Simone Fountain (AUS) to be inducted as eighth female water polo player inducted into ISHOF
Simone Fountain (AUS) was lucky to prolong her career long enough to participate in the inaugural women’s Olympic Games for water polo in Sydney, winning gold at a time when she was regarded as one of the pre-eminent center forwards of her era. Her assist to Yvette Higgins in Sydney 2000 to score the winning goal 1.3 seconds from time against the United States of America (4-3) is legendary in Australian sport. It was the women’s first Olympic tournament.
Learn more about Simone Fountain and the other 12 outstanding Honorees who will be inducted this year at ISHOF’s 61st Honoree Induction Ceremony Buy your tickets NOW for ISHOF’s 61st Anniversary of the Honoree Induction Ceremony in Fort Lauderdale in conjunction with the World Aquatics High Dive World Cup
WHEN: Saturday, May 16, 2026
WHERE: War Memorial Auditorium, 800 Northeast 8th Street, Ft. Lauderdale, FL, 33304
Tickets are NOW ON SALE ~ PURCHASE THEM HERE!
~ISHOF Class of 2026~
Nathan Adrian (USA) Honor Swimmer
Laszlo Cseh (HUN) Honor Swimmer
Ranomi Kromowidjojo (NED) Honor Swimmer
Ryan Lochte (USA) Honor Swimmer (Class of 2025)
Ferry Weertman (NED) Honor Open Water Swimmer
Tania Cagnotto (ITA) Honor Diver
Simone Fountain (AUS) Honor Water Polo Player
Heather Simon Carassco (USA) Honor Artistic Swimmer
Jane Figueiredo (ZIM) Honor Coach
Gregg Troy (USA) Honor Coach (Class of 2025)
Stephen A. “Sid” Cassidy (USA) Honor Contributor
Richard Burns (USA) Honor Masters Swimmer
Beatrice Hess (FRA) Honor Paralympic Swimmer
Make your Hotel reservations Now! The Host Hotel ~ Special Rate $219
Photo Courtesy: Embassy Suites Fort Lauderdale
Embassy Suites 17th Street, 1100 S. E. 17th Street, Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33316
Use QR Code to make your Hotel Reservations
Tickets for Friday Night’s Masters Induction, ISHOF Aquatic and Specialty Awards
Use QR Code to buy tickets to Friday night, May 15th Masters and Awards Night.
Click link below to see all award winners
ASCA/ISHOF Coaches Clinic Featuring Honoree Gregg Troy:
https://web.cvent.com/event/95f72cfc-f855-4e4d-bfb4-856f4b86ddcf/summary
Team ISHOF celebrated Hungarian Honorees at Fort Lauderdale’s Tower Club Internationals featuring Hungary last week
Last week, Team ISHOF attended Fort Lauderdale’s Tower Club Internationals, Featuring Hungary, and celebrated the great history of our numerous Hungarian Honorees. Of the over 800 Honorees that have been inducted into ISHOF since 1965, 44 of them come from the small land-locked country of Hungary. It’s rather amazing if you think about it. Most other European countries approximately the same size have less than ten, but nor Hungary. And for those that know little about it, Hungary is a water polo powerhouse.
So, last Wednesday night, our good friend and President of Sister Cities International, Russell Weaver, invited us to attend the event and talk a little bit about Hungary and its aquatic success. Bruce Wigo, our resident Historian, made a fascinating presentation that really resonated with the crowd, talking about the history of Hungary and how aquatics fit into their story, history and culture.
To make the evening even more exciting, this year Laszlo Cseh, one of Hungary’s greatest swimmers in the history of sport, is being inducted into ISHOF this May as part of the Class of 2026. Then next Summer, Hungary will host the 2027 World Aquatic World Championships in Budapest. On the same weekend Cseh is being inducted, Mr. David Szanto, Chief Operating Officer of the LOC, World Aquatics Swimming Championships, Budapest is being awarded the ISHOF Aquatic Award / Competitive Swimming for his work in running the World Championship events and more.
ISHOF was proud to be a part of this great event and we look forward to welcoming South Florida’s Hungarian community to ISHOF’s 61st Honoree Induction weekend, May 15-16, 2026.
