Fort Lauderdale approves $190M overhaul of International Swimming Hall of Fame
The Fort Lauderdale City Commission approved a public-private partnership (P3) development deal that would lead to the $190 million redevelopment and expansion of the International Swimming Hall of Fame.
The vote on Sept. 19 approved the lease and development deal with Hall of Fame Partners, managed by Mario Caprini of Capital Group P3 Developments of Florida in Boca Raton, for the ISHOF at 501 Seabreeze Blvd. Fort Lauderdale-based Hensel Phelps Construction Co. is also a partner in the project. The process started in 2020 when the developer submitted an unsolicited P3 proposal to the city.
“The new and improved ISHOF will be a significant complement to our world class Aquatic Center and Dive Tower,” Mayor Dean Trantalis stated.
The aquatic center and dive tower recently underwent a $47 million renovation. The P3 project would feature two buildings on either side of these aquatic center.
The developer anticipates starting the first of three phases of construction in late 2023 and opening the first building in 2025. The Hall of Fame will be relocated to a temporary facility during a portion of the construction.
A new east building will be constructed with a welcome center, ISHOF museum, a café, a surf simulator machine, about 27,000 square feet of office space, and a roof deck. In addition, the new west building would have a museum gift shop, a café, a teaching pool, a parking garage, exhibit spaces, VIP suites, a grandstand to watch diving, an event center, and a rooftop restaurant.
Each building would rise five stories, and the new space would total nearly 331,000 square feet.
“As the swimming and diving capital of the world, Fort Lauderdale is deserving of a crown jewel that can be enjoyed by the best swimmers in the world, our local community, and visitors throughout the year,” stated ISHOF Chairman of the Board Bill Kent.
The ISHOF is slated to induct Michael Phelps, the most decorated Olympian in history, on Sept. 30.
The estimated costs of the project are $190 million and the city would pay $9.5 million to $11 million per year toward those costs. However, the city’s costs are expected to be offset by revenue generated by the project through the lease with the developer, according to a staff memo. The city would receive half of the revenue from the project.
According to an economic analysis of the project by Business Flare Analytics, the project would have a $292 million economic impact during construction and support 750 jobs upon completion. It would also place a property that was exempt from property taxes on the tax rolls, generating $14 million in property tax revenue for the city, county and school board over 30 years.
The developer is working with Washington, D.C.-based MACQ Holdings, Miami-based architect Arquitectonica and Fort Lauderdale attorneys Jennifer Bales Drake of Becker and Stephanie Toothaker.
Toothaker said the developer has letters of intent in place for almost all of the subtenant spaces in the building, including the restaurants and workspace. She said a three-star Michelin restaurant is interested in the rooftop restaurant on the west building. The site plan will be finalized by the city later.
“This will be a place people will want to go and spend the afternoon,” Toothaker said. “It just elevates our beach.”
Column: Latest International Swimming Hall of Fame Class Celebrates Greatness; 13 Honorees Inducted
by JOHN LOHN – EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
30 September 2023, 06:33pm
Latest International Swimming Hall of Fame Class Celebrates Greatness
There was always going to be something special about the first class of the International Swimming Hall of Fame. The year was 1965, and like any initial induction, the athletes enshrined accounted for a Who’s-Who of the sport. Just a few: Johnny Weissmuller. Dawn Fraser. Duke Kahanamoku. Robert Kiphuth. Gertrude Ederle.
In the five-plus decades since, ISHOF has continued to celebrate the greats of aquatic sports. The yearly induction ceremony in Fort Lauderdale is a special event, one which honors individual excellence, but also recognizes history and offers inspiration for the future. Really, that combination is the essence of all Halls of Fame.
On Saturday night, ISHOF’s latest class – its 58th – was feted at the Parker Playhouse. Those in attendance applauded vociferously and rose to their feet for several standing ovations. For the first time, the event was broadcast by ESPN+, enabling fans, family, and friends to witness the event from around the world.
By definition, any Hall of Fame class is grand. It’s a pinnacle accomplishment in a career, and enshrinement isn’t doled out like a pizza-shop coupon. ISHOF conducts an exhaustive, year-round process is utilized to select each year’s honorees. Eventually, that year’s group of legends is revealed, and they are brought to Southern Florida to receive their due – and place in aquatics history.
As it should be, there is something special about this 2023 class. The career accolades of the 13 individuals recognized would stand strong against any other year. The five swimmers totaled 51 career Olympic medals. But the class, too, has range – athletes from the artistic, Paralympic, diving, governance and water polo worlds all having reached spectacular heights. Arguments can be made that Trischa Zorn (Paralympics) and Natalia Ishchenko (artistic swimming) are the best in history from their respective domains.
