for me,” says Barrowman.
Barrowman became a model of concentration, a study in intensity. He won six US National Championships and won the gold medal at the 1991 Perth World Championships by defeating the same two swimmers as he did in the next year’s Olympic Games, Norbet Rozsa (HUN) and Nick Gillingham (GBR). At these Games, this 5’11”, 163 lb. swimmer born in Paraguay, lived his dream, the Olympic gold medal. In the process, he set six world records and was voted World Swimmer of the Year in both 1989 and 1990. He was also selected as a finalist in 1990, 1991 and 1993 for the prestigious AAU Sullivan Award.
After his retirement from swimming, Mike began kayaking, another water event which uses the same muscles as swimming. He finished 15th at the 1996 US Olympic Trials.
He works on sports cars, writes novels, goes to the opera and conducts clinics throughout the world. Kids love him, because he is a champion inside.
The information on this page was written the year of their induction
World Aquatics unveils new graduate programme for elite aquatics athletes at Kookmin University
Image Source: Quinn Rooney/Getty Images
Written by: World Aquatics Communication Department
World Aquatics, with the help of the Olympic Council of Asia and Kookmin University, have introduced a new academic pathway for elite aquatics athletes. This pathway enables them to participate in an innovative and immersive graduate program titled “Beyond Asia, Becoming Sustainable Global Leaders.”
The Asia Olympic Graduate School is designed to develop future leaders in sustainability, governance, and global sports policy. The programme offers two-year master’s degrees in ESG Management and Public Policy, which are grounded in the Olympic values of excellence, friendship, and respect.
Husain Al-Musallam, President of World Aquatics and Director General of the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA), emphasised the program’s importance in shaping the next generation of leaders in the sports industry.
“This academy will be a platform where youth sports leaders from across Asia come together to harness the power of sport for peace, cooperation, and sustainable development.”
Elite athletes from all aquatic sports—swimming, diving, artistic swimming, water polo, open water swimming, and high diving—will be eligible to apply for a dedicated scholarship and a tailored admissions process.
The programme offers two academic tracks: Asia Olympic Governance & Policy, and Global Sports Sustainability & ESG Management. Each track spans four semesters and combines Olympic studies with sustainability, policy, and leadership training.
Image Source: Kim Yeongtaek and Yi Jaegyeong of Team Republic of Korea warm up ahead of the Men’s Synchronized 10m Platform Final at the 2023 World Aquatics Championships in Fukuoka (Clive Rose/Getty Images)
The launch reinforces the established partnership between the OCA and Kookmin University, which began with their 2021 Memorandum of Understanding to enhance educational opportunities within the Asian Olympic Movement.
More information regarding scholarships, admissions, and application timelines will be available on the official channels of World Aquatics and the OCA.
Happy Birthday to 2024 Honor Contributor, Dale Neuburger….
Dale Neuburger
Country: USA
Honoree Type: Contributor
FOR THE RECORD: FINA/WORLD AQUATICS: Treasurer (2021-present); Vice President (2000-2021); Bureau Liaison to the Technical Swimming Committee (2005- present); Chairman, FINA Technical Swimming Commission (2005-2022); Founding Chairman, FINA Development Program 2009-2022); Competition Director, FINA World Swimming Championships (Indianapolis 2004). INTERNATIONAL OLYMPIC COMMITTEEE: Technical Delegate/Competition Director (Olympic Games Beijing 2008, London 2012, Rio 2016, Tokyo 2021, and Paris 2024; Youth Olympic Games Singapore 2010; Nanjing 2014; Buenos Aires 2018). INTERNATIONAL SWIMMING HALL OF FAME: Chairman of the Board of Directors (2004); Board Member 1996-2004 and 2021- 2022); Paragon Award for Competitive Swimming (2000). PAN AM AQUATICS Honorary Life President (awarded 2024); President (2015-2019). US AQUATIC SPORTS: President (2002-2006); Board Member (2006-present); Recipient, Max Ritter Award (2019). USA SWIMMING: President (1998-2002); Vice President (1994-1998); Board Member 1990-2018); Foundation Board Member (2008-2014). UNITED STATES OLYMPIC & PARALYMPIC COMMITTEE: National Governing Bodies Council President and Executive Committee Member (1996-2000); Board Member 1994-2002); Deputy. Chef de Mission, United States Olympic delegation (Athens 2004); Recipient, President’s Award (2000); Recipient, George Steinbrenner III Award (2023); Organizing Committee leadership, 10 Olympic Trials in the aquatic sports (1984-2004). NCAA: Secretary-Rules Editor (1991); Flying Wedge Award (2000); Event Director for 11 NCAA Swimming & Diving Championships (1983-1991). PAN AMERICAN GAMES: Commissioner of Aquatics (Indianapolis 1987); Technical Delegate (2019 Lima and 2023 Santiago). ACODEPA: First Vice President (2019-2023); Executive Committee Member (2015-2023). FISU: Technical Delegate for five World University Games (Bangkok 2007; Belgrade 2009; Shenzhen (2011); Kazan 2015; Naples (2019). Raised in Buffalo, New York, he was an age group swimmer, team captain at Williston Academy (Massachusetts) and won varsity letters as a swimmer at Princeton University. After graduation from Princeton, Dale Neuburger returned to Buffalo where he coached club and high school swim teams before becoming Assistant Coach of Syracuse University’s Men’s and Women’s Swimming teams – one of the first combined collegiate programs in the country.
