Meg Keller-Marvin, Author at International Swimming Hall of Fame (ISHOF)

2022 ISHOF Honoree Ceremony is just around the corner, do you have your tickets yet?

2022 ISHOF Honoree Ceremony Weekend

The 57th Annual ISHOF Honoree Induction weekend will be held Friday, October 14 and Saturday, October 15, 2022 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, USA. Make your plans now to attend! The Class of 2022 will include a star-studded class of 11 Honorees from six countries. Some of our Honorees this year are international Honorees that were originally part of the Class of 2020 but were unable to travel to the U.S. because of Covid, until now. In addition, we have three stellar U.S. Honorees joining this class. Read about all the Honorees below.

In addition to the ISHOF ceremony, the International Swimming Hall of Fame is proud to announce that it will be including MISHOF’s prestigious Class of 2022 to its Saturday evening Induction program. This year Master’s Class will include seven honorees from four countries: Four swimmers, one water polo player, one synchronized swimmer, and one contributor.

The Induction weekend will begin on Friday evening, October 14, 2022 and will celebrate the Paragon Award winners, which typically honor six stellar aquatic men and women from the following categories: competitive swimming, diving, synchronized swimming, water polo, recreational swimming and aquatic safety. This year’s class has individuals that have dedicated their lives to aquatics, and we look forward to honoring them.

The ISHOF Specialty Awards honored on Friday evening, along with the Paragon Awards, include: The Buck Dawson Authors Award, is named after our beloved founder and author, William F. Dawson. In addition, we have The Virginia Hunt Newman Award, The John K. Williams Jr. Adaptive Aquatics Award, The Judge G. Harold Martin Award, The ISHOF Service Award, and others. It should be an exciting evening as we pay tribute to these individuals who will also be honored.

To read a little about each Honoree or award winner, see below.

2022 ISHOF Honorees:

Craig Beardsley (USA) Honor Swimmer: World record-holder in the 200-meter butterfly for three years in the early 1980s; gold medalist in his signature event, the 200-meter butterfly, at the 1979 Pan American Games in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Member of the 1980 U.S. Olympic team that was boycotted by the U.S. Olympic Committee; He set a world record of 1:58.21 in the 200-meter butterfly on July 30, 1980, just one week after the Olympic Games—a time that was over a second faster than Soviet swimmer Sergey Fesenko‘ who won the gold medal in Moscow at the 1980 Olympic finals.

Natalie Coughlin (USA) Honor Swimmer: Natalie Coughlinis a three-time Olympian and twelve-time Olympic medalist (3 Gold, 4 Silver, 5 Bronze). First woman to swim the 100-meter backstroke in under one minute in 2002. She achieved that milestone at the International Swimming Hall of Fame Aquatic Center during the U.S. Nationals in Fort Lauderdale. At the 2008 Beijing Olympics, Natalie became the first U.S. female athlete in modern Olympic history to win six medals in one Olympiad and the first woman ever to win gold in the 100-meter backstroke in two consecutive Olympic games. She competed in her third and final Olympic Games in London in 2012, where she earned a bronze medal in the 4×100-meter freestyle relay.

Michael Klim (AUS) Honor Swimmer: Klim has been called the best relay swimmer ever. He is a three-time Olympian, multi-time world champion and 21-time world record holder. He was a member of each of Australia’s three relay teams, winning gold in the 4×200m freestyle relay and the 4×100m medley relay, and a silver in the 4×100m freestyle relay. At the 2000 Summer Olympics, Klim set a world record (48.18) leading off the 4×100m freestyle relay, which paved the way for a world record (3:13.67), beating the Americans in this event for the first time in Olympic history. Three days later, he was part of the 4×200m freestyle relay, which set another world record (7:07.05), which left the opposition over 5 seconds in arrears on its way to victory.

Jon Sieben (AUS) Honor Swimmer: Set the world record (1:57.04) in the 200m butterfly in the major upset of the 1984 Olympic Games; he then swam through two more Olympic cycles, 1988, Seoul and 1992 Barcelona, making him the first Aussie to do so since Dawn Fraser had done it in 1956, 1960 and 1964; 16 Long Course National Championships and 11 Open National Championships; As an NCAA swimmer, he won silver in the 200m butterfly and bronze in the 100-meter butterfly; Not only was Sieben an Olympic caliber swimmer, but in 2005 and 2009, he competed for Australia in the Universiade Games in the sport of water polo and in 2009, the team took gold.

Daichi Suzuki (JPN) Honor Swimmer: Suzuki was the Olympic gold medalist at the 1988 Olympic Games in the 100m backstroke, as well as a Japanese National Champion in the 100m Backstroke; Upon retirement, Suzuki stayed involved in swimming, sitting on the board of Japan’s Anti-Doping Agency, as well as serving on the World Anti-Doping Agency’s Athlete Committee; He was eventually selected as President of the Japan Swimming Federation, and more recently was named to head Japan’s Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology.

Marilyn Bell (CAN) Honor Open Water Swimmer: She swam across Lake Ontario when she learned Florence Chadwick was being offered a $10,000 purse to complete the swim – Bell wanted the honor to go to a Canadian swimmer. Three swimmers showed up, and Bell was the only one who finished the 20-hour, 59 minutes swim that had 5-foot waves and lamprey eels. As a result of the victory, the Canadian Press named her the Canadian Newsmaker of the Year in 1954; At the time, she was the youngest person to swim the English Channel and later she swam the Strait of Juan de Fuca off the Pacific coast – her woman’s speed record held for more than 60 years! Bell became a Canadian hero.

Matthew Mitcham (AUS): Honor Diver: Mitcham received the highest single-dive score recorded in Olympic history at the 2008 Games ~ Beijing (two-and-one-half somersault with two-and-one-half twists/pike position); Olympic gold medalist on the 10-meter platform in 2008; first Australian to win Olympic gold in diving since Dick Eve in 1924; 2009 World Championship bronze medalist, 1-meter; 2010 Commonwealth Games silver medalist, 1-meter, synchro 3-meter, 10 meter and synchro 10-meter; and at the 2014 Commonwealth Games, gold in the synchro 10-meter platform event and silver in the 1-meter and synchro 3-meter events.

Ursula Carlile (AUS) – Honor Coach: In the 1970’s, the husband-and-wife team of Ursula and Forbes Carlile made frequent periodic visits to the People’s Republic of China, working with China’s top coaches and national team. In 1972, Ursula became Australia’s first female Olympic swimming coach, when selected as assistant coach to Don Talbotfor the 1972 Munich Games; Served as assistant to Terry Gathercole at the 1973 World Championships in Cali, Colombia; and in 1974, Ursula was selected as Australia’s first female Head Coach for the Commonwealth Games, held in Christchurch, New Zealand. In yet another sterling accomplishment, during the 1970’s and 1980’s, she and Forbes coached five Olympians – all of them world record-holders: Karen Moras, Shane Gould, Jenny Turrall, Gail Nealand John Bennett.

Peter Hürzeler (SUI) – Honor Contributor; Peter Hürzeler is considered the Master of Swiss timekeeping technology: Swiss Timing; Since 1969, his organizational and creative skills have successfully delivered innovation, technology and timekeeping to the sport of swimming. Throughout the decades, he and his colleagues have invented and created many innovations in the aquatic disciplines, as well other sports. What he has done in sports and technology in swimming, no one else has ever achieved. Since 1970, Hürzeler has spent 3,708 days on the road, engaged in sports timekeeping, which includes 17 editions of the Olympic Games, 36 Continental Games, 19 World Championships, 23 European Championships and over 300 athletics meetings.