Here is a look at the full class of inductees:
Bob Bowman (USA) / Honor CoachChris Carver (USA) / Honor CoachCesar Cielo (BRA) / Honor SwimmerKirsty Coventry (ZIM) / Honor SwimmerMissy Franklin (USA) / Honor SwimmerNatalia Ischenko (RUS) / Honor Synchronized SwimmerKosuke Kitajima (JPN) / Honor SwimmerHeather Petri (USA) / Honor Water Polo PlayerMichael Phelps (USA) / Honor SwimmerWu Minxia (CHN) / Honor DiverSam Ramsamy (RSA) / Honor ContributorStéphane Lecat (FRA) / Honor Open Water SwimmerTrischa Zorn (USA) / Honor Paralympic Swimmer
In Michael Phelps, there is no debate concerning his status as the greatest swimmer his sport has seen. He was a modern-day Moses, moving water like no other. It equated to 28 Olympic medals, 23 of the gold variety. During a career that spanned 2000-2016, Phelps was the undisputed face of the sport. He proved anything was achievable, such as claiming eight gold medals in a single Olympiad, and he served as an inspiration for youngsters dreaming of their own success in the pool.
The fact that Phelps was inducted on a night when his longtime coach, Bob Bowman, also earned enshrinement was only appropriate. It was Bowman who was willing to tell an 11-year-old’s parents that he had the potential for greatness. He then followed that claim by molding Phelps’ career in deliberate and careful fashion.
Photo Courtesy: John Lohn
As she delivered her acceptance speech, six-time Olympic medalist Missy Franklin wore her trademark smile. Franklin will long be remembered for her backstroke and freestyle prowess, her double-gold in the backstroke events at the 2012 Olympics an iconic sweep. Yet, she will also be recalled for what she brought to the sport from a personality standpoint. Franklin’s bubbly, full-of-life demeanor showed that you don’t have to be a robot, or free of verve, to excel. She showed you can also reach the top of the sport with pure joy, and while connecting with a fanbase – something she continues to do today.
Photo Courtesy: John Lohn
Meanwhile, Kirsty Coventry was honored following a career that yielded seven Olympic medals. Who would have thought such a run could be made by an athlete born in Zimbabwe, not exactly a hot bed for swimming. But Coventry found a way, and provided proof that success can come from any locale, as long as belief and hard work click in unison.
The night of Saturday, September 30 is now part of swimming’s history. There are 13 new members of the International Swimming Hall of Fame. Their stories will resonate in perpetuity, and soon have a place in the new ISHOF museum. Just like that inaugural class from 1965, these athletes will continue to have an impact on the aquatics’ world.
The past, present, and future have again been celebrated, and will forever be intertwined. It’s what a Hall of Fame is all about.
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The ISHOF 58th Annual Induction is just around the corner…….
58th Annual Induction CeremonyIt is that time of year again where the International Swimming Hall of Fame (ISHOF) Inducts it’s new class of honorees! This year our Induction Ceremony will be held on Saturday, September 30, 2023, at the Parker (Playhouse) in Fort Lauderdale.
Tickets are now on sale on Ticketmaster. To purchase tickets, click on this link. https://www.ticketmaster.com/event/0D005EF4B8CBCE3D
This year’s honorees include aquatics legends such as Michael Phelps, Bob Bowman, Missy Franklin, Kirsty Coventry and 9 more individuals who excelled in aquatic sports. Come join us for what is to be a once in a lifetime opportunity to mingle with these aquatic legends.
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GET YOUR TICKETS NOW!! ISHOF’s 58th Annual Honoree Induction Ceremony ~ September 30th ~ Don’t miss the GREATEST Aquatic SHOW in HISTORY!!!
58th Annual Induction CeremonyIt is that time of year again where the International Swimming Hall of Fame (ISHOF) Inducts new honorees! This year our Induction Ceremony will be held on Saturday, September 30, 2023, at the Parker (Playhouse) in Fort Lauderdale.
Tickets are now on sale on Ticketmaster. To purchase tickets, click on this link. https://www.ticketmaster.com/event/0D005EF4B8CBCE3D
This year’s honorees include aquatics legends such as Michael Phelps, Bob Bowman, Missy Franklin, Kirsty Coventry and 9 more individuals who excelled in aquatic sports. Come join us for what is to be a once in a lifetime opportunity to mingle with these aquatic legends.
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The International Swimming Hall of Fame 2023 Honoree Induction Weekend Silent Auction is now open!
New items are being added every week. The auction is open until September 30, 2023.
Click the button below to bid on amazing auction items such as hotel stays, getaways, restaurant gift cards, entertainment options, sports memorabilia and much, much more!
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Mind Reading: Michael Phelps On The Watershed Article About His Mental Health That Inspired A New NFT Series
shared from: Forbes Magazine
Michael Phelps, November 2021 GETTY IMAGES
It’s been seven years since Michael Phelps first publicly acknowledged the debilitating mental health issues he’d been struggling with throughout his legendary career as a swimmer. The news came out in in a November 2015 Sports Illustrated cover story: The most decorated Olympian of all time struggled with anxiety and depression, and had contemplated suicide.
“I still don’t know why at that very moment I just let it all out,” Phelps says today. “For whatever reason, the time and place were perfect and it was like, ‘I’m ready, buckle up.’ Looking back, that’s the moment that probably saved my life—being able to let that stuff out that I was compartmentalizing for decades.”