In 1979, Neuburger’s career turned to administration when he was selected as Aquatics Director for the Syracuse City School District, including programs and events at Max Newman Pool at , Nottingham High School – the first 50-meter, indoor swimming pool at a public high school in the USA. He was Competition Manager for the four aquatic sports in the 1981 National Sports Festival.
His successes in Syracuse led him to being hired as Assistant Athletic Director of Indiana University, with responsibility to manage three new sports venues being built for the 1982 National Sports Festival and 1987 Pan American Games: the Indianapolis Sports Center, the Indiana University Track Stadium, and the Indiana University Natatorium.
For ten years, he organized and oversaw major competitions including U.S. Olympic Trials, NCAA Championships, and the Pan American Games.
In 1993, Neuburger became President of Indiana Sports Corporation. During his twelve years in that position, he oversaw more than 200 major sports events that brought more than $2 billion of economic impact, including the 2004 FINA World Swimming Championships, the first to be staged in an NBA arena. His major accomplishment was leading the effort to relocate the National Collegiate Athletic Association and the National Federation of High School Associations to Indianapolis.
Neuburger served two terms as President of USA Swimming and two terms as the President of United States Aquatic Sports, the National Federation member of FINA/World Aquatics. At the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games he was elected Vice President of FINA, the international federation governing aquatic sports; he was reelected four more times before being elected Treasurer of World Aquatics in 2021 andre-elected to this position in 2023.
Dale Neuburger is the longest serving American representative in the history of FINA/World Aquatics. He has served as the Liaison to the FINA/World Aquatics Technical Swimming Committee and was the Technical Delegate for swimming at five Olympic Games – including Paris, 2024. He is also the founding Chairman of the World Aquatics Development Program, the largest grant program in the Olympic family.
Dale Neuburger’s career of service to aquatic sports, from age group to the Olympic level, has exemplified his willingness to give back to the sport which offered him so many opportunities. His wife Heidi, and adult children Eric and Karen, have been his constant and loyal support throughout his career.
“Mighty Mo” Maurine Kornfeld, Masters Honoree turns an AMAZING 104 YEARS OLD today!
Maurine Kornfield was born on November 27, 1921 in Great Falls, Montana. Her story from her 2018 Honore Induction is below. Anyone who meets Maurine instantly falls a little bit in love with her. She is absolutely charming. We met Maurine at her induction in 2018, she was just shy of 100, in Jacksonville. She was thrilled to be honored with induction into the International Masters Swimming Hall of Fame.
1st picture Maurine Kornfeld Induction into ISHOF 2018
Maurine has done countless interviews and articles; She has even done a TED Talk, transcript here: https://www.ted.com/podcasts/how-to-be-a-better-human/lessons-from-102-year-old-swimmer-maurine-kornfeld-transcript
Please read her 2018 MISHOF Induction bio:
MAURINE KORNFELD (USA) ~ 2018 Honor Swimmer
NTERNATIONAL HIGHLIGHTS: World Points-893, Pre-1986 Points-0. Total Points 893. Since 1986, she has competed in 7 age groups (65-69 through 95-99); 28 FINA MASTERS WORLD RECORDS
Maurine Kornfeld grew up in Great Falls, Montana and learned to swim at the Morony Public Natatorium. It wasn’t love at first sight though. The water was cold, and the swim suits were ugly. It was enough to keep her out of the water for over sixty years.
After retiring from her career as a social worker, Kornfeld started swimming with the Masters team at the Glendale, California YMCA, where she learned the ropes and some of the vocabulary. She not only took to Masters, but also took all the Red Cross courses for Water Safety Instructor, Advanced Lifesaving and Adapted Aquatics. She made her Masters debut in the 65 – 69 age group, and set her first Masters World Record at the age of 90.
At the 2017 FINA Masters World Championships in Budapest, Kornfeld was the oldest female swimmer at the meet and amazed the city when she set a new World Record in the 95-99 age group in the 800m freestyle.
Maurine at 2017 Budapest World Championships
Master swimming has become a major part of Kornfeld’s life. At 97 years old, she wakes up before dawn’s early light, four mornings a week, tackling two freeways to drive to the Rose Bowl Aquatic Center for a Masters workout. She has been competing for 31 years and has raced at four FINA World Championships, winning 14 gold and four silver medals.
“It’s such fun swimming with my teammates,” she says, “they are remarkably tolerant of my snail’s pace and literally swim circles around me!” After practice she “hangs out” with a group of younger swimmers in the hot tub to cool down and settle the problems of the world, she says. Then she’s off for her other major activities, serving as a docent at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, or she is giving tours at the historic Los Angeles Union Station.
Kornfeld’s secret to life: “If you can’t out swim them, outlive them!” And in the process, she’s inspiring the world to live a long and healthy life through Masters swimming.
Let’s all WISH MAURINE KORNFELD A VERY HAPPY BIRTHDAY
Happy Thanksgiving from everyone at the International Swimming Hall of Fame
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