Happy Birthday Gunnar Larsson !!!
GUNNAR LARSSON (SWE) 1979 Honor Swimmer
FOR THE RECORD: OLYMPIC GAMES: 1972 gold (200m, 400m individual medley); WORLD RECORDS: 3; WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS: 1973 gold (200m individual medley); EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIPS: gold (400m freestyle; 200m medley; 400m individual medley), silver (200m freestyle); SWEDISH NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS: 21; NATIONAL AAU CHAMPIONSHIPS: 2.
Gunnar Larsson failed to make a final in the 1968 Olympics then came on like a surprise bombshell to be the best swimmer in Europe two years later. At Barcelona in 1970, he set World Records in the 400m freestyle and 200m medley plus another gold medal in the 400 I.M. and a silver in the 200 freestyle. In the 1972 Munich Olympics he won the “decathlon” events of swimming coming from behind to win gold medals in both the four-stroke 200 and 400 individual medleys over Tim McKee by two thousandths of a second in the 400 and by 1.2 seconds in the 200 in World Record time. Once more Gunnar pulled it off in the First World Championships in Belgrade in 1973. Larsson’s best time before the meet was unlikely to make the finals but he again won the 200 individual medley. Coached by Don Gambril at Long Beach State and Harvard and by Lars-Erik Paulsson at home, Larsson must rank with Arne Borg as one of Sweden’s two greatest all-time swimmers.
Happy Birthday Anne Ottenbrite !!!
ANNE OTTENBRITE (CAN) 1999 Honor Swimmer
FOR THE RECORD: 1984 OLYMPIC GAMES: gold (200m breaststroke), silver (100m breaststroke), bronze (4x100m medley relay); 1982 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS: silver (100m breaststroke), bronze (200m breaststroke); 1982 COMMONWEALTH GAMES: gold (200m breaststroke), silver (100m breaststroke); 1983 PAN AMERICAN GAMES: gold (100m breaststroke, 4x100m medley relay); CANADIAN GAMES: gold (100m and 200m breaststroke, 4x100m medley relay); 5 CANADIAN NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS: 3 short course, 2 long course (breaststroke).
You could say that Canada’s Anne Ottenbrite was born to swim the breaststroke. At age 3, she learned to swim in her backyard pool in Whitby, Ontario and immediately started using a whip kick. It came very naturally to her and by age 12 she was swimming competitively at the Oshawa Aquatic Club.
Her phenomenal flexibility allowed her to use an undulating upper-body movement in her stroke, long before it became the popular technique. Being tall and lanky at 5’8 ¾” and 132 pounds, her double-jointedness lent itself to use this technique. Her first coach, Lynne Trimbee, brought Anne along gradually with heavy emphasis on stroke technique. It was not until age 15 that she began to significantly lower her times.
In 1981, she moved to the Ajax Aquatic Club and coach Paul Meroneu who intensified workouts and stressed quality pool and dry land training. In less than a year, she turned into one of the world’s leading breaststrokers. Between 1981 and 1984, she won the silver and bronze medals in the 100m and 200m breaststroke at the Guayaquil 1982 World Championships, the gold and silver medals in the 200m and 100m breaststroke at the 1982 Commonwealth Games and 5 Canadian National Titles in the breaststroke. She was twice named Canada’s Female Swimmer of the Year.
Because her undulating body motion caused her legs to break the water’s surface, she was disqualified in a few international invitationals resulting in a slight kick-stroke change to assure not being disqualified in the Olympics. But her biggest problem before the Los Angeles Olympics occurred when she accidentally dislocated her knee. Being loose jointed, she didn’t rip any tendons. But she couldn’t kick and was forced to do only pulling in workouts. Her tremendous flexibility helped her rehabilitation (she could turn her feet around completely backwards and twirl her arms at the elbows).