Carol Zaleski (USA) Honor Contributor: Zaleski has been in the center of quite a few firsts. She was the first female chairperson of the FINA Technical Swimming Committee and was the first female President of the United States Aquatic Sports. She served as President of USA Swimming for an unprecedented four terms, was the first female referee both at a FINA World Championships and an Olympic Games. And finally, she was the first female to be named deck referee at an Olympic Games in Beijing, 2008.

Mirko Vicevic (YUG/MON) Honor Water Polo Player: Vicevic has won gold at every major event on the water polo world stage; the Olympic Games, the World Championships and the FINA World Cup. His original club was Primorac of Kotor, Montenegro (formerly Yugoslavia), where he played from 1982 to 1989. After that, he played for several teams, Jadran, in Split, Croatia, Savona (Italy) Barcelona (Spain) Brixia (Brescia, Italy) and Pro Recco (Italy). Vicevic won the LEN Trophy for the years 2002, 2003 and 2006 with his club Brixia, and was selected as Best Sportsman of the Municipality of Kotor in 1986, 1988 & 1989 and Best Sportsman in Montenegro in 1988.

The Masters International Swimming Hall of Fame (MISHOF) is a division of the International Swimming Hall of Fame (ISHOF) with Inductions scheduled for Saturday, October 15, 2022

2022 MISHOF Honorees:

Doris Steadman* (USA) Honor Masters Swimmer: Doris Steadman didn’t begin swimming Masters until four decades after she swam in college at Temple University. But by the time she was done, she set a total of 33 Masters World Records, some stood for as long as 11 years before being broken. She was in the Top Ten 190 times and of and she had 23 All-American Titles. She only attended one FINA World Championship but won all gold medals in the events she entered.

Dr. Jane Katz (USA) Honor Masters Contributor: Dr. Jane Katz has served the world of swimming in so many capacities. In 2000, Katz was awarded the FINA Certificate of Merit to honor her “dedication and contributions to the development” of the sport of swimming. As a member of the U.S. synchronized swimming team that performed at the 1964 Tokyo Olympic Games, Jane helped synchronized swimming become a sport at the Olympic level. She is an All-American and World Champion Masters Swimmer in competitive swimming, long distance swimming, and synchronized swimming. She has published numerous aquatic related books through the years, as well as DVDs, that range from water fitness to synchronized swimming.

Birte Hohlstein-Janssen (GER) Masters Artistic Swimming: Birte and her sister Silke, inducted in 2017, have been loyal Masters synchronized swimmers. Birte has attended 11 FINA Masters World Championships since 1994 and has won at least one gold or silver medal in 10 of the 11 meets. This success comes despite being hampered by the fact that there is no Masters team in her region. So, she and Silke have been limited to only doing solo and duet, except when they briefly joined a team based in Berlin. This brought them the gold medal in team, as well as duet, at the 1998 FINA Worlds in Casablanca, Morocco. Imagine if they had a team in their region?

Edith Bohm (GER) Honor Masters Swimmer: Since 1986, Edith Bohm has been in the Top Ten 22 times until 2008 when she competed in her last swim meet in Bavaria. She set 15 long course and 13 short course FINA Masters World Records in the breaststroke, one of them lasting seven years. Bohm has competed in seven FINA Masters World Championships between 1986 and 2004 winning a total of 29 medals, 18 of them gold. She is now 95 years old and lives in Munich where she still trains twice a week.

Olga Kokorina* (RUS) Honor Masters Swimmer: Russia’s Olga Kokorina, born November 1, 1923, was a swimmer her entire life but did not start swimming Masters until 1998, when she was already 75 years old. She broke world records in almost every competition she entered. She then decided to risk it all and flew to the USA using all her money to take part in the World Masters Games in Portland, Oregon where she won three gold medals and established a world record in the 100m breaststroke. The next year at the European Championship in Innsbruck she broke two world records and won two golds. Her last recorded races were in 2015 where she swam in the 90-94 age group at the Russian Masters cup. In her 17 years in Masters swimming she broke 34 world records and won more than 50 gold medals. Olga Kokorina passed away in January of this year at the age of 98.

Shigehisha Sekikawa (JPN) Honor Masters Swimmer: Since 1991, Shigehisa Sekikawa has been in the Top Ten world rankings 24 times. He has set 14 long course and 17 short course FINA backstroke Masters World Records. His 1998 200m backstroke short course world record in the 65 to 70 age group stood for 7 years. He has not competed in any FINA Masters World Championships he accumulated his points by swimming world records and world rankings. He last competed in 2015.

Guenther Wolf (GER) Honor Masters Water Polo Player Günter Wolf was a five-time German National Champion with a team called SV 05 Würzburg. Wolf played 131 matches for the German National Team between 1969 and 1976 and took part in the 1972 (4th) and 1976 (6th) Olympic Games. From 2000 until now he has been involved with Masters Water Polo. With his team SC Duesseldorf, he has participated in eight FINA Masters World Championships, winning five gold, two silver and one bronze. In the LEN European Championships his team won three gold and two silver and more than 30 German National Championships.

*deceased

2022 Paragon Awards

Ellaine Cox – Competitive Swimming

Ellaine Cox volunteered for Indiana Swimming and progressed from representative for the monthly meetings for the Michiana Marlins (South Bend) to Age Group Chairman, Administrative Vice Chairman, Indiana Swimming and finally as a member of the Board of Directors. Eventually, Ellaine was asked to attend the annual United States Aquatic Sports convention, representing Indiana Swimming. She also served on the USA Swimming Site Selection/Facilities Committee for a number of years;chaired the Awards Committee for USA Swimming and eventually agreed and served as Chair until 2020 when several committee responsibilities were taken in-house by USA Swimming for staff members to manage.

But it wasn’t until 1998, that all of aquatics saw Ellaine’s real talents, when she was asked to become the Convention coordinator for the United States Aquatic Sports. She put together the most amazing group of special friends, as she called them, and they became one of the most successful convention groups in USAS history. As a team, they generated one million dollars in profit for USAS.

Julie Ahlering – Diving

St. Louis native, Julie (Capps) Ahlering was a four-time All-American Diver and Scholar Athlete for the University of Miami. She was a finalist in over 25 national diving events including the Olympic Diving Trials. After college she returned to St. Louis and raised four sons, but diving was not at all forgotten. She was asked to become a FINA Certified Diving Judge and help provide needed expertise in the sport. In 2010 she became FINA certified and immediately became known as one of the best diving officials in the United States. She judged ten NCAA, ACC, PAC-12 Championships as well as three Olympic Diving Trials. Ahlering soon became among the most respected international Diving judges in the World, judging FINA World Cups, World Championships, Commonwealth Games and she represented the United States as their Olympic Judge in the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games.

Margaret MacLennan – Artistic (Synchronized) Swimming

Margaret MacLennan was the first female to be named as a member to the FINA Bureau (now FINA TSSC) in 1988 after she decided that synchronized swimming needed a presence. It was her passion and her valuable skills that not only earned her a seat on the Bureau but allowed her to influence the advancement of FINA rules for synchronized swimming. Her political astuteness and diplomacy elevated the credibility and interest of synchronized swimming in a field of male-dominated aquatic sports. She worked tirelessly and consistently with the Bureau during her tenure and was well respected by her peers.