To join in the celebration and buy tickets for the Honoree weekend, to see Laszlo Cseh (Sat. 5/16)
WHEN: Saturday, May 16, 2026
WHERE: War Memorial Auditorium, 800 Northeast 8th Street, Ft. Lauderdale, FL, 33304
Tickets are NOW ON SALE ~ PURCHASE THEM HERE!
Use QR Code to buy tickets to Saturday night, May 16th ISHOF Honoree Induction HERE!
and David Szanto (Fri. 5/15) receive their awards, click here:
WHEN: Friday, May 15, 2026
WHERE: Embassy Suites, 1100 S.E. 17th Street, Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33316
Tickets for Friday Night’s Masters Induction, ISHOF Aquatic and Specialty Awards
Use QR Code to buy tickets to Friday night, May 15th Masters and Awards Night.
Click link to see all award winners
Hungary and the Water
From Aquincum to Olympic Gold
A Story of Culture Character and Champions
Presented by the International Swimming Hall of Fame
(c) 2026
Hungary: A Nation of Water Champions
For a nation of fewer than ten million people, Hungary has produced an astonishing number of Olympic champions, world champions, and Hall of Fame athletes in swimming and water polo. At the International Swimming Hall of Fame, Hungary ranks among the most honored nations in the world. Today there are 43 Hungarian swimmers, water polo players, contributors, and coaches enshrined in the Hall of Fame.
Hungarian water polo teams alone have won nine Olympic gold medals, along with three silver and four bronze.
But the real question is this:
Why Hungary?
Why has this landlocked nation, far from the sea, become one of the great aquatic powers in the history of sport?
To answer that question, we must go back nearly two thousand years.
Aquincum and the Roman Origins
Just north of modern Budapest lie the ruins of the Roman city of Aquincum. In the second century, this city was a major outpost of the Roman Empire along the Danube frontier.
Among the Roman soldiers stationed there was a Batavian legionary named Soranus. According to the writings of the Roman emperor Hadrian, Soranus demonstrated his physical prowess by swimming across the Danube River wearing full armor.
Hadrian reportedly wrote with admiration of the feat, praising the courage and physical endurance of the soldier who crossed the great river under such conditions.
It is a small anecdote in the long history of the Roman Empire—but it reminds us that even in antiquity, the Danube was not merely a river.
It was a proving ground.
And from the very beginning, swimming was associated with strength, endurance, and courage in this part of the world.
The Culture of Water
If you travel to Budapest today, you will discover that the relationship between Hungarians and water runs far deeper than competitive sport.
Hungary is blessed with extraordinary natural resources beneath its soil.
The country contains more than 1,300 thermal springs, with over 120 located in Budapest alone, making it one of the great spa capitals of the world.
The Romans built baths here. The Ottomans built baths here. And modern Hungarians continue to gather daily in these pools.
In Budapest, bathing is not a luxury. It is part of everyday life.
Children grow up learning to swim in these waters. Families gather there. Friends play chess while immersed in steaming outdoor pools during the winter months.
Water is woven into the cultural fabric of Hungary.
So when organized sport arrived in the late nineteenth century, Hungarians were already a nation comfortable in the water.
Hungary’s First Olympic Champion
The first great symbol of Hungarian aquatic excellence came in 1896. At the first modern Olympic Games in Athens, a young Hungarian swimmer named Alfréd Hajós entered the open-water races in the Mediterranean Sea. The water was freezing. Competitors were taken by boat far offshore and told simply to swim back to land.
Hajós later said he swam not for victory, but to survive.
Yet he won both the 100-meter and 1200-meter races, becoming Hungary’s first Olympic champion. Later in life, Hajós became an architect and designed one of the great aquatic facilities of the world: the Alfréd Hajós National Swimming Stadium on Margaret Island in Budapest. When it was built in the 1930s, Margaret Island became known as the “Wimbledon of Swimming.”
The Turning Point: The Treaty of Trianon
But the story of Hungary’s dominance in water polo cannot be understood without understanding one of the great tragedies of Hungarian history.