Competing in the Olympic Games of 1984 was her goal. She had won the gold medal in the Pan American Games the year before and was Canada’s top breaststroker for the medley relay. Her dilemma was that her bad knee prevented her from swimming in the Olympic Trials. Fortunately, Canadian Technical Director and Head Coach Trevor Tiffany declared that Anne would be added to the team, irregardless of the complaints of coaches who said she never officially qualified for the team. Trevor knew that Anne was one of Canada’s best chances for a medal. His foresightedness paid off when 18 year old Ottenbrite became Canada’s first-ever gold medalist in women’s swimming by capturing the 200m breaststroke. Just after Alex Baumann’s 400m I.M. swim, she was Canada’s third gold medalist in swimming behind Alex (1984) and George Hodgeson (1912). She also won the silver in the 100m breaststroke and bronze on the 4 X 100m medley relay.
Since 1988, Anne has been coaching swimming, currently as the University of Guelph Assistant Coach and Guelph Marlins Swim Club Head Age Group Coach. She is a graduate of the University of Southern California (1984-1986) and Wilfred Laurier University (1987-1990) in Ontario. She and her husband Marlin Maylaert have a son, Cameron.
Former NISCA President Dana Abbott Joins ISHOF’s One in a Thousand Campaign
by ANDY ROSS
11 May 2021
Dana Abbott has joined ISHOF’s One in a Thousand campaign, designed to help the Hall of Fame prosper during the COVID pandemic.
“I’ve been involved either as a competitor or a coach since the Hall of Fame opened in 1965. I’m originally from Miami so I used to swim meets and play water polo at the Hall of Fame pool. When I got to college, we would come down for the college coach’s swim forum. I’ve been involved with NISCA for quite a while and we have all of our trophies and awards down there in the museum and it is just a natural thing and easy way, if enough people got involved, to help support the Hall of Fame financially. I’m glad to do it and I’m glad the idea came about in the first place.”
Abbott is part-time coaching in the Houston area with Katy Aquatics as he coached at Katy High School for 25 years and had been at St. John’s College Prep for 12 years after his stint at Katy. He was president of NISCA twice and has been involved in expanding the NISCA high school membership program overseas in the international membership initiative.
“If my mom knew all of this, she would say, ‘it’s enough to keep me out of trouble.’ I’ve been put in leadership positions and I enjoy doing it. It’s hard to step back. Some day I probably will. But right now I am staying busy and real pleased Brent (Rutemiller) came up with this idea, the 1 in a 1000.”
A native of south Florida, Abbott has swum numerous times in the Hall of Fame pool in Fort Lauderdale and had been a coach on deck at many national level meets held at the facility.
Dana Abbott was inducted into the NISCA Hall of Fame in 2018.
Join the One in a Thousand Club by helping ISHOF on a monthly or one-time basis.
$10 Monthly Commitment
$25 Monthly Commitment
$50 Monthly Commitment
Make a One-Time Commitment
For larger corporate sponsorships and estate-planning donations, please contact us at customerservice@ishof.org.
Dana Abbott – 2008 Paragon Award Winner for Competitive Swimming
Dana Abbott is an outstanding coach and leader in high school swimming not only in his state of Texas but throughout the nation. He has been a role-model for the thousands of club and high school swimmers he has coached since 1971 and an inspiration for the hundreds of coaches who have attended his clinics and lectures. He was nominated for Texas HS State Coach of the Year three times and been District/Regional Coach of the Year numerous times. As Head Coach of Katy High School for 25 years and for 12 years at St. John XXIII College Preparatory, he developed numerous swimming, diving and academic All-Americans, but Dana’s contribution to high school swimming goes beyond his love of working with the students.
He is a leader in the National Interscholastic Swimming Coaches Association (NISCA) having served on the national level as Outreach Coordinator, Marketing Director, Zone Director, President and President-Elect. He served two 2-year terms as President, the first time in the history of the organization that has occurred. His leadership has helped to increase the organization’s financial sponsorship and co-authored the NISCA Constitution and By-Law Revisions. As a Life Member of TISCA, he is the only person to have held all four elected TISCA offices in Texas. As a clinician, Dana has spoken in over seven states and his writings have been published in the NISCA Journal, Swimming World Magazine and Swim- Info.com. He was a contributor to the joint ASCA/NISCA/USA Swimming treatise on mutual cooperation of competitive swimming programs.
