Happy Birthday Rick Carey!!
Rick Carey (USA)
Honor Swimmer (1993)
FOR THE RECORD: 9 WORLD RECORDS: 100m backstroke (3), 200m backstroke (2), 400m medley relay (4); OLYMPIC GAMES: 1984 gold (100m backstroke, 200m backstroke, 400m medley relay); WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS: 1982 gold (200m backstroke, 400m medley relay), silver (100m backstroke); PAN AMERICAN GAMES: 1983 gold (100m backstroke, 200m backstroke, 400m medley relay).
During a sixteen year period from 1967-1983, only three men held the world 100-meter backstroke record: Hall of Famers Roland Matthes, John Naber and Rick Carey. A five-time world record holder in the 100 and 200 meter backstroke and the 400 meter medley relay.
A native of Mt. Kisco, New York, Rick Carey was the exception to the rule among the majority of American swimmers–he never left home for the bluer waters of the West Coast or the balmy weather in Florida after reaching the national level. Rather, Carey chose to remain with the Badger Swim Club in Larchmont, New York, where he first began swimming at age 12 under the tutelage of Coach John Collins.
A natural swimmer, Carey set the first of his many national backstroke records beginning in 1977, just two years after joining his local swim club. Although Carey made the 1980 Olympic team, it wasn’t until 1981 that his career sky-rocketed. That year, he not only captured his first national titles in the 100 and 200 meter backstroke, but he also established his first American record in the 200 backstroke.
That same year, Carey began his college career at the University of Texas under coach Eddie Reese. At Texas, Carey won three consecutive NCAA 200 yard backstroke championships (1982-1984) and two 100 yard backstroke championships (1983-1984).
Of all Carey’s record performances, perhaps his biggest claim to fame is that he is the man who broke John Naber’s 1986 world backstroke records in 1983. That same year, at the Pan American Games in Caracas, Venezuela, Carey swam on the world record breaking 400 meter medley relay team which consisted of four current world record holders–Rick Carey (backstroke), Steve Lundquist (breaststroke), Matt Gribble (butterfly) and Rowdy Gaines (freestyle).
Women’s History Month: Celebrating Four Legends In the Sport
30 March 2022, 03:07am
Women’s History Month: Celebrating Four Legends In the Sport
As part of Women’s History Month, this article honors four female swimmers who made history at past Olympic Games. These swimmers competed from the mid-1980s and into the 2010s. Specifically, from Los Angeles 1984 to London 2012. Due to the extensive and rich history of women within the swimming sport, choosing which athlete to highlight for this piece was the hardest challenge. That said, the ultimate distinction was swimmers who won more than six Olympic medals throughout their careers.
Dara Torres, United States
Torres had one of the longest careers in Olympic history. Her Olympic career started in Los Angeles 1984, where she won a gold medal with the 400 freestyle relay. Then, Torres competed in Seoul 1988, where she won a silver medal with the medley relay and a bronze with the 400 freestyle relay. Four years later, in Barcelona 1992, Torres won another gold medal with the 400 freestyle relay. However, this Games seemed to produce her last Olympic medal as she embarked on a career as a TV host and model.
Torres eventually returned and with less than two years of training, she qualified for Sydney 2000. Remarkably, Torres won three bronze medals in three individual events (50 free, 100 free, and 100 fly). Complementary to this, she won two gold medals in relays. Once again, after the Olympics, she stopped swimming, this time for six years. Then again, Torres came back and qualified for Beijing 2008. At that time, she was 41 years old and won a total of three silver medals and finished her Olympic career lacking only an individual gold medal. The result of her outstanding career is a total Olympic medal count of four medals of each color.
Franziska Van Almsick, Germany
Her first participation at the Olympic Games occurred in Barcelona 1992. She was only 14 years old and finished second in the 200 free and third in the 100 free. In addition, she won two more medals with the German medley and 400 freestyle relays. Then, two years later, she broke an eight-year-old world record in the 200 free, thanks to a time of 1:56.78. However, during the Atlanta 1996 Olympic Games, Almsick finished second in the event. Van Almsick added a silver medal with the 800 freestyle relay and a bronze medal with the 400 freestyle relay.