After World War I, the Treaty of Trianon reduced Hungary’s territory by two-thirds and its population by millions. The nation was humiliated. Military training was prohibited. And Hungary faced the enormous challenge of rebuilding its national identity.
At this moment, sport became something far more important than recreation. Because the army was restricted, sport became a substitute for national training.
Under the leadership of Regent Miklós Horthy and Minister of Education Kuno von Klebelsberg, Hungary invested heavily in physical education and sport, and Olympic competition became a way to demonstrate the resilience and vitality of the Hungarian people.
The Rise of Hungarian Water Polo
Water polo had not been played in Hungary at a high level before the war. It was a sport dominated by Great Britain, France, Belgium Sweden and Netherlands – the same nations that had defeated the Central Powers on the battlefield and humiliated Hungary at Trianon. This fact provided the Hungarians – and Germans – with a powerful political symbol if they could beat them in the pool Water polo was not simply a game. It was became a demonstration of national character.
After having been barred from competiting in the 1920 Olympic Games, the Hungarians took up the sport in earnest when Béla Komjádi, whose scientific approach to tactics and training revolutionized the sport. Under his leadership, Hungary developed a faster, more tactical style of play—emphasizing mobility, speed, and strategic passing. Hungarian teams trained systematically, studied opponents, and developed complex tactical systems.
This approach held and Hungary began to dominate the sport of water polo beginning for decades. Hungarian players and coaches would traveled widely, exporting their knowledge of the sportm developing water polo programs in many other countries across Europe.
Noting this success, Horthy would declare:
“The essence of this game is that within a very short period the team must face the keenest struggle possible! And we can struggle! This is ascertained by the result which are at the same time proofs what we are determined to live. Watching the play of the Hungarian water polo team, the spectator will gain an idea of the character of the Hungarian nation.”
It was not simply a game. It was a demonstration of national character.
The Cold War and the “Blood in the Water” Game
One of the most dramatic chapters in this history occurred in 1956. That year, Hungary erupted in revolution against Soviet control. Soviet tanks entered Budapest to suppress the uprising.At the same time, the Hungarian Olympic team was preparing to compete at the Olympic Games in Melbourne, Australia. Among the events was a water polo match between Hungary and the Soviet Union. The teams knew each other well. Hungarian coaches had helped teach the the sport to the Soviets. But the political circumstances transformed the match into something far larger than sport. The Hungarian players entered the pool carrying the emotional weight of their nation.During the match, tensions boiled over. Late in the game, Hungarian player Ervin Zádor was struck in the face by a Soviet opponent, leaving blood streaming down his face.Photographs of the incident spread around the world.The match became known forever as the “Blood in the Water Game.”Hungary won the match—and ultimately the Olympic gold medal.
Budapest: The World Capital of Aquatics
Budapest remains one of the great capitals of aquatic sport. Historic venues such as the Alfréd Hajós Aquatic Complex, the Komjádi Pool, and the modern Duna Arena continue to host international competitions.
In 2027 Budapest will again host the World Aquatics Championships, continuing Hungary’s extraordinary legacy in the water.
For a nation surrounded by land rather than ocean, Hungary has truly become one of the global capitals of aquatic health and aquatic sport. And this May, László Cseh will become the 44th Hungarian to be honored in Fort Lauderdale, by the International Swimming Hall of Fame.