The International Swimming Hall of Fame wants to know if you are one in a thousand? We think you are! Show how special you are and become a member of the International Swimming Hall of Fame’s “One In A Thousand” Club. Help keep the International Swimming Hall of Fame moving forward toward a new vision and museum by joining now!
During these unprecedented times, the ISHOF Board is calling on every member in the aquatic community to make a small monthly commitment of support to show how special you are and how special the International Swimming Hall of Fame is to everyone.
“Our goal is simple. If we get 1,000 people to simply commit $10, $25 or $50 per month, we will generate enough revenue to go beyond this Covid-19 Pandemic Crisis.” – Bill Kent – Chairman of the ISHOF Board
“Those that believe in our vision, mission, and goals can join us in taking ISHOF into the future and be a part of aquatic history.” – Brent Rutemiller – CEO and President of ISHOF
Since 1965, ISHOF has been the global focal point for recording and sharing the history of aquatics, promoting swimming as an essential life-skill, and developing educational programs and events related to water sports. ISHOF’s vision for the future is to build a new museum and expand its reach by offering its museum artifacts digitally through a redesigned website.
The ISHOF Board of Directors is calling on all members of the aquatics community to make a small monthly commitment to show their dedication to aquatics and how special the International Swimming Hall of Fame is to everyone.
Peter Rocca Joins ISHOF’s One in a Thousand Campaign, “It’s a Great Organization!”
by ANDY ROSS
04 May 2021
Two-time Olympian and double backstroke silver medalist Peter Rocca has joined ISHOF’s One in a Thousand campaign, designed to help the Hall of Fame prosper during the COVID pandemic.
“Here you have the history of swimming being kept in its purest form and looking at a global standpoint, why wouldn’t you want to support the history of swimming?” Peter Rocca said. “And that’s what the Hall of Fame does. A lot of my friends are Hall of Fame members and I think the Hall does a lot to keep the history of swimming alive and that’s great plus there’s so many visitors that come internationally and that is something my wife and I support. It’s a great organization.”
Peter Rocca at the 1984 Trials. Photo Courtesy: Tim Morse / Swimming World Archive
Rocca was a member of two Olympic teams, winning two silvers in the 100 and 200 back at the 1976 Games in Montreal, as well as a prelims gold in the 4×100 medley relay. He was also selected as a team captain for the 1980 team that did not compete in Moscow because of the infamous boycott that plagued so many careers of the times.
Peter Rocca in 1980. Photo Courtesy: Chris Georges / Swimming World Archive
Peter Rocca won the 1980 Olympic Trials in the 100 back as his time would have been silver to gold medal winner Bengt Baron in Moscow and his 200 back time would have been silver to fellow American Steve Barnicoat. In 1984, Rocca was third in the 100 back at the Olympic Trials and was fourth in the 200, just missing a bid on a third Olympics.
Rocca admittedly has never been to the Swimming Hall of Fame but says it is “on his bucket list” to attend in person. Rocca is currently based in Minnesota where he raised his three children and has been in investment management for the last 35 years in Minneapolis.
Join the One in a Thousand Club by helping ISHOF on a monthly or one-time basis.
$10 Monthly Commitment
$25 Monthly Commitment
$50 Monthly Commitment
Make a One-Time Commitment
For larger corporate sponsorships and estate-planning donations, please contact us at customerservice@ishof.org.
The International Swimming Hall of Fame wants to know if you are one in a thousand? We think you are! Show how special you are and become a member of the International Swimming Hall of Fame’s “One In A Thousand” Club. Help keep the International Swimming Hall of Fame moving forward toward a new vision and museum by joining now!