To commemorate that watershed occasion, Phelps and SI are teaming on a collection of digital covers that drops December 6 via Web3 company OneOf. The collection is a nod to the original sports collectible trends of yesteryear, with action figures reimagined for Phelps’ ninth Sports Illustrated cover. Phelps will donate all of his proceeds to the foundation he established in 2008.
“It was one of the most meaningful stories of my career,” he says. “Mental health is so important to me and this will help us with what we’re trying to do to lower the stigma around mental health and get people the help and the care they need.”
The narrative of Phelps’ mental health journey and the ways he uses his influence to help others is ongoing. Its chapters continue to evolve through the work of The Michael Phelps Foundation, through his partnership with online therapy company Talkspace, through just being Michael Phelps.
“Through everything I’ve gone through, I saw a significant opportunity to make an impact in mental health. I’ve looked suicide basically in the face. I saw myself as a swimmer and not a human. I had a swim cap on and a pair of goggles and people just saw me as this kid who wins a shitload of medals,” he says.
“And I’m now on this side where I was able to find the help I needed to be able to look at myself in the mirror and like what I see. I have feelings like everybody else, and the struggles I have are just like what everybody else is going through. So my thing is, ‘How do we help?’
Phelps’ own path to healing began at a residential treatment center, where he was introduced to therapy for the first time.
“I will say therapy has saved me, and it’s helped me process life on dry land a little bit easier. When I first started seeing a therapist I was like, ‘I don’t want to do this, it seems awkward.’ Then I come out of my first session, and I was like, ‘Wow that was awesome. The complete opposite of what I thought,’ ” he says.
“When I was in treatment we had basic emotions that were on the wall and every single day we would talk about them. Some days were harder than others but being able to understand how you feel and communicate that is something that is important for all of us.”
The Talkspace partnership was a natural fit for Phelps, who was used to being on the road for large periods of time and understood the danger of pushing off a session because it wasn’t convenient to show up for an in-person appointment.
“For me, it’s covering myself and being prepared in any situation,” he says. “If I’m on the road and I’m struggling I can make a phone call, have a Facetime, text to my therapist. It’s just having these tools ready at any single opportunity. That’s what I did when I was swimming. I was prepared. I want to be prepared if there ever is a situation when I go spinning—and I do get triggered—so for me it was just perfect.”
Not surprisingly, he’s also keenly tapped into the mind-body connection, and he still works out in various capacities six or seven days a week.
“If I’m in a really in a dark spot, I need to go swim. That’s the only place that is quiet. I don’t get much quiet time in my life and if I need that escape, that’s’ the place where I can go I and just turn my mind off because it’s so natural.”
Phelps also does his share of journaling. “I still write a lot, and I like going back and looking at it,” he says. “I’m pretty detailed about what’s going on. Whether I didn’t sleep enough or didn’t get enough water… throughout my career I’ve been used to paying attention to every small detail, and I just want to give myself the best chance every single day to be the best me. Obviously some days are harder than others but if I’m able to get 5 percent, 10 percent, 20 percent out of that day then it’s a win.”
Through his foundation, whose signature program IM is a multifaceted life-skills curriculum focused on water safety; physical, social and emotional health; and goal-setting, he partners with Boys & Girls Clubs of America—the program has reached more than 35,000 participants—and Special Olympics International.
“Whether it’s kids overcoming their fear of swimming and becoming more confident, and then their grades are getting better in school and everything starts to move forward—I love being able to hear the stories,” he says.
In fact, Phelps thrives on feedback. “If somebody walks up and becomes vulnerable and shares their story because I have shared my journey—for me that’s bigger than anything else,” he says.
“For a long time I felt like I was standing on top of that mountain screaming and no one was listening. And now we’re at a point where more people are putting their hands up into the air trying to get people to listen. We’re not shutting these things down and holding on to them, and hopefully that in turn is allowing people to become their authentic selves.”
Of course, there’s feedback and there’s feedback.
A few years ago Phelps was approached by a man at an airport who asked how he’s been spending his time. Phelps responded he’s focused on helping destigmatize mental health. “He said, ‘So, you’re telling me you talk about your mental health and you think that’s going to help people?’” Phelps recalls. “And then he says, ‘I think that’s almost a sign of weakness.’ And at that point I took both of my headsets out and was like, ‘Dude…’ ”
After a bit more back forth during which the man insisted neither he nor anyone close to him struggled with PTSD, anxiety, depression—“I listed 10 different things,” Phelps says—Phelps finally shut down the conversation. It was a moment of frustration, but this is a man who knows how to channel frustration into opportunity.
“I honestly couldn’t believe it, but at that point I was like, ‘This is exactly why I’m doing what I’m doing,’ ” he says.
“I want our foundation’s mental health division to continue to evolve. Every person needs something different so I want to be able to give every option to try to save a life. Saving a life is way more important than ever winning a gold medal.”