Hungarian Honorees in the International Swimming Hall of Fame — Chronology of Induction
1966 — Alfréd Hajós
1968 — Zoltán Halmay
1969 — János Németh
1971 — Márton Homonnay
1973 — Eva Novak / Ilona Novak
1976 — Eva Szekely / Dezső Gyarmati
1978 — Olivér Halassy / Valeria Gyenge / István Bárány
1981 — Imre Sárósi
1982 — György Kárpáti
1983 — Ferenc Csík
1985 — Katalin Szőke Dómján
1987 — Mihály Mayer
1988 — Leo Donath
1993 — Tamás Faragó
1994 — Kálmán Markovits
1995 — Andrea Gyarmati / Béla Komjádi
1996 — István Szívós Jr / István Szívós Sr / Béla Rajki
1998 — Dezső Lemhényi
2000 — Tamás Darnyi
2001 — Krisztina Egerszegi
2005 — Norbert Rózsa
2008 — András Hargitay
2010 — Tamás Széchy
2011 — Dénes Kemény
2012 — József Szabó / László Kiss
2014 — Ágnes Kovács
2016 — 3 x Olympic gold medal winning Hungarian Olympic Water Polo Team members: Tamás Molnár, Tamás Kásás, Tibor Benedeck, Gergely Kiss, Péter Biros, Zoltán Szécsi
2017 — András Bodnár
2019 — Ferenc Salamon
2024 — Daniel Gyurta
2025 — Endre Molnár
2026 — László Cseh
Heather Simmons Carrasaco first synchronized swimmer from USA to be inducted into ISHOF in 13 years
Heather Simmons-Carrasco (USA) was a vital member of the first Olympic gold medal awarded for the team event in synchronized swimming. Follow those Atlanta Games, a majority of the USA team stayed together and were undefeated in international team competition. Prior to 1996, Heather and team USA won a total of seven gold medals in major international competitions, including the Olympics, FINA World Championships and FINA World Cups. Heather began and ended her 18-year artistic swimming career under the auspices of Chris Carver and the Santa Clara Aquamaids. Her USA team golds also included the Pan American Games, French Open, Swiss Open and the Pan Pacs. With the Aquamaids, Heather also won four USA National Team championships as well as the team event at the French and Mallorca Opens.
Learn more about Heather Simmons Carassco and the other 12 outstanding Honorees who will be inducted this year at ISHOF’s 61st Honoree Induction Ceremony Buy your tickets NOW for ISHOF’s 61st Anniversary of the Honoree Induction Ceremony in Fort Lauderdale in conjunction with the World Aquatics High Dive World Cup
WHAT: 2026 ISHOF Honoree Induction Ceremony
WHEN: Saturday, May 16, 2026
WHERE: War Memorial Auditorium, 800 Northeast 8th Street, Ft.Lauderdale, FL 33304
Tickets are NOW ON SALE ~ PURCHASE THEM HERE!
~ISHOF Class of 2026~
Nathan Adrian (USA) Honor Swimmer
Laszlo Cseh (HUN) Honor Swimmer
Ranomi Kromowidjojo (NED) Honor Swimmer
Ryan Lochte (USA) Honor Swimmer (Class of 2025)
Ferry Weertman (NED) Honor Open Water Swimmer
Tania Cagnotto (ITA) Honor Diver
Simone Fountain (AUS) Honor Water Polo Player
Heather Simon Carassco (USA) Honor Artistic Swimmer
Jane Figueiredo (ZIM) Honor Coach
Gregg Troy (USA) Honor Coach (Class of 2025)
Stephen A. “Sid” Cassidy (USA) Honor Contributor
Richard Burns (USA) Honor Masters Swimmer
Beatrice Hess (FRA) Honor Paralympic Swimmer
Make your Hotel reservations Now! The Host Hotel ~ Special Rate $219
Photo Courtesy: Embassy Suites Fort Lauderdale
Embassy Suites 17th Street, 1100 S. E. 17th Street, Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33316
Use QR Code to make your Hotel Reservations
Tickets for Friday Night’s Masters Induction, ISHOF Aquatic and Specialty Awards
Use QR Code to buy tickets to Friday night, May 15th Masters and Awards Night.
Ferry Weertman to be inducted as Open Water Swimmer as part of ISHOF Class of 2026
Ferry Weertman (NED) is a two-time Olympian, winning the gold medal in the 10km open water swimming event at the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro in 2016. He claimed his World title in the 10k FINA World Championships in Budapest (Lake Balaton), Hungary in 2017, after taking silver in 2015 in Kazan. Weertman became the first man to win both the Olympic and World titles in Open Water Swimming. He is a two-time FINA Open Water Swimmer of the Year (2016 & 2018).
For the first time in ISHOF’s history, a husband and wife team will be inducted together into ISHOF. Ferry Weertman and Ranomi Kromowidjojo (Honor Swimmer) were married in 2022 and will both be inducted as part of the Class of 2026.