She began as a long-time judge and volunteer in BC Synchro before she became involved in the sport at the international level as a member of the formerly named FINA TSSC (Technical Synchronized Swimming Committee), from 1984 to 1988. Margaret lobbied long and strong with her cohorts to bring Synchronized Swimming to the world stage as part of the Olympic Games, as well as working with FINA to elevate the sport. She served as the Technical Delegate for Synchro at the 1996 Olympic Summer Games in Atlanta, Georgia and officiated at the 1984, 1988, and 1992 Games as well.

Al Beaird – Water Polo

For 24 years, Al Beaird served as Executive Director for the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation (MPSF). He was the first Executive Director chosen in 1992, when the MPSF was created and established to serve the competitive needs of member institutions from the Big West, Pacific-10 (now the Pac-12) and Western Athletic Conferences, as well as other selected universities in the western United States; and to provide championships competition for Division I intercollegiate Olympic sports in a conference setting. The founding principles on which the MPSF was originally formed were to provide enhanced competition and championship opportunities for sports without conference affiliation; to contain the costs of competition; and to ensure the survival of endangered sports.

Kent Williams, PPOA – Recreational Swimming

Kent Williams literally wrote the book on swimming pool operations. He personally developed he program and wrote the textbook for the National Recreational Pool Association’s Aquatic Facility Operator’s program, starting in 1991 and he went on to continue to help shape the educational pool operational process. In addition, he founded and operated the PPOA, the Professional Pool Operators of America, to promote professionalism and recognition of swimming pool operators.

J. Arturo Abraldes, Ph. D. – Aquatic Safety

Dr. Arturo Abraldes is a fine example of a person that successfully mixes theory and practice in water safety, both national and internationally. He has served in the field of lifesaving as an academic, author, researcher, lifeguard, instructor, sport coach, journal editor and conference facilitator for the last 25 years. His qualifications are both academic and vocational. He received a Master’s degree on Physical Education, Sport and Health Education and a Ph D in Physical Education with a thesis on lifesaving. He holds 14 certifications in swimming, lifesaving, first aid, lifeguarding, instructor, coach, referee, and national assessor from seven organizations. And with over 180 publications, Arturo is one of the most prolific water safety authors in the world. He has co-authored over 20 lifesaving related books, numerous educational DVDs, and has been a speaker at national and international conferences.

ISHOF Specialty Awards

Michael Loynd (USA) – Buck Dawson Authors Award: The Watermen: The Birth of American Swimming and One Young Man’s Fight to Capture Olympic Gold: Michael Loynd is chairman of the St. Louis Olympic Committee, a representative on the International Olympic Committee’s World Union of Olympic Cities, a member of the International Society of Olympic Historians, and a sports attorney and lecturer. He is the author of All Things Irish: A Novel, and now, The Waterman: The Birth of American Swimming and One Young Man’s Fight to Capture Olympic Gold, the story of ISHOF Honoree, Charlie Daniels.

Jordan Whitney-Wei (USA) – 2021 Buck Dawson Authors Award: Katharine Whitney Curtis – Mother of Synchronized Swimming: Jordan Whitney-Wei is the great-grandnephew of Katharine Whitney Curtis. His bookwas released on February 25, 2020. His book focuses on family, synchronized swimming and his “Aunt Kate,” a woman ahead of her time. This is Whitney-Wei’s third book and his first award. Katharine “Kay” Curtis was the originator of synchronized swimming, as we know it today. She also wrote a book about it in 1936, though there was much more to her life and career. Unbound by fear, or the narrow expectations of society, she was a woman who lived ahead of her time making things happen along the way. Curtis was inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame in 1979.

Russell Weaver (USA) – ISHOF Service Award: Russell Weaver has easily given over 25 years of his time, connections, and resources to ISHOF. He is extensively involved with business networks throughout South Florida. When he attends these meetings and events, he always has in his mind, “Can this help ISHOF in any way?” As president of the Greater Fort Lauderdale Sisters Cities International and co-chair of Tower Club Internationals, Weaver works closely together with the Greater Fort Lauderdale Alliance, Greater Fort Lauderdale Chamber of Commerce, Broward County, and the City of Fort Lauderdale. He helps to promote Broward County’s business and cultural highlights to the Miami based Consulates and binational chamber of commerce organizations. During these international monthly meetings, new business and government relationships are established, highlighting Fort Lauderdale and Broward County as a world class destination. As always, Weaver remembers ISHOF and always gives us the opportunity to showcase our Honorees at some of these events and educate the international local community and others, about what our museum has to offer.

James S. O’Connor (USA)– Judge G. Harold Martin Award: Jim O’Connor has more than 40 years-experience as an aquatic professional and is committed to the prevention of aquatic accidents and teaching children to swim. O’Connor is the Aquatics Program Manager for Miami-Dade County Parks and Recreation Open Spaces Department, the third largest parks and recreation department in the United States and the largest municipal learn to swim provider in the state. O’Connor has held numerous aquatic positions, served on the “Advisory Council” of the “National Drowning Prevention Alliance,” has been an adjunct professor at the University of Miami, Aquatics Coordinator for the American Red Cross Greater Miami and Keys Chapter, and was the Aquatic Director and Head Swim Coach at the University of Oregon.

Patricia Cirigliano (ARG) Virginia Hunt Newman Award: Dr. Patricia Cirigliano started the first Argentine swimming school for babies in 1960. The school was centered around her holistic method, Matronatacion®, which is a creative and original approach to aquatic initiation for babies that involves human integrity and respect for the child and the family. To present, 17,000 babies, toddlers and young children beginning at 15 days old have learned to swim and have enjoyed the Matronatacion® method at Cirigliano’s school, whose motto is “Swimming is learnt by playing.” Dr. Cirigliano is member of a great number of associations such as, International Physical Education Federation and Panathlon Club in Buenos Aires and the National Swimming Schools Association in the U.S.A. Since 1991, she has been an active member of the Argentine Pediatrics Association.

Julia Meno (USA) John K. Williams, Jr. International Adaptive Aquatics Award – Sponsored by S.R. Smith: Julia Meno, CTRS, ATRIC, CMT, is the founder and owner of Therapeutic Aquatics, LLC. and is an internationally known presenter and instructor on aquatic therapy and wellness. Julia has a profound love and respect for the power of water as a healing instrument. She founded Therapeutic Aquatics, Inc. in 1996 and began providing aquatic therapy services in Jackson, WY; she also worked closely with the Jackson school district’s Adaptive PE Program, L.I.F.E. grants, and Wyoming Medicaid Children’s Waiver which all provided a platform to create Pediatric AquaHab© for children with challenges; Julia has worked as a Dementia Care Coordinator and is currently a presenter and faculty for the Aquatic Therapy & Rehab Institute, Inc. She was the recipient of the ATRI Tsunami Spirit Award in 2002 and the Aquatic Therapy Professional Award in 2014 for her innovations and contributions in education to the aquatic therapy industry.

Wayne Goldsmith (AUS) Al Schoenfield Media Award: Goldsmith has been a thought-provoking leader and influencer in the swim industry for more than 30 years. He has worked directly with many of the world’s leading coaches, athletes, teams and sporting organizations in over 30 different countries. Wayne is a recognized global expert in coaching, coach education, and coach development for peak performance. His lessons in leadership, team development, change acceleration and continuous improvement provide swim coaches with quality, credible, engaging information via articles, videos, podcasts, seminars, clinics, and talks.