Mind Reading (formerly Hollywood & Mind) is a recurring column that lives at the intersection of entertainment and wellbeing, and features interviews with musicians, actors and other culture influencers who are elevating the conversation around mental health.
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Today in History: ISHOF 2023 Honor Swimmer Kosuke Kitajima (of Japan) wraps up the 100/200m breaststroke double at the Athens Olympics when he wins the 200m in 2:09.44, an Olympic record
Come see KOSUKE KITAJIMA LIVE and IN PERSON as he is officially inducted with other great Aquatic Athletes, like MICHAEL PHELPS, MISSY FRANKLIN, CESAR CIELO and KIRSTY COVENTRY into the INTERNATIONAL SWIMMING HALL OF FAME in Fort Lauderdale on September 30, 2023. Seats are Limited, buy your tickets NOW!
58th Annual ISHOF Honoree Induction CeremonyHosted By Dara TorresSaturday, September 30, 2023The Parker Playhouse707 NE 8th Street, Fort Lauderdale, 33304954.462.0222
Purchase Saturday Night Tickets Here
Class of 2023 Honorees
Bob Bowman (USA) / Honor CoachChris Carver (USA) / Honor CoachCesar Cielo (BRA) / Honor SwimmerKirsty Coventry (ZIM) / Honor SwimmerMissy Franklin (USA) / Honor SwimmerNatalia Ischenko (RUS) / Honor Synchronized SwimmerKosuke Kitajima (JPN) / Honor SwimmerHeather Petri (USA) / Honor Water Polo PlayerMichael Phelps (USA) / Honor SwimmerWu Minxia (CHN) / Honor DiverSam Ramsamy (RSA) / Honor ContributorStephane Lecat (FRA) / Honor Open Water SwimmerTrischa Zorn (USA) / Honor Paralympic Swimmer
2023 ISHOF Aquatic Awards &ISHOF Specialty AwardsPresented by AquaCal
Friday, September 29, 2023
Purchase Friday Night Tickets Here
ISHOF Aquatic AwardsCompetitive Swimming: Mike Unger (USA)Competitive Diving: Ellie Smart (USA)Water Polo: Mark Koganov (AZB)Artistic Swimming: Maria Jose Bilbao (ESP)Aquatic Safety: Cullen Jones (USA)Recreational Swimming: Sofia Forte (USA)
ISHOF Specialty Awards John K. Williams Jr. Award: Gail M. Dummer (USA)Judge Martin Award: Norm Taplin (USA)ISHOF Service Award: Laura Voet (USA)Buck Dawson Author’s Award: Elaine K. Howley (USA)Buck Dawson Author’s Award: Tom Gompf (USA)Al Schoenfield Media Award: John Lohn Virginia Hunt Newman Award: Amanda GawthropeSammy Lee Award: USA Diving/Duraflex
5:00 – Cocktails and hors d’oeuvresOceanview Veranda Fort Lauderdale Marriott Harbor Beach, 3030 Holiday Drive, Ft. Lauderdale, FL 954.525.40006:00 – Awards Ceremony Grand Ballroom – Salon EFort Lauderdale Marriott Harbor Beach8:30 – Dinner on own
HOTEL INFORMATION
Host Hotel: Fort Lauderdale Marriott Harbor Beach Resort & Spa
The Fort Lauderdale Marriott Harbor Beach Resort & Spa, (3030, Harbor Drive, Fort Lauderdale, 33316, 954. 525.4000) site of the Friday night awards ceremony is our host hotel. The hotel has given us a special rate of $229 per room night. Please make your reservations through the link below prior to August 29.
(Be sure to say you do not want the resort fee or you will be charged $259)
To make reservations click here: https://book.passkey.com/e/50527236
Upscale retreat with private beach access, two pools, four restaurants, full-service spa and oceanside bar. Location of the Friday evening awards ceremony.
¼ mile south of the International Swimming Hall of Fame.
($30 Resort fee – Guests can opt out if not interested in resort amenities)
Additional Hotel Option:
Courtyard Marriott Fort Lauderdale Beach, 440 Seabreeze Blvd., Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33316
(954) 524-8733.
Click Here: Book your group rate for Honoree Ceremony
Special ISHOF Guest Rate of $169 – $189 per night
Honoree Ceremony September 29-30, 2023: Last Day to Book: Friday, August 31, 2023.
Today in History: Dutch swimmer Pieter van den Hoogenband wins the coveted 100m freestyle gold medal in 48.17 ahead of Roland Schoeman of South Africa at the Athens Olympic Games
On this Date: Race Of the Century – When Three Titans Of the Sport Clashed For History (Video)
by JOHN LOHN – EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
16 August 2023, 04:37am
Race Of the Century: When Two Stalwarts and a Rising Star Clashed For History (Video)
The 200 freestyle had enough substance at the 2004 Olympics, thanks to a repeat clash between the Netherlands’ Pieter van den Hoogenband and Australia’s Ian Thorpe. But when Michael Phelps entered the fray, too, the race became something special, and one of the most-anticipated events in Olympic history.