Learn more about Ferry Weertman and the other 12 outstanding Honorees who will be inducted this year at ISHOF’s 61st Honoree Induction Ceremony Buy your tickets NOW for ISHOF’s 61st Anniversary of the Honoree Induction Ceremony in Fort Lauderdale in conjunction with the World Aquatics High Dive World Cup
WHAT: 2026 ISHOF Honoree Induction Ceremony
WHEN: Saturday, May 16, 2026
WHERE: War Memorial Auditorium, 800 Northeast 8th Street, Ft.Lauderdale, FL 33304
Tickets are NOW ON SALE ~ PURCHASE THEM HERE!
~ISHOF Class of 2026~
Nathan Adrian (USA) Honor Swimmer
Laszlo Cseh (HUN) Honor Swimmer
Ranomi Kromowidjojo (NED) Honor Swimmer
Ryan Lochte (USA) Honor Swimmer (Class of 2025)
Ferry Weertman (NED) Honor Open Water Swimmer
Tania Cagnotto (ITA) Honor Diver
Simone Fountain (AUS) Honor Water Polo Player
Heather Simon Carassco (USA) Honor Artistic Swimmer
Jane Figueiredo (ZIM) Honor Coach
Gregg Troy (USA) Honor Coach (Class of 2025)
Stephen A. “Sid” Cassidy (USA) Honor Contributor
Richard Burns (USA) Honor Masters Swimmer
Beatrice Hess (FRA) Honor Paralympic Swimmer
Make your Hotel reservations Now! The Host Hotel ~ Special Rate $219
Photo Courtesy: Embassy Suites Fort Lauderdale
Embassy Suites 17th Street, 1100 S. E. 17th Street, Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33316
Use QR Code to make your Hotel Reservations
Tickets for Friday Night’s Masters Induction, ISHOF Aquatic and Specialty Awards
Use QR Code to buy tickets to Friday night, May 15th Masters and Awards Night.
ISHOF Board Member Merle Liivand selected to Schwarzenegger Climate Institute
ISHOF Board Member Merle Liivand has just shared that she has been chosen by the Mr. Schwarzenegger climate institute as one of the most Impactful Women in Climate Space !
“It is not everyday we can have a Swimmer getting attention of he and he’s team ! I can also share that with his team we are working on to inspire people to move more and wellness but thanks to my background we want to bring in the wellness through the water ! ” said Merle.
ISHOF May 16, 2026 Honoree Induction ~ location changed to just a few miles north
The International Swimming Hall of Fame is very excited to host the Honoree Induction Ceremony back in Fort Lauderdale in 2026. Unfortunately, we have had to change the location of the Saturday, May 16th, Honoree Induction. It was originally slated to be held at the host hotel, the Embassy Suites, 17th Street, Fort Lauderdale. The space is not large enough to accommodate our needs so we are moving ONLY the Saturday, May 16, Honoree Ceremony to the War Memorial Auditorium, 800 Northeast 8th Street, Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33304, PH: 954.835.7080. The War Memorial Auditorium is only three (3) miles north of the hotel and very easy to locate. For those of you who attended the 2023 Honoree Induction Ceremony at the Parker, the War Memorial is in the same location.
The Friday, May 15th Awards and Masters Induction will still be held at the Embassy Suites.
If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to meg@ishof.org or call 570.594.4367
Happy Birthday to 2026 Honor Diver Tania Cagnotto from Italy
Tania Cagnotto (ITA) competed in five Olympic Games, eight World Championships, eight World Cups, 31 World Series and 54 FINA Diving Grand Prix’s. Her performance was progressive, getting better each year beginning in 1999, gaining results in the European Junior Championships, and reaching the top in 2016 at the Rio Olympic Games with a silver and a bronze medal in the springboard events. Her 3-meter synchronized team was the best in Europe with eight synchro 3-meter gold medals together with teammate Francesca Dallapè and second in the world only to the Chinese teams.