During these unprecedented times, the ISHOF Board is calling on every member in the aquatic community to make a small monthly commitment of support to show how special you are and how special the International Swimming Hall of Fame is to everyone.
“Our goal is simple. If we get 1,000 people to simply commit $10, $25 or $50 per month, we will generate enough revenue to go beyond this Covid-19 Pandemic Crisis.” – Bill Kent – Chairman of the ISHOF Board
“Those that believe in our vision, mission, and goals can join us in taking ISHOF into the future and be a part of aquatic history.” – Brent Rutemiller – CEO and President of ISHOF
Since 1965, ISHOF has been the global focal point for recording and sharing the history of aquatics, promoting swimming as an essential life-skill, and developing educational programs and events related to water sports. ISHOF’s vision for the future is to build a new museum and expand its reach by offering its museum artifacts digitally through a redesigned website.
The ISHOF Board of Directors is calling on all members of the aquatics community to make a small monthly commitment to show their dedication to aquatics and how special the International Swimming Hall of Fame is to everyone.
Happy Birthday to the great synchro swimmer, Kim Welshons, who we lost in 2015…..
KIM WELSHONS (USA) 1988 Honor Synchronized Swimmer
FOR THE RECORD: PAN AMERICAN GAMES: 1963 gold (team); AAU SENIOR NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS: 13 (solo, duet, team and figures); AAU JUNIOR NATIONALS: 3; INTERNATIONAL SYNCHRONIZED SWIMMING TITLES: 14 (solo, duet, team, figures); All American Team Member 5 times.
At a time when synchronized swimming had not yet received Olympic and World Championship recognition, Kim Welshons was the most honored swimmer of the sport. The titles she received including a Pan American Games gold medal, fourteen international and thirteen national titles, are indeed indicative of world Championship status. Kim was instrumental in advancing international awareness and participation within the competitive arena of synchronized swimming.
In Brazil, as a member of the U.S. synchronized swimming team in 1963, at the age of 12, Kim became, and currently remains, the youngest person to ever receive a gold medal in the Pan American Games. Other competitive travels took her to a 1970 win in Copenhagen as well as to 40 states, Canada, Mexico, Europe, Japan, South America, Yugoslavia and Puerto Rico.
In 1966, at the request of President and Mrs. Lyndon B. Johnson, Kim delivered a command performance in Mexico City at a reception held in honor of the Mexican President and Mrs. Diaz Ordaz. Later that same year, Mrs. Johnson again requested Kim to display her talents for President Johnson, California governor and Mrs. Edmund G. Brown and a host of other celebrities at the Hearst Castle in San Simeon, California. On New Year’s 1971, Kim was featured in the Pasadena Tournament of Roses Parade as the World Synchronized Swimming Champion.
Although Kim retired in 1970, she has continued to contribute to synchronized swimming and to the scientific advancement and media recognition of all amateur sports She coached the Mexican National Team for two years, served as technical spokesperson and provided color commentary for the major television networks for eight years and has published numerous articles on the sport. Not only was Kim a multi-champion as a member of the Santa Clara Aquamaids, but she was an outstanding international representative for synchronized swimming and U.S. women in sports.
What Black Swimmer Could Play Charles Jackson French in Heroic War Movie?
Black Swimmer Commentary by Bruce Wigo,
Historian for the International Swimming Hall of Fame
Just last week, Swimmingworld.com ran an updated version of an heroic black swimmer war story of a 23 year-old black navy crew member who worked as a mess hand on the U.S.S. Gregory during a sea battle off the Solomon Islands. His name was Charles Jackson French. His ship was sunk by a Japanese gunboat and he single-handedly tied a rope around his waist and swam six hours pulling a life raft of wounded crew members through shark infested waters to safety. The story was featured in Swimming World’s Black Swimming History month.
It was noticed by Malcom Nance – A retired U.S. Navy Chief Petty Officer and author who tweeted it out to the military community where it took on a life of its own. The next day it was a feature article on Newsweek.com.