How many times has this refrain been uttered by sports fans and experts: Wouldn’t it be great if (fill in the blank) and (fill in the blank) had the chance to battle? Yet, in many instances, the desired matchup is left only to the imagination, timing usually the most significant factor in the blockage of what could be an epic duel.
As the 2004 Olympic Games neared, however, swimming found itself in a fortunate position when three of the biggest names of the era – or history, for that matter – decided the 200 freestyle was going to be on their Athens schedules. The revelation had the sport’s analysts wringing their hands and fans counting down to what undoubtedly would be a day to remember: August 16, 2004.
Pieter Van den Hoogenband – Photo Courtesy: Bill Collins
Two of the pieces for an epic race in Athens were in place long before the Games returned to their birthplace. In Australian Ian Thorpe and Dutchman Pieter van den Hoogenband, the 200 freestyle two of the greatest performers the event had seen. From 1999-2001, Thorpe and van den Hoogenband combined to set eight world records in the event, Thorpe leading the way with six global standards. The men had also met four years earlier in a splendid showdown at the 2000 Olympics in Sydney, so Athens was a Part II of sorts, a second chapter which carried little risk of failing to match up to the first clash.
The event, though, surged even greater in expectations when Michael Phelps – never one to shy away from a challenge – announced that he was going to give the four-lap discipline a go. It would be one of five individual events, and eight overall, for Phelps, who was in pursuit of matching (or eclipsing) the seven gold medals won by Mark Spitz at the 1972 Olympics in Munich.
In his other individual events – the 100 butterfly, 200 butterfly, 200 individual medley and 400 individual medley – Phelps was a favorite to walk away with a gold medal. The 200 freestyle was a different story, the sport’s rising star playing the role of underdog in what only added to the intrigue of the event. But for Phelps, and coach Bob Bowman, the opportunity to race against the best was too alluring.
“This is the best opportunity for me to swim in the fastest 200 (freestyle) in history,” Phelps said ahead of Athens. “I love a challenge.”To gain a full appreciation for what unfolded in Athens, it’s necessary to examine the years leading up the Olympiad, particularly what unfolded in Sydney in 2000. At the time, Thorpe and van den Hoogenband were already stars, each etching his own legacy in Olympic lore – and doing so with the help of the other.
Racing in front of a home crowd, which topped out at 17,000 spectators, a 17-year-old Thorpe was sensational in his Olympic debut, winning the 400 freestyle in a world-record time. Since winning his first world title in the event at the age of 15, Thorpe was deemed a future star, so talented that he could go down as the best swimmer the sport had ever seen.
With the 400 freestyle title in his pocket, Thorpe figured to win the 200 freestyle, too. One problem: Van den Hoogenband had a different plan. The bronze medalist in the 200 freestyle at the 1998 World Championships, van den Hoogenband had developed into one of the world’s elite 100 and 200 freestylers. If there was someone who could derail Thorpe and do it on the Aussie’s home turf, it was the Flying Dutchman. That possibility became even more evident when van den Hoogenband sent a statement in the semifinals in Sydney, producing a world record of 1:45.35. Although Thorpe won the other semifinal in 1:45.37, there was no longer any belief that the final would be a coronation for the Aussie.
Ian Thorpe – Photo Courtesy: Adidas
The final in Sydney played out as expected in the early stages, van den Hoogenband surging to the front of the field and forcing Thorpe to run him down over the final lap. But as the swimmers covered the final meters, Thorpe couldn’t overcome his rival and watched van den Hoogenband equal his world record from the semifinals. A stunned Australian crowd could do nothing more than appreciate what “Hoogie” had done: Slay the dragon in his own lair.
“It was amazing to do this,” van den Hoogenband said. “In his home nation, in his home city, in his home pool. It was so eerie. (With) 25 meters left, I didn’t see him creeping up on me. I thought, ‘Man, he’s not going to touch me.’”
Thorpe finished his home Olympiad with five medals, three gold and two silver, while van den Hoogenband added a gold medal and world record in the 100 freestyle to go with bronze medals in the 50 freestyle and 800 freestyle relay.
While Thorpe and van den Hoogenband were constantly in the spotlight, Phelps flew under the radar – the last such time in his career. A month earlier at the United States Olympic Trials, a furious finish by the 15-year-old in the 200 butterfly landed Phelps his first Olympic invitation. His accomplishment made him the youngest male Olympian for the United States in swimming in 68 years.
Although Bowman and higher-ups with USA Swimming knew the future for Phelps had no ceiling, he certainly was not the talk of the American team. Sure, journalist Paul McMullen of the Baltimore Sun followed Phelps’ moves closely, providing superb reporting to those from Phelps’ hometown. But on the bigger stage, Phelps was a role player on a United States team which featured established stars such as Gary Hall Jr., Lenny Krayzelburg, Jenny Thompson and Dara Torres.