Learn more about Tania Cagnotto of Italy and the other 12 outstanding Honorees who will be inducted this year at ISHOF’s 61st Honoree Induction Ceremony Buy your tickets NOW for ISHOF’s 61st Anniversary of the Honoree Induction Ceremony in Fort Lauderdale in conjunction with the World Aquatics High Dive World Cup
WHEN: Saturday, May 16, 2026
WHERE: War Memorial Auditorium, 800 Northeast 8th Street, Ft. Lauderdale, FL, 33304
Tickets are NOW ON SALE ~ PURCHASE THEM HERE!
~ISHOF Class of 2026~
Nathan Adrian (USA) Honor Swimmer
Laszlo Cseh (HUN) Honor Swimmer
Ranomi Kromowidjojo (NED) Honor Swimmer
Ryan Lochte (USA) Honor Swimmer (Class of 2025)
Ferry Weertman (NED) Honor Open Water Swimmer
Tania Cagnotto (ITA) Honor Diver
Simone Fountain (AUS) Honor Water Polo Player
Heather Simon Carassco (USA) Honor Artistic Swimmer
Jane Figueiredo (ZIM) Honor Coach
Gregg Troy (USA) Honor Coach (Class of 2025)
Stephen A. “Sid” Cassidy (USA) Honor Contributor
Richard Burns (USA) Honor Masters Swimmer
Beatrice Hess (FRA) Honor Paralympic Swimmer
Make your Hotel reservations Now! The Host Hotel ~ Special Rate $219
Photo Courtesy: Embassy Suites Fort Lauderdale
Embassy Suites 17th Street, 1100 S. E. 17th Street, Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33316
Use QR Code to make your Hotel Reservations
Tickets for Friday Night’s Masters Induction, ISHOF Aquatic and Specialty Awards
Use QR Code to buy tickets to Friday night, May 15th Masters and Awards Night.
Click link below to see all award winners
Ryan Lochte ~ Florida Gator ~ to be inducted with Class of 2026 as Honor Swimmer
photo courtesy: World Aquatics
by: John Lohn
From the moment Ryan Lochte made his Olympic debut for the United States at the 2004 Games in Athens, he became a critical cog of American success on the international stage. As a four-time Olympian (2004-2016), Lochte obviously possessed the talent necessary to flourish at the elite level.
But the Floridian also owned another key attribute: Belief. Package those traits together and it’s no wonder that Lochte is now an inductee of the International Swimming Hall of Fame.
“I believe in myself,” Lochte said. “A lot of people look at Michael (Phelps) and think he can’t be beaten. That’s not me. I know I can beat him. That’s the competitive edge that I have. I never feel like I’m going to lose, no matter who I’m racing. I always feel like I can win.”
Lochte’s portfolio is stunning, thanks to 12 Olympic medals (six gold), 27 medals from the World Championships and 38 medals from the World Short Course Championships. He is one of the greatest collegiate swimmers in history and stood out in both the long-course and short-course pools.
While his pure talent and work ethic certainly elevated Lochte to the top of his sport, his mental toughness and belief in his abilities played equally critical roles on his road to Hall of Fame status.
Learn more about Ryan Lochte and the other 12 outstanding Honorees who will be inducted this year at ISHOF’s 61st Honoree Induction Ceremony Buy your tickets NOW for ISHOF’s 61st Anniversary of the Honoree Induction Ceremony in Fort Lauderdale in conjunction with the World Aquatics High Dive World Cup
WHEN: Saturday, May 16, 2026
WHERE: War Memorial Auditorium, 800 Northeast 8th Street, Ft. Lauderdale, FL, 33304
Tickets are NOW ON SALE ~ PURCHASE THEM HERE!