Four years later, in Sydney 2000, she won another bronze medal after swimming the leadoff leg in the 800 freestyle relay. Van Almsick’s last participation at the Olympic Games was in Athens 2004, where she picked up two more bronze medals with German relays. Her final Olympic medal count is four silver and six bronze medals in four different Olympic Games. Van Almsick was awarded World Swimmer of the Year honors in 1993.
Susie O’ Neill, Australia
At 19 years old, O’Neill started her Olympic career in Barcelona 1992 with a bronze medal in the 200 butterfly. However, she also swam three more individual events and was part of the medley relay. Then, in Atlanta 1996, O’Neill increased her medal count after becoming Olympic Champion in the 200 butterfly. Moreover, she won silver and bronze medals on the medley and 800 freestyle relays.
Three years later, O’Neill broke a 19-year-old world record in the 200 butterfly, taking down the iconic mark of American Mary T. Meagher. Her last Olympic Games were Sydney 2000, where she finished first in the 200 freestyle and second in the 200 butterfly. She won two more silver medals with Australian relays. O’Neill’s final Olympic medals count is two golds, four silvers, and two bronze.
Rebecca Soni, United States
Even though Soni only participated in two Olympic Games, she is considered one of the best breaststrokers in history. At Beijing 2008, Soni swam the 100 breaststroke and finished second. More, she made history in the 200 breaststroke after finishing in first place. On the way to gold, Soni became the first woman to ever swim this event under 2:20 (2:19.59). Soni concluded her participation in Beijing with a silver medal in the 400 medley relay. Four years later, in London 2012, she swam the same events. Surprisingly enough, the results on the individual events were the same (a gold medal in the 200 and a silver medal in the 100). However, this time, she won a gold medal on the medley relay.
Besides her Olympic achievements, Soni also made history due to her unconventional breaststroke technique, which became a case study for many coaches and swimmers. Her technique was distinguishable for its abbreviated leg kick that aligned with rapid arm sweeps. As a result, she used to slow down less than everybody else. Soni retired with six Olympic medals and five world records.
Michelle Ford Joined By Australian 800m freestyle Greats Shane Gould and Jenny Turrall For A Trip Down Swimming’s Memory Lanes
JUST FOR THE RECORD: Three of Australia’s world record holders over 800m freestyle (L-R) Jenny Turrall, Michelle Ford and Shane Gould, rubbing shoulders at the launch of Turning The Tide. Photo Courtesy Anthony Edgar.
by IAN HANSON – OCEANIA CORRESPONDENT
11 March 2024, 08:33pm
Michelle Ford Joined By Australian 800m freestyle Greats Shane Gould and Jenny Turrall For A Trip Down Swimming’s Memory Lanes
Australia has a proud history when it comes to the women’s 800m freestyle with no less than seven swimmers between 1956 and 1978 re-writing the world record books in the event which was first swum at the Olympics in Mexico in 1968.
WHAT A MEMOIR: Michelle Ford with book at Elouera Beach. Photo Courtesy John Veage.
And it is not every day that swimmers from bygone eras get the chance to mix and mingle and remember the days when they too ruled the pool – and it’s not every day that Olympic gold medal great Michelle Ford launches her memoir.
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But it was like bees to a honey pot for a special day in Michelle’s career in at Glebe bookstore in inner Sydney.
In fact extra special to have Australia’s only 800m freestyle Olympic champion Michelle home in Sydney over the last week from her home in Switzerland to launch her book – MICHELLE FORD Turning The Tide (With Craig Lord) and joined by fellow former world record holders in Shane Gould and their fellow Sydneysider Jenny Turrall as well as host of members from the 1980 Australian Olympic team.
The Book was launched by US swimming legend and triple 1984 Olympic gold medallist Tracy Caulkins (Stockwell) who trained with Ford under Don Talbot in Nashville but missed the Games through the US boycott.