This year, both evening events will be will once again be hosted at the Fort Lauderdale Marriott Harbor Beach Resort and Spa, located one quarter mile south of ISHOF on beautiful Fort Lauderdale Beach.

The ISHOF Honoree Induction and Dinner will also host its annual silent auction. If you have anything you might want to donate to this year’s silent auction, please contact Meg at meg@ishof.org

Hotel information, Ticket purchase information and schedule and location of events is listed below.

Make your plans now to attend October 14 & 15, 2022! Purchase your tickets TODAY!!! (Get info on membership here.) Can’t attend the event? Donate to ISHOF to support our honorees.

The Induction Weekend Schedule

Friday, October 14, 2022

57th Annual International Swimming Hall of Fame Specialty and Paragon Awards

Business Casual

Ft. Lauderdale Marriott Harbor Beach Resort and Spa, 3030 Holiday Drive, Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33316, 954.525.4000

* 6:00 pm ~ Cocktail Reception ~ Ocean Ballroom

Cocktails and hors d’oeuvres

Cocktails sponsored by Spirited of Fort Lauderdale

* 7:00 pm ~ ISHOF Specialty and Paragon Awards ~ Ocean Ballroom

Munich Games 50th: The missing Gold of Rick DeMont; How a teenager was let down by those charged to protect him

by JOHN LOHN – EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

22 August 2022, 07:56am

Munich Games 50th: The Missing Gold of Rick DeMont; How A Teenager Was Let Down By Those Charged To Protect Him

The 50th anniversary of the 1972 Olympic Games is a week away. There will be celebrations of Mark Spitz’s iconic seven-gold show. We’ll remember the precociousness of Shane Gould, the Australian teenager whose five solo medals remain a female standard. And we’ll honor the backstroke greatness of Roland Matthes, who doubled in his events for the second straight Olympiad.

Golden anniversaries are supposed to be joyous occasions. But there is nothing celebratory about what about what Rick DeMont endured in Munich. DeMont’s story, a half-century later, remains a sporting crime, a young man deprived of his rightful place in history. A young man let down by the adults around him. A man, defined by extraordinary achievements in the coaching world, who does not possess what is rightfully his.

When DeMont arrived in Munich, he was one of the younger members of the American delegation. Spitz, of course, was the highest-profile name on the roster. Yet, DeMont was a leading contender for a pair of Olympic titles – in the 400 freestyle and the 1500 freestyle. In the longer event, DeMont was the world-record holder, having set that global standard at the United States Olympic Trials. Munich, quite simply, was the stage to verify his status as the world’s premier distance freestyler.

The 400 freestyle was DeMont’s first event of the Games, held a few days into the competition. By the time DeMont took the blocks, he had handled the necessary pre-Games protocols. Most critical for the 16-year-old was a meeting with United States Olympic Committee officials to complete paperwork regarding his asthma, and to denote the medications (Marax, Actifed, Sudafed) he took for the condition. At no point did officials raise any concerns.

Photo Courtesy: Swimming World

Once the 400 freestyle started, the race evolved into a two-man battle between DeMont and Australian Brad Cooper, considered the favorite for gold. Cooper held the lead for much of the race, including into the final lap. But relying on his greater closing ability, DeMont cut into Cooper’s lead and drew even as the wall neared. At the finish, the gold medalist could not be determined by the human eye, and it wasn’t until the scoreboard flashed the results that a victor was known. At the touch, it was DeMont who prevailed in 4:00.26, with Cooper the slightest margin back in 4:00.27.

“I’ve been swimming come-from‐behind style since I began,” DeMont said of his late rally. “At the United States Olympic Trials, I was strictly thinking of the 1500 meters. Now, I love the 400, especially after tonight.”

Since DeMont was stronger in the 1500 freestyle, a second gold seemingly awaited the American later in the meet. Any chance at a double, however, quickly evaporated. And so did the gold medal that DeMont had captured in the 400 freestyle. Following his apparent triumph in the eight-lap event, DeMont was informed that his post-race doping test revealed trace amounts of Ephedrine, a banned substance.

The presence of Ephedrine in his doping sample was hardly a shock, as the substance was contained in his asthma medication. The substance was also not supposed to be an issue, as USOC officials – following the processing of DeMont prior to the Games – were charged with the task of informing the International Olympic Committee of DeMont’s use for medical reasons. If the IOC had a problem with the substance, it would have notified the USOC and an alternative option would have been sought. The USOC, however, never engaged with the IOC on the topic.

“It was (the USOC’s) responsibility to let me know there was an illegal substance in my prescription and either get it cleared or find an alternative,” DeMont once said. “They failed to do it. I was only 16 years old. I relied on those officials to tell me what I could take, but somehow, I ended up paying the price. I guess it was easier to hang a 16-year-old kid out to dry than to tell the truth.”

Days after his apparent gold-medal swim, DeMont was stripped of his title, with Cooper elevated to the status of Olympic champion. As ugly as the situation was at that moment, it was about to get nastier. After DeMont’s urine test revealed the Ephedrine in his system, U.S. team doctors confiscated the medication DeMont was taking for his asthma. More, at a hearing with IOC officials, DeMont was peppered with questions while Team USA doctors sat quiet, offering no assistance or defense. Simply, DeMont was abandoned by the adults around him – those who dropped the ball in the first place and now refused to accept their role in the mess.

“It’s a gross injustice,” said U.S. Men’s Coach Peter Daland of the IOC’s decision to strip DeMont of his gold medal. “Young De Mont was robbed, robbed because of the mistakes of adults. (USOC personnel) knew of the boy’s medical record because he had it on paper. They said nothing to me or his head coach about it. The communications were atrocious. It’s a young man being punished when he should be applauded. He overcame asthma to win a gold medal and took nothing more than his doctor ordered.”

As the IOC weighed his case, DeMont qualified for the final of the 1500 freestyle. Even if his pursuit of an overturn of the 400 freestyle verdict failed, at least DeMont would get the chance to compete for another gold. Ultimately, that opportunity never materialized. As DeMont was preparing for the final of the 1500 freestyle and the possibility of redemption, United States assistant coach Don Gambrill, with tears running down his cheeks, approached the teenager and told him the IOC ruled he was not allowed to compete.

Reports from Munich indicate that multiple options were considered in the DeMont case. One scenario was to allow DeMont to race in the 1500 freestyle. Instead, the IOC went with the harshest choice, and banned DeMont from the Games. DeMont left Munich devastated. In the minds of many, he hadn’t committed an error, but instead was let down by officials who were supposed to provide support.

A year later, at the inaugural World Championships in Belgrade, DeMont engaged in a rematch with Cooper in the 400 freestyle and became the first man to break the four-minute barrier. DeMont was timed in 3:58.18, with Cooper also cracking the four-minute barrier in 3:58.70. DeMont also went under the existing world record in the 1500 freestyle but had to settle for the silver medal when Australian Stephen Holland blasted an even quicker time.

Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick

Following his competitive days, DeMont emerged as one of the world’s finest coaches. For years, he worked alongside Frank Busch at the University of Arizona, where he eventually served as head coach from 2014-17. During his coaching tenure at his alma mater, DeMont mentored a bevy of NCAA champions and became well known for establishing a pipeline between the program and South Africa. It is DeMont who is primarily credited for molding the South African 400 freestyle relay that won gold at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens behind the efforts of Roland Schoeman, Lyndon Ferns, Darian Townsend and Ryk Neethling. DeMont served as a South African coach in Athens and coached every member of that relay.