“There’s no time like the present to correct the errors of yesterday’s thoughts,” Nance told Newsweek. “French performed valiantly on September 5, 1942, disregarding his own personal safety to help save the lives of 15 wounded shipmates.”
One person who heard Nance was Rear Admiral Charlie Brown, the Navy public affairs officer, and now it appears the Navy is looking into upgrading French’s award, something I and others have been lobbying for several years. Among those quietly helping behind the scenes are Kim and Kevin Mickna, retired Navy, the family of Captain Adrian, the officer on the Gregory who initially told the story of Messman French on NBC Radio in 1943, and Olympic swimming gold medalist Anthony Ervin.
French’s story as a black swimmer is bittersweet. Unassumingly, he was thrust into the limelight of fame. Nearly all who heard his story – including all the Black press – felt he deserved more than a commendation letter from Admiral Halsey, which greatly minimized his reported heroics.
Witnesses reported that French swam 6-8 hours with the sharks. But Halsey’s letter reduced it to two hours.
In any event, French’s story was memorialized at the time on trading cards, calendars, in comics, and in newspaper illustrations next to Congressional Medal of Honor recipient, Dorie Miller, the Messman of Pearl Harbor fame. In his hometown of Omaha, he was welcomed as a celebrity and paraded out in front of the crowd attending the Nebraska-Creighton football game.
There was even talk of Warner Brothers immortalizing him on the silver screen, as reported by the theater reviews in the Pittsburgh Courier:
“Cabin In the Sky,” the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer film musical with an all-black cast, opened in Pittsburgh back in the day with a bang after making plenty of sugah throughout the country. Dally paper reviewers gave it three stars and added an extra half for good measure and all around performance on the part of Ethel Waters, Eddie “Rochester” Anderson, Lena Horne and Louis Armstrong. We saw a preview of another Hollywood musical, “Stormy Weather,” from 20th Century Fox, with another all-star, all-black cast of Bill “Bojangles” Robinson, Lena Horne, Cab Calloway, Katherine Dunham and Fats Waller.
Now Warner Brothers has it in mind to go all of the companies one better and screen-immortalize Messman French, the lad who swam through shark-infested waters, towing a raft of wounded sailors to safety after a Japanese sub had sunk their ship in the South Pacific.
Since the Swimmingworld.com article went viral, there is a change.org petition to posthumously award French the Congressional Medal of Honor and I have been contacted by several reporters, authors and screenwriters about a possible movie. So many of the comments on Twitter and Facebook are demanding a movie. What a great opportunity to showcase swimming.
As Annette Kellermann, Johnny Weissmuller, Buster Crabbe and Esther Williams were responsible for making swimming popular for White people in the first half of the 20th Century, this film could provide an opportunity for African-American swimmers to get the word out about Swimming not just as a sport – but as an essential life-skill.
Who Could Play Charles Jackson French in a Movie Today?
Here’s my short list, but let’s get Hollywood thinking about it now – and let’s get these great swimmers to think about acting and developing French’s Arkansas drawl.
Photo Courtesy: Taylor Brien
Giles SmithAn American competitive swimmer who specializes in the butterfly and freestyle events.University of Arizona ’14, JournalismHe currently represents the DC Trident which is part of the International Swimming League.
Photo Courtesy: Connor Trimble
Reece Whitley6’9″ swimmer at Cal, from PhiladelphiaIn 2019, he was named 2019 Pac-12 Men’s Swimming Freshman of the Year
Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick
Cullen JonesMultiple Olympic medalist and member of iconic gold-medal relay from 2008 Olympic Games.A little old for a project a few years away, but he could pull it off
Photo Courtesy: Don Liebig
Max IrvingUSA men’s national water polo teamPlays professionally in Greece
Let’s get behind the petition to recognize Charles Jackson French!