And the tales of 40 years ago rolled off the tongues as if it was yesterday and the feats of Turrall, Gould and Ford very much to the fore.
Australia’s list of world record holders over 800m began with another Sydneysider and recent Swimming Australia Hall of Fame inductee Lorraine Crapp who kick-started the world record rush in 1956 – the year she won Olympic gold in the 400m freestyle at the Melbourne Games – the 400m being the longest women’s event of the day.
Before Ilsa Konrads launched her world record assault also under Talbot – Ilsa lowering the world mark for 880 yards freestyle no less than four times between 1958 and 1959.
Sydney golden girl Karen Moras in 1970 and Gould in 1971 adding their names to the growing WR list – Gould at one stage holding every world record for every freestyle event -100,200,400,800 and 1500m.
TELLING IT HOW IT IS: Michelle Ford Launches Turning The Tide. Photo Courtesy Anthony Edgar.
Before another Sydney school girl in Jenny Turrall came along in 1974 and 1975, twice lowering the mark and becoming Australia’s first world champion in Cali, Columbia in 1975.
And it set the stage for a ding-dong world record onslaught from Ford and the mighty Tracey Wickham who between them re-wrote the world record books four times (two each) in 1978 – Wickham’s time of 8:24.62 lasting nine years.
But just one Australian, Michelle Ford, has won that coveted 800m freestyle gold medal at an Olympic Games, in 1980 in Moscow.
Shane Gould (Silver in Munich in 1972) had been the only medallist before Michelle’s gold with Julie McDonald (Bronze in Seoul in 1988), Hayley Lewis (Silver in Barcelona in 1992) and Ariarne Titmus (Silver in Tokyo in 2020) the only three Australian medallists in the event over the past nine Olympiads.
Ford recalls the battle for supremacy in front of sell-out crowds in Sydney and Brisbane as her and Wickham swam their way to the top of international swimming – both making the 1976 Olympic team at just 13 years of age.
Their exploits and those of their coaches Dick Caine (Ford) and Wickham (Bill Sweetenham and Laurie Lawrence) as they prepared for the 1978 Worlds in West Berlin, the Moscow Olympics and 1982 Commonwealth Games makes for interesting reading – but only one would take on the might of the East Germans in Moscow.
With Wickham choosing to withdraw from the boycotted Games team and a swim team which now had Sweetenham as Head Coach – ironically adding the Midas Touch to Ford’s Moscow gold.
MICHELLE FORD – Turning The Tide (with Craig Lord) Fair Play Publishing and Amazon.
TURNING THE TIDE: Michelle Ford’s telling tale of the right to swim and the fight to win. Photo Courtesy Anthony Edgar.
TRAINING PARTNERS AND FRIENDS FOR LIFE: Olympic gold medallists Michelle Ford and Tracy Caulkins (Stockwell). Photo Anthony Edgar.
MOSCOW FLAG BEARER: Moscow 1500m freestyle bronze medallist Max Metzker who carried the Australian Flag in the 1980 Opening Ceremony. Photo Courtesy Anthony Edgar.
SIGN OF THE TIMES: Michelle Ford autographs a book for Tracy Caulkins and husband, 1984 triple Olympic medallist Mark Stockwell. Photo Courtesy Anthony Edgar.
THREE’S ALLOWED: LA triple medallist Mark Stockwell, 1980 Olympic gold medalist (4x100m medley relay) Mark Kerry with wife Lynda. Photo Courtesy Anthony Edgar.
MOSCOW MEMORIES: Michelle Ford with fellow 1980 Moscow Olympian, decathlete Peter Hadfield. Photo Courtesy Anthony Edgar.
HERE’S LOOKING A YOU KID: Toasting the Turning Off The Tide. Photo Courtesy Anthony Edgar.
Happy Birthday Candy Costie!!
Candy Costie (USA)
Honor Synchronized / Artistic Swimmer (1995)
FOR THE RECORD: 1984 OLYMPIC GAMES: gold (duet); 1982 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS: silver (duet); 1983 PAN AMERICAN GAMES: gold (duet), silver (team); 4 US NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS: (duet); 1 NCAA NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP.