In 2001, DeMont was provided with a measure of vindication when the USOC honored him at a banquet and presented him with a black leather jacket given to all 1972 Olympians. The IOC, however, has not taken steps to restore DeMont’s gold medal, despite several conversations on the topic through the years.

“I don’t need any ceremonies,” DeMont said. “I don’t need any hoopla. I just want the IOC to repair the historical record.”

Montenegrin and Yugoslavian Water Polo Player, Mirko Vicevic to be inducted as part of ISHOF’s Class of 2022

by MEG KELLER-MARVIN

21 August, 2022

Mirko Vičević has won gold at every major event on the water polo world stage; the Olympic Games, the World Championships and the FINA World Cup. His original club was Primorac of Kotor, Montenegro (formerly Yugoslavia), where he played from 1982 to 1989. After that, he played for several teams, Jadran, in Split, Croatia, Savona (Italy) Barcelona (Spain) Brixia (Brescia, Italy) and Pro Recco (Italy). Vicevic won the LEN Trophy for the years 2002, 2003 and 2006 with his club Brixia, and was selected as Best Sportsman of the Municipality of Kotor in 1986, 1988 & 1989 and Best Sportsman in Montenegro in 1988.

Mirko Vičević mid-play Photo Courtesy: Mirko Vicevic

Mirko Vičević on the Savona team in Italy Photo Courtesy: Ribelli Savona

More about Mirko Vicevic:

After retiring in 1991 Mirko graduated from the School of Water Polo Trifun-Miro Ćirković and began coaching water polo. He received his coaching diploma in 1997. As a coach he won the Italian Junior Championships with the water polo club Savona in 1999. Since 2008, he has been the A-Team Coach of the newly-founded club, Vaterpolo Akademija Cattaro, where he is also the team manager, winning the LEN Trophy in the season 2009/2010. Vičević won the European championship gold medal in 2013, with the National Junior Team of Montenegro. He has also been the adviser of sport in the municipality of Kotor since December 2013.

Mirko Vičević at Akademija Cattaro Photo Courtesy: Mirko Vičević

Come join Vicevic and this year’s class of 2022 in Ft. Lauderdale. If you cannot join us, consider making a donation.

To make a donation, click here: https://ishof.org/donate/

This year’s International Swimming Hall of Fame Honorees include:

International Swimming Hall of Fame 2022 Honorees

Craig Beardsley (USA) – Swimming

Natalie Coughlin (USA) – Swimming

Marilyn Bell (CAN) – Open Water Swimming

Michael Klim (AUS) – Swimming

Jon Sieben (AUS) – Swimming

Daichi Suzuki (JPN)– Swimming

Matthew Mitcham (AUS) – Diving

Peter Hürzeler (SUI) – ISHOF Contributor

Ursula Carlile (AUS) – Coach

Carol Zaleski (USA) – ISHOF Contributor

Mirko Vicevic (YUG/MON) Water Polo

Masters International Swimming Hall of Fame Honorees

Doris Steadman (USA) Masters Swimmer

Dr. Jane Katz (USA) Masters Contributor

Edith Bohm (GER) Masters Swimmer

Olga Kokorina (RUS) Masters Swimmer

Shigehisha Sekikawa (JPN) Masters Swimmer

Birte Hohlstein (GER) Masters Artistic Swimming

Guenther Wolf (GER) Masters Water Polo

The Induction Weekend Schedule

Saturday, October 15, 2022

Official 57th Annual International Swimming Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony and Dinner

5:30 pm VIP Reception6:30 –10:00 pm Induction Ceremony & Dinner

Purchase Tickets HERE

HOTEL INFORMATION

Host Hotel: Fort Lauderdale Marriott Harbor Beach Resort & Spa

Upscale retreat with private beach access, two pools, four restaurants, full service spa and oceanside bar. Location of the Saturday evening induction ceremony. ¼ mile south of the International Swimming Hall of Fame.

3030 Holiday Drive, Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33316 (954) 525-4000

Special ISHOF Guest Rate of $229 per night, BOOK YOUR ROOM HERE

($39 Resort fee – Guests can opt out if not interested in resort amenities)

Additional Hotel Option: Courtyard by Marriott Fort Lauderdale Beach

440 Seabreeze Blvd., Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33316 (954) 524-8733 Special ISHOF Guest Rate of $189 per night

Honoree Ceremony October 15, 2022 Last Day to Book: Friday, September 30, 2022

BOOK YOUR ROOM HERE

Munich 50th: When a tie was not a tie: How .002 Decided Olympic Gold and changed the sport

Andras Hargitay, Gunnar Larson and Tim McKee

Munich 50th: When a Tie Was Not a Tie; How .002 Decided Olympic Gold and Changed the Sport

The 50th anniversary of the 1972 Olympic Games in Munich will be celebrated later this month, and into September. To commemorate that Golden Anniversary, Swimming World will run features on several of the most-iconic moments from those Games.

On Aug. 30, 1972, Sweden’s Gunnar Larsson and the United States’ Tim McKee touched the wall in identical times of 4:31.98 in the 400-meter individual medley at the Olympic Games in Munich. However, the rules of the day required the race to be taken out to the thousandth of a second, and it was Larsson who was awarded the gold medal, with McKee earning silver. Ultimately, .002 separated the men, a time difference that changed the sport.

The guy in Lane Four charged to the finish, looked to the scoreboard and saw what he wanted. He was an Olympic champion, the “1” next to his name confirming the achievement.

The man in Lane Seven surged for the wall, looked to the scoreboard and saw the outcome he desired. He was an Olympic champion, the “1” next to his name confirming the achievement.

Gunnar Larsson and Tim McKee arrived at the 1972 Olympic Games in Munich in search of gold, and for a moment at the conclusion of the 400-meter individual medley, they both believed their quest was fulfilled. But when the medals were presented inside the Schwimmhalle, only Larsson wore the metal of the most-cherished medal.

There have only been three gold-medal ties in the history of Olympic swimming, and all occurred in sprint-freestyle events. In 1984, Americans Nancy Hogshead and Carrie Steinseifer shared the title in the 100 freestyle at the Los Angeles Games. Sixteen years later, the United States’ Gary Hall Jr. and Anthony Ervin each earned gold in the 50 freestyle at the Sydney Games. At the most recent Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, American Simone Manuel and Canadian Penny Oleksiak posted identical times in the 100 freestyle.

Photo Courtesy:

The fact those six athletes, and not three, were honored as Olympic champions is the direct result of what unfolded in 1972, when Larsson and McKee were inseparable to the human eye and to the hundredth of a second, but not to the timing system in use during the era.

There was no shortage of storylines in Munich, where Mark Spitz corralled seven gold medals and as many world records, and where Australian 15-year-old Shane Gould won five individual medals. So, Larsson and McKee were just doing their part by producing the tightest race – at least to date – in Olympic history.

Despite their personal designs on Olympic gold, neither Larsson nor McKee was the favorite heading into the final of the 400 individual medley. That status went to McKee’s American teammate, Gary Hall, who blasted a world record of 4:30.81 at the United States Olympic Trials in Chicago. It was the fourth time Hall broke the world record since 1969, and it would take a major upset to keep him off the top of the podium.