Happy Birthday Don Schollander
DON SCHOLLANDER (USA) 1965 Honor Swimmer
FOR THE RECORD: OLYMPIC GAMES: 1964 gold (100m, 400m freestyle; 4x100m, 4x200m freestyle relay); 1968 gold (4x200m freestyle relay), silver (200m freestyle); First swimmer in history to win 4 gold medals at one Olympics; WORLD RECORDS: 200yd, 200m freestyle; U.S. NATIONAL RECORDS: freestyle; World Athlete of the Year, 1964.
Nineteen year old Don Schollander is the world’s most honored active swimmer. No swimmer in any year has received the honor that came to Schollander in 1964. His selection as top athlete at the 1964 Olympics, plus his award as U. S. and World Athlete of the Year are proof that swimming has come of age and is long overdue on having its own Hall of Fame.
Don received 138 first-place votes and 459 points compared to 14 firsts and 134 points for runner-up Johnny Unitas. No swimmer had previously won the pool in its 34 year history and no athlete in any sport has won it by such an overwhelming margin.
Justification for Schollander’s overwhelming A.P. vote and for his selection to the first group honored in the new Swimming Hall of Fame is his record of 4 gold medals, 4 Olympic and 3 world records in his four Olympic freestyle swimming events. No other swimmer has ever done so well in the Olympic Games.
Don was the first man in the world to break 2 minutes for the 200 meter freestyle, on July 7, 1963; but his most amazing performance was his 1:41.7 for 200 yards last April. Try to imagine a man with such great talent that he can race and beat a four man relay team, not just any four man relay, but a world record relay team. This is what Don Schollander did at Yale, give or take 50 years. His 1:41.7, 200 yd. freestyle time at the 1965 Indoor U. S. Nationals in April was 7/10 seconds faster than the world record set by Yale’s 200 yd. freestyle relay team in 1917. It is a dramatic illustration of the improvement in swimming times, training and techniques in less than 50 years.
In preparing for the 1964 Olympic Trials and Games, Don’s coach, George Haines, (he has had several great coaches in his young career), felt he could win any freestyle event for which he trained. The middle distances are his forte but Haines felt it would be difficult and dangerous, if not foolhardy , to prime Don for both the 100 meter sprint and 1500 meter distance races at the same time. The coach, showing complete confidence in his swimmer plus a flare for the dramatic, and a rise to the challenge, picked the 100. Although Don is not a sprinter, he has an almost perfect stroke and the 100 meter distance was long enough for this good stroking to pay off in a come-from-behind victory. Certainly it proved a point for good swimming. Don owned the 400 meter race, perhaps his best distance, and swam on two of the U.S.A.’s three gold medal world record breaking relays, something he might not have been able to do had he primed for the 1500. All signs were “go” and all gambles paid off. No swimmer before Schollander has ever won four gold medals in one Olympics, yet Don might have won five had he been on still another relay. On the other hand, 1964 was the first Olympics that offered three relays and only the second Olympics offering more than one men’s relay. Immortality is still a combination of timing and talent.
There are now more races for more and faster swimmers in the booming sport of swimming than ever before. This, just as Schollander’s early selection for the Swimming Hall of Fame, is a sign of the times in this fastest-growing Olympic sport.
Happy Birthday Charlotte Davis !!!
CHARLOTTE DAVIS (USA) 2014 Honor Coach
FOR THE RECORD: 1984 OLYMPIC GAMES: Head Coach; 1988 OLYMPIC GAMES: Assistant Coach and Team Leader; 1992 OLYMPIC GAMES: Assistant Coach and Team Leader; 1996 OLYMPIC GAMES: National Team Director and Coach of two swimmers winning two Olympic gold and one Olympic Silver medal; National Team Director and Assistant Coach of 1991, 1994 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS: 1991, 1993, 1995 WORLD CUP: National Team Director and Assistant Coach; 1983, 1987, PAN AMERICAN GAMES: Head Coach 1995 PAN AM GAMES: National Team Director and Assistant Coach.