Phelps had just one event to contest in Sydney and had no trouble handling the pressure which would floor many other teenagers competing on the biggest stage in athletics. Phelps went through the preliminaries of the 200 fly as the third-fastest qualifier, then moved through the semifinals with the fourth-fastest time. It was becoming clear that Phelps – although maybe not in Sydney – wasn’t going to be denied much longer.
Photo Courtesy: Baltimore Sun
In the final, Phelps used his customary late charge to put himself in medal contention, but the wall crept up a shade too early as he finished fifth in 1:56.50, 33 hundredths shy of the bronze-medal-winning time posted by Australian Justin Norris. In the six races he contested at the Olympic Trials and Olympic Games, Phelps established a personal best in each. One day, it surmised, there would be no stopping a guy who had all the right tools.
“How do you stand this?” legendary coach Mark Schubert asked Bowman in Sydney. “I have never seen anyone his age like him. You look at the Olympic Trials, the most pressure-packed meet in the world, and now the Olympics. He is truly phenomenal.”
Over the next few years, Thorpe and van den Hoogenband continued to excel, with Thorpe besting his foe for world titles in the 200 freestyle in 2001 and 2003. Thorpe was at his best at the 2001 World Championships, where he won six gold medals and set world records in the 200 freestyle, 400 freestyle and 800 freestyle. Van den Hoogenband was a constant force as well, and while he finished short of any world championships, he was a regular presence on the podium.
What changed the most was the profile of Phelps, who in short fashion soared from rising star to one of the world’s elite performers. By 2001, he was a world-record holder and world champion and by the close of the 2003 World Championships, Phelps was an all-around stud, the best the globe had to offer in the 200 butterfly, 200 individual medley and 400 individual medley. He was also right there in the 100 butterfly, trailing only American teammate Ian Crocker for world supremacy.
At those 2003 World Championships, Phelps and Thorpe locked up in the 200 individual medley, hardly a strong event for the Aussie. Ultimately, Phelps prevailed by more than three seconds over Thorpe, the silver medalist. As a result of that head-to-head triumph by Phelps and the overall depth of his program, it was argued that Phelps had moved ahead of Thorpe as the sport’s Poseidon. Still, the freestyle was Thorpe’s domain and Phelps – outside of duty in the 800 freestyle relay – had not ventured into that territory.
Of course, that scenario soon changed.
In the months leading up to the 2004 United States Olympic Trials in Long Beach, California, there was a great deal of speculation concerning Phelps’ program for the Athens Games. Because Phelps and Bowman kept their plans a well-guarded secret, all that was known was that Phelps would embrace a multi-event slate. Eventually, it was revealed that the 200 freestyle would be part of the agenda, thus enhancing the hype concerning the event come Athens.
With Thorpe, van den Hoogenband and Phelps all targeting the event, the 200 freestyle had it all. The world-record holder and two-time defending world champion. The reigning Olympic champion and former world-record holder. The upstart. It was soap opera stuff, played out across three continents.
“I don’t see us as being animals and marking our territory,” Thorpe said. “Not yet. I don’t think there’s anyone’s territory. I enjoy challenging myself rather than it just being about who’s in the race. I think Michael wanted to swim this race not just because I was in it, but you know, I think he wanted another challenge. For athletes, that’s what we’re here to do. I’m glad that I’ve had the opportunity to race against some of the world’s best athletes in my event.”
Ian Thorpe – Photo Courtesy: Swimming World Archive
Looking for a way to add excitement to the event (not that it was needed), the press dubbed the impending showdown between Thorpe, van den Hoogenband and Phelps as the Race of the Century. Really, it was a fitting title considering the credentials of those involved.
Unlike four years earlier, when van den Hoogenband blasted a world record prior to the final, the combatants advanced through the opening two rounds in measured fashion. Van den Hoogenband won the first semifinal while Thorpe finished ahead of Phelps in the second semifinal, with all three men saving their best for when it mattered most.
When the final under the Athens sky unfolded, intrigue was certainly in the air. Thorpe and van den Hoogenband were considered the favorites, but a persistent question was on the lips of those in attendance: Can Phelps make this a three-man battle for gold. The answer proved to be a negative, but it did nothing to take the shine off the Rac of the Century.
At the 50-meter mark, van den Hoogenband was out in front, Thorpe sitting just off the pace in second and Phelps in fourth. As the swimmers hit the midway point, van den Hoogenband had increased his lead over Thorpe, 50.42-51.04, with Phelps now sitting third in 51.70. That’s when Thorpe started to reel in van den Hoogenband.
Unable to play catchup in Sydney four years earlier, Thorpe cut into van den Hoogenband’s lead on the third lap and overtook the Dutchman on the final lap to prevail in 1:44.71, with van den Hoogenband earning the silver medal in 1:45.23. Producing the fastest last-lap split, Phelps touched in an American record of 1:45.32 for the bronze medal.
“It was the final that excited a lot of people,” Thorpe said. “This has been played out on three continents in the leadup to the Olympic Games, so it became a big deal. But I wasn’t focused on that. I really wanted to concentrate on what I was trying to do, make sure I swam the race well. I was able to do that. For me, that’s how I approached my races and I have been able to be successful in the past. I don’t worry about that my competitors are doing.