And then…

Known for his skill in the butterfly and backstroke events, it was not surprising that Hall attacked the front half of the final, which consisted of those two strokes. The aggression displayed by Hall was stunning, as he built a massive advantage during the opening 200 meters. With a weak breaststroke leg, Hall knew he needed separation, but there was also a need to have enough energy for the back half of the race. Would Hall hit a wall?

“Hall went out very fast in the first two legs and was eight seconds ahead (of me) at the 200,” Larsson said. “I had told my dad before the Olympics that if I was six seconds behind or less (at the midway point), I was going to beat him. But six seconds in the last 200 meters is a lot. He went out too hard and died.”

As the competitors shifted into the breaststroke leg, Hall started to show signs of fatigue, and coupled with his struggles in the stroke, McKee was in front of his countryman by the 275-meter mark. Meanwhile, Larsson narrowed his deficit significantly. The question for the Swede, though, was whether he could reel in McKee over the final two laps.

One of several international swimmers on the Long Beach State University roster of coach Don Gambril, Larsson was a well-known force to members of Team USA. And as a former world-record holder and European champion in the 400 freestyle, Larsson was fully expected to make a push down the stretch. But would he have enough room to catch McKee?

Tim McKee

With every stroke, Larsson cut into his deficit and took what was a no-doubt-about-it victory for one of the Americans and made the outcome disputable. At one point, McKee snuck a peek across the pool and saw he had a sizable edge. But when the swimmers approached the wall, there was no separating them, and confusion reigned.

“That whole last leg, I knew I had it won,” McKee said. “Then when I touched and saw Larsson, I didn’t think I’d won. When I saw a one next to my name on the scoreboard, I thought I’d won again, but 15 seconds later, I saw the one next to his name. Then I didn’t know what was going on.”

At the finish, the scoreboard showed Larsson and McKee as co-champions, thanks to matching times of 4:31.98, with Hungarian Andras Hargitay earning the bronze medal. American Steve Furniss was fourth, with Hall in fifth and almost seven seconds slower than his world-record time at Trials.

As officials scrambled, Larsson and McKee sat on the deck and waited for six or seven minutes for a decision. Would they share the gold, as the scoreboard suggested? Would there be a swimoff, which would have been a brutal expectation given the grinding nature of the 400 individual medley? Heck, Larsson even suggested to McKee the idea of a gold-silver hybrid medal.

None of those scenarios was an option. Instead, officials revealed that the timing system – although not displayed on the scoreboard – tracked the swimmers to the thousandth of a second, and Larsson was declared the winner. The Swedish standout’s official time was noted as 4:31.981 to the 4:31.983 of McKee.

“With 20 meters to go, I looked around and that messed up my stroke for two or three turns,” McKee said. “Normally, that wouldn’t matter, but I know it cost me two-thousandths of a second. There has to be a winner and a loser, even if it’s two-millionths.”

When a race is won in that fashion, it is easy to dissect every minute detail of the event. Were there any turns that could have been better? How was the finish? Could more energy have been spent or reserved on an earlier stroke?

For Larsson, there was never any doubt he won. Well, his reaction said as much. After touching the wall and looking at the results, Larsson celebrated the “1” next to his name, only to be told by fellow Swede Bengt Gingsjo that he wasn’t the only athlete shown to have prevailed. It took nearly 10 minutes for the result to be confirmed, and for Larsson to breathe a sigh of relief.

A few days later, Larsson and McKee engaged in another duel, this time in the 200 individual medley. Unlike the longer distance, Larsson won the rematch behind a world record, with McKee picking up his second silver medal. McKee’s career was defined by silver linings. Four years after finishing behind Larsson on two occasions, McKee was again the Olympic silver medalist in the 400 individual medley, beaten at the 1976 Games by American Rod Strachan.

The precedent set by the duel between Larsson and McKee resulted in officials deciding that any future ties would not be taken out to the thousandth of a second. Obviously, that decision provided no solace for McKee, who saw the rule book of FINA, the sport’s governing body, altered to read as part of Section SW 11.2: “When automatic equipment is used, the results shall be recorded only to 1/100 of a second. When timing to 1/1000 of a second is available, the third digit shall not be recorded or used to determine time or placement. In the event of equal times, all swimmers who have recorded the same time at 1/100 of a second shall be accorded the same placing. Times displayed on the electronic scoreboard should show only to 1/100 of a second.”

The change to the rules led to the subsequent sharing of gold medals in 1984, 2000 and 2016. Really, Larsson and McKee – although unaware of their future impact – changed the landscape for Hogshead, Steinseifer, Hall Jr., Ervin, Manuel and Oleksiak. If not for their epic showdown, perhaps ties would not have been allowed.

While Larsson was inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame in 1979, McKee did not receive his due recognition until 1998. If not for .002, McKee undoubtedly would have received enshrinement much earlier. Asked about the impact of that finish on his life, McKee once had a simple answer. The reply, too, placed perspective on the moment.

“It’s not who I am,” McKee said. “It’s who I was and where I’ve been.”

Larsson is regarded as one of the two greatest male swimmers in Swedish history, the other being distance legend Arne Borg. Despite the passage of time, Larsson remembers that night in Munich vividly.

“Going into the last 50, Tim was way ahead of me, three or four meters ahead,” Larsson said. “I watch the video and every time, I don’t think I am going to catch him. Every time, it is a new experience where I say, ‘I won this time, also.’”

Barely.

Jason Momoa to Produce Feature Biopic on Duke Kahanamoku

by MATTHEW DE GEORGE

19 August 2022

Jason Momoa to Produce Feature Biopic on Duke Kahanamoku

Hollywood star Jason Momoa has already delved deeply into the story of fellow Hawaiian Duke Kahanamoku for a documentary. Now, he’s ready to take it to the big screen.

The star of “Aquaman” and producer Peter Safran are teaming up on a feature film about the life of the International Swimming Hall of Famer and surfing pioneer.

IMDB announced the news Thursday. Safran produced both “Aquaman” and the forthcoming sequel, “Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom,” due out in 2023.

Momoa has grown comfortable with the subject matter: He narrated an American Master’s documentary on PBS earlier this year about Kahanamoku. That pice, “Waterman — Duke: Ambassador of Aloha,” premiered it May. It told the story of Kahanamoku’s role as an innovator in the modern sport of surfing and his success as a swimmer, winning five Olympic medals across three editions of the Games, in 1912, 1920 and 1924. He also served as an alternate for the men’s water polo team at the 1932 Games.

Momoa turned 43 years old this month. He’s a year older than his fellow native of Honolulu, born in 1890, was at his final Olympics in Los Angeles in 1932.

Also attached to the feature project are producers Susan Miller Carlson and Eric Carlson of the Carlson Company. Chris Kekaniokalani (K.T.) Bright, who wrote the 2018 film “Conviction” is tabbed to work on the script.

Brenda Fisher, Famed English Channel Pioneer dies at age 95

by MATTHEW DE GEORGE

Brenda Fisher, who gained international renown in the 1950s for crossing the English Channel, died on Aug. 2, 2022.

She was 95 years old. She suffered from complications of a stroke.

In 1951, the 23-year-old won the Channel Race, crossing from Cap Gris-Nez, France to Dover, England, in 12 hours and 42 minutes. That broke the women’s world record by 38 minutes. She crossed again in 1954, becoming the second woman ever to make two successful crossings. She is described by the Channel Swimming Association as “without doubt one of the true open-water pioneer swimmers of the 20th century.”