She began her love of swimming at age three. At 11, her older sisters taught her “water ballet” and she was immediately hooked. She loved the music, the creativity, the artistry and best of all, swimming upside down! She then discovered the Washington Athletic Club Synchronized Swimming Team, where she competed through high school. After high school, she moved and competed with the reigning National Champion, Santa Clara Aquamaids. It was with the Aquamaids, she became a National Team champion in 1970.
In 1971, Charlotte moved back to Seattle and formed her own synchronized swimming team. After a few years of coaching, a nine year-old swimmer who could barely swim the length of the pool, caught Charlotte’s eye. That little girl’s name was Tracie Ruiz. Soon after, another little girl, Candie Costie, stood out and decided she wanted to swim duet with Tracie.
Under Charlotte’s guidance, Tracie and Candy rose to the top very quickly, winning the Junior National Duet title at the age of 16. Five years later, in 1982, when the IOC announced the inclusion of the duet on the program for the 1984 Olympic Games, Charlotte and the girls made a pact to work hard and earn the right to represent the United States in Los Angeles. Their hard work and dedication paid off as Charlotte was named head Olympic coach and the girls went on to win the gold medal for the USA; because of the Soviet boycott, the IOC added the solo competition at the last minute. Tracie Ruiz won the gold medal in that event as well.
Charlotte Davis was instrumental in the formation of the U.S. Synchronized Swimming Inc. program that began when the corporation was formed in 1979. She was hired as the organization’s first full-time National Team coach in 1984 and in 1992 was named National Team Director, a position she held until her retirement in 2000. During her tenure, the USA was the dominant force in international synchronized swimming. In addition to the gold medals in 1984 she coached the Josephson twins, Karen and Sarah, to the Olympic duet silver medal in 1988 and Tracie Ruiz to the gold in solo. In 1992 the Josephsons won the duet, while Kristen Babb won the solo gold in Barcelona. As the National Team Director and assistant Olympic coach in 1996, Charlotte also played a major role in the USA’s “perfect ten” performance in Atlanta. It was the first Olympic gold medal awarded for the team event in Olympic history.
Charlotte Davis shared her expertise by giving clinics around the world helping to make synchronized swimming one of the marquee FINA events.
On this day in 1912, Simeon Boychenko was born……..
Simeon Boychenko (RUS) 2016 Honor Pioneer Swimmer
FOR THE RECORD: 1936 unofficial World Record: 100m breaststroke using the butterfly arm stroke
Simeon Boychenko was a real-life sports idol to the Russian people in the pre-World War II era. Some thought he might become as famous as the American superstar, “Tarzan,” Johnny Weissmuller, but Simeon Boychenko had his own story to write. He was born in 1912 and grew up in the small village of Marievka in the Ukraine, on the Ingul River, where he spent a lot of time swimming as a child.
As Boychenko grew older, he went into the service, where swimming was a must and everyone was impressed with his abilities in the water. At the start of the Soviet Union, all things that were seen as tools of capitalism were renounced; including competitive sports. By the early 1930s, the Soviet Union began to see sport as a means to display Soviet power to the world, as well as to their own people. Within a short time, Boychenko was unbeatable in the Red Fleet and in the summer of 1934, he became the winner of the Soviet Army’s Championship. In 1935, he was transferred to Moscow to continue his military service and it was there that he joined his first real team and got his first real coach.
Back in the 1930’s, an acceptable variant of the classic breaststroke was to swim using an above water butterfly arm stroke. This was how Boychenko swam and leading up to the Berlin Olympic Games, his times were seconds faster in both the 100 and 200-meter breaststroke than the listed world records. Since the Soviet Union refused to join the International Olympic Committee, Boychenko’s records were never recognized by FINA – but that didn’t matter to the Soviets. In Moscow, Boychenko was feted like a national hero and Joseph Stalin held him up as an example to young Soviets: “A former Black Sea sailor,” he said, “comrade Boychenko became an unsurpassed swimmer of world-class. Follow example of Boychenko! Break records in the water!”