“I said to (van den Hoogenband), ‘Well, I guess that makes it 1-1 and I’d like to see you again in Beijing,” Thorpe said. “That brings up the question that was asked before, and you know I intend to be swimming it again. Pieter and I are good friends and it is a wonderful experience to be able to challenge yourself in this race, to prepare so hard in it. And you know, that’s what I’ve done, and that’s what Pieter’s done. And Michael’s done exactly the same thing. It’s good to be able to go out there and experience that with people that you know well. People kind of have their fate and their destiny and that was what it was tonight. I’ve worked damn hard for this.”
Photo Courtesy: International Swimming Hall of Fame
With the United States taking the bronze medal in the 400 freestyle relay earlier in the competition and Phelps winning the bronze medal in the 200 freestyle, his pursuit of Spitz’s seven gold medals from Munich was over. Some members of the media called Phelps’ performance in Athens a disappointment, but his eight medals told another story.
By winning both butterfly events and both individual medley disciplines, to go with a pair of relay gold medals, Phelps surpassed Spitz’s overall medal haul. Making the effort more impressive was the fact that Phelps, thanks to the sport’s global growth, faced deeper competition than Spitz and had handled a schedule which included semifinal rounds, something Spitz did not have to negotiate.
“How can I be disappointed?” Phelps asked after the 200 freestyle. “I swam in a field with the two fastest freestylers of all time and I was right there with them. I’m extremely happy with that. It’s a (personal) best time. It’s a new American record. I wanted to race those guys and that’s what I did. It was fun.
“It’s a lot more emotionally draining than anything I have done before and it takes a lot out of you race to race, particularly tonight. When those guys are going so fast it makes it real exciting, but it’s tough. I had an opportunity and I tried to do something that he (Spitz) did, but I didn’t. When I started to swim, I never thought I would have an opportunity to go for seven.”
The summit meeting which took place in Athens figured to be followed up at some point. Instead, it marked the final time Thorpe, van den Hoogenband and Phelps raced against one another. Thorpe initially announced he was taking a break from competition following the 2004 Games, but he never raced internationally again. Ahead of the 2012 Olympics, Thorpe announced a comeback attempt which blew up, with the middle-distance legend far from qualifying for the Australian squad which competed at the London Games.
Van den Hoogenband and Phelps met again in the 200 freestyle at the 2007 World Championships and the outcome was a one-sided affair, with Phelps taking down Thorpe’s five-year-old world record with a time of 1:43.86, and van den Hoogenband settling for the silver medal in another zip code, 1:46.28.
The dominance of Phelps, who won seven gold medals at the 2007 World Champs, could only be appreciated by van den Hoogenband, who announced after the final in Melbourne that he would abandon the 200 freestyle going forward, choosing instead to focus his energy on the 100 freestyle, where he was the two-time defending champion.
“I was swimming OK,” van den Hoogenband said. “But after every turn, he was pushing off and kicking through the water extremely fast. I was like, ‘Let’s see what he’s got left for the last 50.’ Well, he had a lot left. I thought the 200 freestyle record by (Thorpe) would last for 10, maybe 20 years.”
At the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, where Phelps surpassed Spitz with an iconic 8-for-8 gold-medal performance, Phelps obliterated the opposition in the 200 freestyle, taking his world record down to 1:42.96. That time proved to be more than a second faster than anything Thorpe or van den Hoogenband ever produced. For his part, van den Hoogenband was fifth in the 100 freestyle in Beijing, but became the first man to make the final of the 100 freestyle in four consecutive Olympiads. Aside from his two victories, he was fourth as an 18-year-old in 1996.
All told, the Race of the Century brought together three men who combined for 44 Olympic medals, 28 by Phelps. In a little less than two minutes, Thorpe, van den Hoogenband and Phelps showed the beauty of what can happen when three legends get together. They thrilled a fan base. They brought something to the sport which will never be forgotten.
Kirsty COVENTRY (ZMB) to be inducted as one of five Honor Swimmers as part of ISHOF Class of 2023
by: John Lohn
Kirsty Coventry first competed at the 2000 Olympic Games as a teenager, and although she failed to advance to any finals, the experience was valuable and allowed the girl from Zimbabwe to get an up-close view of elite racing. Continuing to hone her skills, she made a major decision, to attend Auburn University, an NCAA powerhouse.
Behind her work at Auburn, Coventry elevated her status on the international stage and made her second Olympics, in 2004 in Athens, a successful appearance. Coventry collected a full set of medals in that Olympiad, claiming gold in the 200-meter backstroke, silver in the 100 backstroke and bronze in the 200 I.M.
She was even more impressive at the next year’s World Championships in Montreal, where she became one of the few athletes in history to win four individual medals at a single Worlds. In addition to winning titles in the 100 and 200-meter backstroke, Coventry was the silver medalist in the 200 and 400 I.M. Her win in the 100 backstroke arrived over world-record holder Natalie Coughlin, one of the few defeats the American endured between back-to-back Olympic crowns in 2004 and 2008.