A native of Grimsby, England, and the daughter of a local boat captain, she learned to swim in her youth after severe sunstroke paralyzed one side of her body. She was coached by Herbert McNally, learning to swim in the cold water of the Grimsby docks.

Her two siblings preceded her into open water racing in 1938, when Buster, at age 16, became the youngest man and 15-year-old Jessie became the first woman to swim the River Humber. (Buster would die serving in the Royal Air Force in World War II at age 21.)

Brenda Fisher had been set to swim the 1951 Channel Race with Jessie, but a bout of appendicitis ruled the latter out. No matter for the younger Fisher, who was named the UK’s sportswoman of the year in 1951, was feted at that year’s Royal Command Performance and had a tugboat named after her in Grimsby. Later feats would earn her sponsorship opportunities, an appearance on the Ed Sullivan Show and a chance to meet Elvis Presley.

Fisher continued swimming. In 1956, she was first in the women’s division and fourth overall in the River Nile Race. She also competed a record-setting swim of Lake Ontario in Canada in 18 hours, 51 minutes.

She retired from competitive swimming at age 31. She married professional soccer player Pat Johnston in 1954, and the couple ran a confectionery in Grimsby. She continued to mentor and advise young swimmers through various youth clubs. She was awarded the British Empire Medal in 2018. A biography, “Blonde in Deep Water,” was released in 2015.

ISHOF Honor Coach Dick Jochums dies at age 81

by MATTHEW DE GEORGE – SENIOR WRITER

20 August 2022

Passages: Dick Jochums, Renowned American Swimming Coach, 81

Dick Jochums, the revered swimming coach who mentored some of America’s greatest stars over several generations, died on Aug. 19. He was 81 years old. Jochums was inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame as a member of the Class of 2017.

Jochums had a hand in developing some of the best American swimmers from the 1960s into the 2000s. He placed a swimmer on every American delegation for a major international event from 1968 to 2006, with the lone exception of the 1996 Olympics. He coached swimmers who set 25 world records, won 12 Olympic medals (two golds) and was part of eight U.S. national teams as an assistant or head coach.

Among Jochums prized pupils are Tim Shaw, Steve Furniss and Bruce Furniss. Shaw, the 1975 James E. Sullivan Award winner as the nation’s top amateur athlete, concurrently held world records in the 200, 400, 800 and 1,500 freestyle. Shaw, the Furniss brothers and Rex Favero set the world record in the 800 free relay in 1975, the last club team to set a world record. Seven of Jochums swimmers comprised the backbone of the dominant U.S. men’s team at the 1976 Olympics, including five (Shaw, Bruce Furniss, Dan Harrigan, Steve Gregg and Jack Babashoff) who won medals.

He also coached Bob Jackson and Greg Jagenburg, medal contenders before the U.S. boycotted the 1980 Olympics, as well as two-time 1984 Olympic medalist George DiCarlo, Australian breaststroke Olympic medalist Peter Evans and Sydney Olympic medalist Tom Wilkens.

Jochums’ swimmers set seven NCAA records and 60 American records.

Jochums spent 20 years as a college swimming coach. He was an assistant coach at the University of Washington, where he had been a standout swimmer under John Tallman, and the University of California at Berkeley, under the tutelage of Pete Cutino. Jochums got his first head coaching job at Cal State Hayward, after receiving his Ph.D. He went on to Long Beach State, where he succeeded Don Gambril as head coach in 1971 and at the helm of Long Beach Swim Club, and then took over at the University of Arizona in 1978. He compiled 12 top-10 national finishes in his 20 years in college swimming.

He may be best known for his club swimming success. He founded Concord Swim Club (now Terrapin Swim Club) in California. He joined Santa Clara Swim Club as the head coach from 1995 until his retirement in 2007. In the club realm, Jochums won five national titles (including 1996, 1997 and 1998 with SCSC at summer nationals) and finished in the top five on 18 occasions.

Jochums was inducted to the American Swim Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 2004.

To read Coach Jochums ISHOF bio, click here: https://ishof.org/honoree/honoree-dick-jochums/

USA Swimming Announces 2023 Schedule, with Pro Swim Series stop at Hall of Fame Aquatic Center new facility in Ft. Lauderdale

ISHOF New Aquatic Center, June 2022

by MATTHEW DE GEORGE – SENIOR WRITER13 July 2022,

USA Swimming Announces 2023 Schedule, With Pro Swim Series Stop at ISHOF Pool

USA Swimming on Wednesday announced dates and locations for domestic competitions in 2023, a slate that includes a TYR Pro Swim Series stop in Fort Lauderdale, scheduled for the new Fort Lauderdale Aquatic Center at the International Swimming Hall of Fame.

Wednesday’s schedule includes four TYR Pro Swim Series stops in the spring – in Knoxville, Tenn.; Fort Lauderdale, Fla.; Westmont, Ill.; and Mission Viejo, Calif. They build to International Team Trials in Indianapolis from June 27-July 1. Phillips 66 Nationals will be held in Irvine, Calif., Aug. 1-5.

The TYR Pro Swim Series is tentatively scheduled for March 1-4 in Fort Lauderdale. It would be one of the first major events hosted by the state of the art facility in Fort Lauderdale, which is also home to the International Swimming Hall of Fame.

The winter Toyota U.S. Open will occur Nov. 29-Dec. 2, at a location TBD. The location is also to be announced for Speedo Winter Junior Championships, in the East and West halves.

“Our goal is to provide as much clarity as possible regarding next year’s calendar as early as possible, enabling our members to develop training regimes that optimize performance while allowing membership to organize their year accordingly,” USA Swimming President & CEO Tim Hinchey III said in a press release. “We are investing in quality competitions at a cadence that will set athletes up for success and will look to finalize locations for every event as soon as possible.”

The full USA Swimming 2023 schedule:

Jan. 11-14: TYR Pro Swim Series, Knoxville, Tenn.March 1-4: TYR Pro Swim Series, Fort Lauderdale, Fla.April 12-15: TYR Pro Swim Series, Westmont, Ill.April 21-23: Open Water Nationals, Sarasota, Fla.May 17-20: TYR Pro Swim Series, Mission Viejo, Calif.June 27-July 1: International Team Trials, Indianapolis, Ind.July 25-29: Speedo Junior National Championships, Irvine, Calif.Aug. 1-5: Phillips 66 National Championships, Irvine, Calif.Nov. 29-Dec. 2: Toyota U.S. Open, TBDDec. 6-9: Speedo Winter Junior Championships (East), TBDDec. 6-9: Speedo Winter Junior Championships (West), TBD

Future Hall of Famers: Beyond Talent in the Water, Adam Peaty exhibits Gold-Medal Spirit and Character

Article by JOHN LOHN – EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

04 August 2022

Column: Beyond Talent in the Water, Adam Peaty Exhibits Gold-Medal Spirit and Character

There is something special about Adam Peaty, and it has nothing to do with his status as the greatest athlete his events have seen. Sure, respect and reverence are paid to the British star, who – in the 50 breaststroke and 100 breaststroke – has altered what was perceived as possible. Simply, what Peaty has done in sprint breaststroke is downright stunning.

But over the past few days, while dealing with the first significant adversity he has faced in his career, Peaty has displayed his unique characteristics in another manner. He has been the definition of fortitude. He has shown self-reflection. He has displayed vulnerability. He has exhibited perseverance. Through it all, Peaty has offered himself as someone with whom anyone can appreciate.