At the peak of his sporting career in 1941, Boychenko’s time of 1:05.4 in 100-meter was almost two seconds faster than the FINA world record of 1:07.3, set by America’s Dick Hough. In the 200, his time of 2:29.8 was more than seven seconds faster than Jack Kasley’s listed world record of 2:37.2.
During the war, instead of being sent to the front, he, like American swimming star Adolph Kiefer, was commissioned to train and prepare thousands of Soviet soldiers to be strong, able bodied swimmers.
After the war ended, Simeon Boychenko was accused of impartial comments against Stalin’s son, Vasily, and having criminal relations with white Russian emigrants and bourgeois. He was sentenced to a ten year detention in Siberia, but he never lost his love of swimming. As soon as he was released he went back to his hometown and took a swim in his beloved Ingul River, to try and wash off the years of torture and humiliation.
A few years after Stalin’s death, Simeon returned to the pool in Moscow where he worked as both a coach and referee.
Because of politics, Simeon Boychenko, the “King of the Butterfly,” never got to swim against the Americans or in the Olympic Games, but with this honor he finally receives the international recognition he rightfully deserves.
April 27, Happy Birthday Hilda James !!!
Hilda James (GBR) 2016 Honor Pioneer Swimmer
FOR THE RECORD: 1920 OLYMPIC GAMES: silver (4x100m freestyle); SEVEN WORLD RECORDS: two (300yd freestyle), two (150yd freestyle), one (440yd freestyle), one (400m freestyle), two (220yd freestyle), three (300m freestyle); 29 ENGLISH RECORDS: four (300yd freestyle), one (440yd freestyle), one (500yd freestyle), four (220yd freestyle), four (100yd freestyle), four (150yd freestyle), two (440yd freestyle), two (500yd freestyle), one (440m freestyle), one (1750yd freestyle), one (880yd freestyle), one (1000yd freestyle); EIGHT U.K. NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS: four (220yd freestyle), one (100yd freestyle), two (Thames Long Distance from Kew Putney five miles 50yd), one (440yd freestyle); FOUR SCOTTISH RECORDS: one (220yd freestyle), two (200yd freestyle), one (300yd freestyle), one (400m freestyle); FOUR OTHER MEET RESULTS: gold (300yd individual medley), gold (220yd freestyle), gold (110yd breaststroke), one River Seine 8k Race.
To avoid attending Church of England religious education classes, which conflicted with her parents religious beliefs, this 11-year old Liverpudlian was assigned to swimming classes at the Garston Baths.
Five years later, Hilda James was Great Britain’s best female swimmer and left for the 1920 Olympic Games with high expectations. Unfortunately in Amsterdam, the USA women completely dominated, sweeping the gold, silver and bronze medals in the 100m and 300m freestyle, the only individual swimming events for women at the 1920 Games. And while the British did win silver medals in the 4x100m relay, they finished a full 30 seconds behind the Americans. The following day Hilda cheekily asked the American coach, Lou de B. Handley, to teach her the American Crawl.
In 1922, Hilda was invited by her American friends to visit the USA for the summer racing season. While she was still behind the American stars Helen Wainwright and Gertrude Ederle, she was closing the gap.
By 1924, Hilda held every British and European freestyle record from 100 meters to the mile, and a handful of world records as well. She easily made the 1924 Olympic team, and it was widely believed that she would return from Paris with a handful of medals. When Hilda’s mother insisted she accompany her daughter as chaperone, and the British Olympic Committee refused, Hilda’s mother refused to let her go. Unfortunately, Hilda was not yet 21, was under the care of her parents – and had to obey.
Hilda turned 21 shortly after the Olympic Games, gained her independence, and took a job with the Cunard Shipping Company, traveling the world as a celebrity spokesperson, at a time when women were just starting to gain their freedom.
We will never know how Hilda would have fared in the 1924 Olympic Games, but she was a trailblazer and one of Europe’s first female sports superstars who inspired future generations of girls to follow in her wake.