Coventry added two medals at the 2007 World Championships and in early 2008, she set her first world record, breaking a 16-year-old standard in the 200-meter backstroke.
At the 2008 Olympic Games, Coventry won four medals. In her first three events in Beijing, Kirsty earned silver medals in the 400 IM, 100 backstroke and 200 IM She broke through in her fourth event, winning gold in the 200 backstroke in world-record time.
A year later, Coventry won a silver medal at the World Championships in the 400 IM and secured another world title in the 200 backstroke, where she lowered her world record. Coventry also competed at the 2012 and 2016 Olympic Games, bringing her total number of Olympic appearances to five.
Kirsty Coventry (photo: Mike Lewis)
Overall, she won seven Olympic medals and eight medals at the World Championships, all from
individual events and was a five-time world-record setter.
Beyond her success in the pool, Coventry has been a member of the International Committee for more than a decade, helping to ensure positive experiences for athletes. She has also served in roles with World Aquatics and the World Anti-Doping Agency.
Kirsty Coventry will be remembered for her multi-event talent and enduring legacy as a major factor in international competition.
Come join Coventry and this year’s spectacular class of 2023 in Ft. Lauderdale. If you cannot join us, consider making a donation. To make a donation, click here: https://ishof.org/donate/
Purchase your tickets here to the ISHOF Honoree Induction Ceremony (Saturday, September 30, 2023) via Ticketmaster:
Class of 2023 Honorees
Bob Bowman (USA) / Honor Coach
Chris Carver (USA) / Honor Coach
Cesar Cielo (BRA) / Honor Swimmer
Kirsty Coventry (ZIM) / Honor Swimmer
Missy Franklin (USA / Honor Swimmer
Natalia Ischenko (RUS) / Honor Synchronized Swimmer
Kosuke Kitajima (JPN) / Honor Swimmer
Heather Petri (USA) / Honor Water Polo Player
Michael Phelps (USA) / Honor Swimmer
Wu Minxia (CHN / Honor Diver
Sam Ramsamy (RSA) / Honor Contributor
Stephane Lecat (FRA) / Honor Open Water Swimmer
Trischa Zorn (USA) / Honor Paralympic Swimmer
Friday, September 29, 2023
2023 ISHOF Aquatic Awards – Presented by AquaCal(Formerly the Paragon Awards)
2023 ISHOF Specialty Awards
Purchase Friday Night Tickets Here
Friday, September 29th Schedule:
5:00 – Cocktails and hors d’oeuvresOceanview Veranda Fort Lauderdale Marriott Harbor Beach, 3030 Holiday Drive, Ft. Lauderdale, FL 954.525.40006:00 – Awards Ceremony Caribbean BallroomFort Lauderdale Marriott Harbor Beach8:30 – Dinner on own
ISHOF Aquatic Awards Presented by AquaCal
Swimming: Mike Unger (USA)Diving: Ellie Smart (USA)Water Polo: Mark Koganov (AZB)Synchro: Maria Jose Brunel (ESP)Aquatic Safety: Cullen Jones (USA)Recreational Swimming: Sofia Forte (USA)
ISHOF Specialty Awards
John K. Williams Jr. Award: Gail M. Dummer (USA)Judge Martin Award: Norm Taplin (USA)ISHOF Service Award: Laura Voet (USA)Buck Dawson Author’s Award: Elaine K. Howley (USA)Buck Dawson Author’s Award: Tom Gompf (USA)Al Schoenfield Media Award: John Lohn Virginia Hunt Newman Award: Amanda Gawthrope
Sammy Lee Award: TBA
Duraflex Award: TBA
**All ticket sales are final unless event is canceled**
HOTEL INFORMATION
Host Hotel: Fort Lauderdale Marriott Harbor Beach Resort & Spa
The Fort Lauderdale Marriott Harbor Beach Resort & Spa, (3030, Harbor Drive, Fort Lauderdale, 33316, 954. 525.4000) site of the Friday night awards ceremony is our host hotel. The hotel has given us a special rate of $229 per room night. Please make your reservations through the link below prior to August 29.
(Be sure to say you do not want the resort fee or you will be charged $259)
To make reservations click here: https://book.passkey.com/e/50527236
Upscale retreat with private beach access, two pools, four restaurants, full-service spa and oceanside bar. Location of the Friday evening awards ceremony.
¼ mile south of the International Swimming Hall of Fame.
($30 Resort fee – Guests can opt out if not interested in resort amenities)
Additional Hotel Option:
Courtyard Marriott Fort Lauderdale Beach, 440 Seabreeze Blvd., Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33316
(954) 524-8733.
Click Here: Book your group rate for Honoree Ceremony
Special ISHOF Guest Rate of $169 – $189 per night
Honoree Ceremony September 29-30, 2023: Last Day to Book: Friday, August 31, 2023