Candy Costie is an attractive, highly-spirited, athlete with an infectious smile who is artistic by nature. Fortunately, at the age of nine, she was able to find the perfect sport to devote all of her God-given attributes–synchronized swimming.
Candy is best remembered for being part of the dynamic pair that she and her partner, Tracy Ruiz, were throughout their year of swimming together. Candy and Tracy first teamed up when they were ten years old. In the crystal blueness of the water, their artistic movements captivated the judges and their audiences again and again. During their ten year partnership, only twice did she and Ruiz ever finish lower than first place in the duet event, taking silver medals in the 1980 US Nationals and 1982 World Championships.
Candy and Tracy are one of the most decorated synchronized duets to date. They have won four US National Championships, one NCAA National Championship, and a 1983 Pan American Games gold. The culmination of their career happened in the summer of 1984 –when, for the first time in history, the duet event was presented at the Olympic Games. Candy and Tracy approached the crowd and swam with such beauty, spirit and grace that no one could deny the team their right to the first Olympic Games gold medal in synchronized swimming.
Shortly after her historic Olympic experience, Candy retired. Though her athletic career has past, her name lives on through the many products she has endorsed, her appearances as a sports commentator, and her video, “The Water Workout.” Candy is remembered for helping to raise synchronized swimming — a sport which requires strength, co-ordination, and artistic composition, to new levels of popularity.
Eleven years since her retirement, Candy Continues to find new goals to reach. Her strokes no longer land in the water but rather on canvas, exploring her artistic talent at her art studio, the Desert Fish, in Arizona. Candy is the mother of two children and recently expanded her family to include two more youngsters when she married Fred Merrill, Jr.
Decision Day Fast Approaching On New World Leading Aquatics Centre In Time For Brisbane 2032 Olympics
by IAN HANSON – OCEANIA CORRESPONDENT
10 March 2024, 07:15pm
Decision Approaching For New World Leading Aquatics Centre In Time For Brisbane 2032 Olympics
The debate around whether or not the Brisbane 2032 Olympics should be swum in a new world class Aquatic Centre or in a temporary facility at the planned Brisbane Arena is finally starting to hot up – and it’s one gold medal swimming bosses are desperate to win.
Enter into the race, dual Olympic champion and one of Queensland’s favourite swimming sons Grant Hackett and a renewed push from National governing body Swimming Australia who first entered the fray some 12 months ago – continuing to making a splash behind closed doors in what would be a far-reaching decision for the sport down under.
This week officially throwing their support behind triple Olympic medallist and Brisbane developer Mark Stockwell’s on-going public push to secure a new Aquatic Centre and a swimming legacy for the country’s number one Olympic sport.
Stockwell, Hackett and Swimming Australia all declaring: “Brisbane deserves a new world-leading Aquatic Centre.”
With Swimming Australia also keen to make Brisbane the new national home of swimming.
“When the opportunity arose to win the Olympics and Paralympics for Brisbane there was a general feeling of ‘let’s win the rights to host the Games and then we will come back and review the plan in all its detail,’ said Stockwell.
MAKING AN IMPRESSION: Australian Swimming bosses hoping for a gold medal decision on a new Aquatic Centre in Brisbane. Courtesy Courier Mail.
“This has not happened, and in talking to most presidents of Olympic and Paralympic sports the direct consultation never took place.
“There has been no indication that the construction of a permanent Aquatic facility has ever genuinely been considered by the government as an alternative venue to Brisbane Live Arena (and a temporary pool).
“This new Aquatic Centre facility and an upgraded Brisbane Aquatic Centre facility at Chandler can be used by swimming, diving, water polo, artistic swimming and Snow Australia.”
Stockwell also making the point that the new Aquatic Centre would be an ideal main venue for Brisbane to host the 2031 World Aquatics Championships – 12 months before the Games – an event previously hosted in 1991 and 1998 in Perth and 2007 in Melbourne.