~ISHOF Class of 2026~
Nathan Adrian (USA) Honor Swimmer
Laszlo Cseh (HUN) Honor Swimmer
Ranomi Kromowidjojo (NED) Honor Swimmer
Ryan Lochte (USA) Honor Swimmer (Class of 2025)
Ferry Weertman (NED) Honor Open Water Swimmer
Tania Cagnotto (ITA) Honor Diver
Simone Fountain (AUS) Honor Water Polo Player
Heather Simon Carassco (USA) Honor Artistic Swimmer
Jane Figueiredo (ZIM) Honor Coach
Gregg Troy (USA) Honor Coach (Class of 2025)
Stephen A. “Sid” Cassidy (USA) Honor Contributor
Richard Burns (USA) Honor Masters Swimmer
Beatrice Hess (FRA) Honor Paralympic Swimmer
Make your Hotel reservations Now! The Host Hotel ~ Special Rate $219
Photo Courtesy: Embassy Suites Fort Lauderdale
Embassy Suites 17th Street, 1100 S. E. 17th Street, Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33316
Use QR Code to make your Hotel Reservations
Tickets for Friday Night’s Masters Induction, ISHOF Aquatic and Specialty Awards
Use QR Code to buy tickets to Friday night, May 15th Masters and Awards Night.
Throwback Thursday ~ When the Casino Pool and the New Hall of Fame Pool stood side by side
For a short time back in 1965 and early 1966, the beautiful Casino Pool and the Hall of Fame Pool, aka the Fort Lauderdale Aquatic Center, stood side by side or back to back, depending on how you looked at it. There are not many of those amazing photos; to see the contrast of the two pools. The Casino built by famed Fort Lauderdale architect Francis Abreu, who built many of the homes in and around Fort Lauderdale, which if you grew up in town, its a style you can’t help but love.
The city’s original beach structure, built in about 1915, called “casino” was a story wooden structure which contained dressing rooms and a dance floor, but no pool. Promoted by a group of Fort Lauderdale businessmen led by local promoter Commodore A.H. Brook, the new Casino and pool was widely regarded as a means of lifting the city out of the depression which had followed the collapse of the land boom. It was designed by Abreu and constructed by building contractor John Obegon at a cost of $118,000 according to this 1930 account. A 1928 Ft. Lauderdale Daily News newspaper article which announced the building’s opening, however, placed the cost at $125,000.
The municipal complex included an Olympic-size pool 60 by 165 feet, and three to 12 feet in depth. A story in the Fort Lauderdale Daily News claimed “the pool is filled several times weekly with 420,000 gallons of filtered salt water pumped by three wells from more than 20 feet of rock and shell and sand. The chlorinating system is one of the best in the south.” The municipal building also included a wading pool for children and hundreds of lockers for visitors.
35,000 people attended the opening ceremonies and the accompanying swim meet, which was presided overby City Commissioner Will J. “Cap” Reed.
In the ensuing decades, the Casino lived up to its promise as the center of beachfront activities in Fort Lauderdale. Beginning in 1935, it hosted the annual Collegiate Aquatic Forum, a Christmastime college swim meet which introduced vacationing college students from around the country to the attraction of Fort Lauderdale. The Casino remained a popular location for competetive swim meets for visiting tourists and for local citizens until it closed in 1965. It was subsequently demolished to make room for the Swimming Hall of Fame complex which opened that same year.
Which one did you like better? The Casino Pool with the Spanish style architecture or the new modern Swimming Hall of Fame?
Rebecca Adlington and husband Andrew Parsons celebrate birth of daughter
Photo Credit: 2018 ISHOF Induction
One of our favorite people ever, Becky Adlington, who we inducted in 2019, recently gave birth to daughter, Thea Joy Parsons on February 28, 2026. Thea joins sister Summer, and brother Albie! Congratulations to the whole family.
Below is Becky’s Instagram post after the birth of her and husband Andrew’s daughter:
“What a rollercoaster this whole experience has been. Three years, two miscarriages, 39 weeks carrying our magical rainbow girl, and 87 hours in hospital. 💜
Thea Joy Parsons arrived on 28th February, the very same day my nana, Joyce, passed away. A true full circle moment of life. Joy is a nod to her, and we know Thea will bring us all so much joy.
We are so incredibly happy she is home and healthy. I know so many of you are still waiting for your rainbow, and we are thinking of you, sending so much love and support your way.”
All Photos Courtesy Rebecca Adlington
Congratulations to the Adlington/Parsons family from everyone at the International Swimming Hall of Fame! I think you’re due for another trip to South Florida.
Read Rebecca Adlington’s Honoree bio here: https://ishof.org/honoree/honoree-rebecca-adlington/