It is easy to take athletic greatness for granted. When we see someone excel time and again on the grandest of stages, as Peaty has done for nearly a decade, not enough time is spent on what reaching that level entails. The athlete stands on the top of the podium, as usual in Peaty’s case, and the typical reaction is: Yep, he did it again.

So, when the unbreakable wall around an individual shows a crack, shock is the typical reaction. That scenario is what unfolded around Peaty at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham. Despite a broken foot earlier in the year, Peaty was expected to waltz into the Sandwell Aquatics Centre and – again – mow down his opposition. First, he was supposed to blast his way to a third consecutive gold medal in the 100 breaststroke. Then, he was anticipated to capture the title in the 50 breaststroke, the lone missing piece in his incredible portfolio.

Instead, the early portion of Peaty’s competition was a disaster. Not only was the Englishman defeated in the 100 breaststroke for the first time since 2014, he failed to reach the podium. His time in the final was three seconds shy of his world record, which begged the question: What went wrong?

The obvious answer to the query is that Peaty, thanks to his injury, has not logged the training necessary for the 27-year-old to be close to his routine form. Based on one performance, if some want to dismiss Peaty as returning to his primary status as an indomitable force, let them make that mistake. The man still possesses a spectacular skill set, one which other competitors yearn to possess.

And this is where the story veers, shifting from a focus on athletic ability to a look at the mentality owned by Peaty.

When Peaty suffered his loss in the 100 breaststroke, he didn’t try to hide his feelings. He spoke of personal disappointment. He said he was “heartbroken.” He said he let down his fans. He questioned himself, basically, in every way imaginable. In almost an instant, the guy who was deemed unbreakable was, in fact, broken.

“After the 100, I was at the lowest of the low,” Peaty said. “I had something that was almost guaranteed taken away from me and I took it for granted, I think. I was saying to (Ross Murdoch) in the swim-down that I didn’t want to do the 50 and he said, ‘No, you’ll regret it and you’ll regret it the day after, a year after and for life.’ And I’m glad he was there to encourage me.”

Peaty’s comments not only reflect someone who was stung, they can be applied to the lives of any woman or man. Although the sting may not be endured on the stage on which Peaty competes, we all experience moments where we doubt ourselves. Where we may want to quit. Where we wonder what went awry.

To see Peaty offer vulnerability and question himself was a positive event. It cast light on the all-important area of mental health and reiterated the notion that it is all right to say, “I’m hurt. I’m down. I need support.” Peaty received his lift from Murdoch and has spoken publicly before about not pushing through each day as someone who cannot be rattled. A valuable reminder also came from James Guy, Peaty’s longtime teammate. Guy emphasized to his friend that he was not defined by his results in the pool, but by who he was as a person.

“You can probably write a whole book on how many stigmas there are in the world and mental health would come up on every single page – especially men’s,” Peaty once said. “There is a massive stigma that men can’t talk about what they feel. I do think you want to talk to your closest circle – your partner, your best friend or your coach or whoever it’s going to be. You’ve got to talk to people and to get it off your chest.”

Through his words, past and present, Peaty did enough to help others from his locale in Birmingham. But his physical actions also sent a tremendous message. After the 100 breaststroke, with his condition clearly compromised, the Olympic champ could have walked away from the upcoming 50 breaststroke. It was the missing jewel in his career, but there were no guarantees what the event would provide, including the possibility of another missed podium – and additional heartache.

But with Murdoch’s encouragement and a reach into his true character, Peaty decided to return to the blocks. He compared himself to a cornered lion, and because he takes pride in battling, he put himself in the spotlight again – success or failure be damned.

Ultimately, Peaty found a way to mine gold in the 50 breaststroke, consequently claiming the only major title that had proven elusive in the Olympic-sized pool. It was a rewarding victory, partly for the completion of his hardware collection, but mainly because Peaty demonstrated perseverance. Again, it was a message which can be applied to all. Don’t run away from difficulty. Embrace it. Learn from it.

“I came from literally the lowest point two days ago and I said, ‘You know what, I’m a fighter,” Peaty said.

Whenever Adam Peaty retires from the sport, he’ll be remembered as a legend. A place in the International Swimming Hall of Fame awaits. And his talent will be recalled as well ahead of its time. But Peaty will be remembered, too, for what he offered in other critical areas. He portrayed vulnerability. He exemplified perseverance. He was relatable.

In itself, that’s worth a gold medal.

99-year old MISHOF Honoree Wally Lamb shreds record books at USMS Summer Nationals

by JOHN LOHN – EDITOR-IN-CHIEF04 August 2022, 03:42am

99-Year-Old Willard Lamb Shreds Record Book at USMS Summer Nationals; Breaks Several Marks in Single Swim

Because the sport allows for interval times to be recorded, every once in a while, we see multiple records established by one athlete in a single race. But Willard Lamb, a member of the Masters International Swimming Hall of Fame, took the multiple-record phenomenon to another level while competing Wednesday at the United States Masters Swimming (USMS) Summer Nationals.

Competing in the 100-104 age group, the 99-year-old Lamb established four world records and six USMS during his 1500-meter freestyle. Since he turns 100 later this year, Lamb (Oregon Masters) is eligible to compete in the 100-104 classification, and he made his presence known time and again. For the 1500 freestyle, Lamb set a FINA Masters world record of 42:27.06. Along the way to that performance, he took down several other standards. Here’s a look at what Lamb achieved in the 100-104 age group.

50 freestyle – 1:07.34 (USMS record)100 freestyle – 2:29.96 (USMS record)200 freestyle – 5:18.86 (FINA Masters world record; USMS record)400 freestyle – 10:55.25 (FINA Masters world record; USMS record)800 freestyle – 22:15.67 (FINA Masters world record; USMS record)1500 freestyle – 42:27.06 (FINA Masters world record; USMS record)

While Lamb was the showstopper on Wednesday, he was joined as a record-setter by Shirley Loftus-Charley, who won the 1500 freestyle in the 70-74 age group in a World Masters and USMS record of 22:17.49. Meanwhile, in the 60-64 age group, Arnaldo Perez broke a World Masters and USMS record in the 1500 freestyle with a time of 17:55.91.

More About Willard Lamb

In high school, Willard “Wink” Lamb set a Washington state record in the 220-yard freestyle. The event was discontinued a few years later, so that’s one record he knows will never be broken.

A few of the Masters world records he has set might also stand the test of time. Lamb set 17 world records in 2017 (11 events) in the 95-99 age group. In long course, he broke every freestyle and backstroke record. For the 50-100-200 back, he set Masters standards for his age group of 58.63 and was the first 95-99-year-old to break a minute. In short course, he added records in the 100 and 400 free.

Between high school and his return to Masters swimming, Lamb was out of the pool most of his life. It wasn’t until he retired in 2002 that he returned to swimming and didn’t begin competing until he was 83 years old, in 2006.

Since then, he has never stopped, and if he stays healthy, he has no plans to do so. He will even keep swimming the 1500 free. “I swim a mile every day, so you kind of keep in shape for distance,” Lamb said. “I figure, swimming a mile, I might as well enter the 1500.”

Willard has swum in five age groups (80-84 through 100-104) and has set 60-plus FINA world records. His world records are mostly in the freestyle and backstroke, but has set a few in the I.M.

Author: Meg Keller-Marvin