And while Stockwell has been the one to continue to fight the good fight for a new Aquatic Centre, with a page one story and another column today in Queensland’s popular daily masthead The Courier Mail, Hackett has also weighed in, agreeing that the value of what a new facility would mean to the sport is a no brainer.
“Throughout our consultation phase, we heard confusion and disappointment from the swimming community and other stakeholders that Brisbane 2032 would not deliver a venue legacy outcome for swimming,” revealed Hackett.
“There is no doubt that a permanent venue will inspire future generations of swimmers and bring the community closer to the Games and their legacy.”
A 60-day review into the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Venue Master Plan is in its final laps, with former Brisbane Lord Mayor Graham Quirk, at the helm of a review team due to hand down its findings next Monday, March 18 – after consulting with a broad range of stakeholders.
With Swimming Australia actually presenting to the Brisbane 2032 Independent Review Panel into Venue Plans last month with Hackett’s support from a committee that also includes Australian Paralympic legend Ellie Cole, Sydney 2000 silver medallist and Swimming NSW CEO Kirsten Thompson and World Aquatics Vice President and Australian Olympian Matt Dunn.
Swimming Australia certainly welcoming the Queensland Government’s Independent Review of Brisbane 2032 Venue Plans and renewed calls for the Games to deliver a new permanent world class Aquatic facility – and to make Brisbane the its long overdue National home.
In a statement on its website, Swimming Australia said it has made it clear it considers plans for temporary pools at the proposed Brisbane Arena are a missed opportunity for the Games to deliver a much-needed, world-class Aquatic facility for Brisbane, Queensland and the nation.
“A new world-class and permanent Aquatic facility constructed in time for Brisbane 2032 Games would deliver a more cost-effective venue solution, an enhanced community legacy outcome and address existing gaps in the aquatic infrastructure network.
“A new permanent Aquatic Centre could deliver lasting legacy benefits for swimming, aquatic sports, the broader community, and the Queensland economy.
“Re-configuring with reduced seating capacity post-Games, following the successful lead of Sydney, Beijing, London, and Tokyo as previous Host Cities.
“It would also be utilised before and after the Games to host local, State, National and International events, and contribute to Queensland’s visitor economy for decades to come, inspiring greater swimming participation and be a leading hub for high performance programs and sport science innovation.
“With accessibility for the community year-round for a range of sport and recreation activities, including carnivals, lap swimming and learn to swim programs.
“Swimming Australia is committed to working collaboratively with the Government and other partners to realise this vision and to determine a location and design that serves the Games and meets the future needs of our sport and other user groups.”
For swimming in Brisbane, Queensland and Australia’s sake, let’s hope some common-sense prevails…..!
Happy Birthday Jozsef Szabo!!
Jozsef Szabo (HUN)
Honor Swimmer (2012)
FOR THE RECORD: 1988 OLYMPIC GAMES: gold (200m breaststroke); 1986 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS: gold (200m breaststroke); 1987 EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIPS: gold (200m breaststroke), silver (4x100m medley); 1989 EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIPS: bronze (200m breaststroke).
In Jozsef Szabo’s competitive swimming days, he became part of a family of swimmers and teammates. Like a family, each member had a role. He was known as the clown, to provide and keep everyone in good spirits and laughs.
Under Coach Tamas Szechy, most of the swimmers had one thing in common, they were great breaststroke swimmers. Szabo was no exception. Along with Norbert Rozsa, Tamas Darnyi and Karoly Guttler, he became one of the greatest breaststroke swimmers in the world.
Szabo swam at the Budeapesti Honved Sportegyesulet. He burst onto the international scene at the 1986 Madrid World Championships, winning the 200 meter breaststroke, and repeating it in the next year at the 1987 European Championships in Strasburg, Austria.
Tall for an elite breaststroke swimmer at 6’1”, and weighing 180 pounds, Szabo surprised the world when he won the Olympic gold medal at the 1988 Olympic Games, defeating Nick Gillingham of Great Britain and Sergio Lopez of Spain in the 200 meter breaststroke, only .18 seconds off Canadian Victor Davis’ world record.
All totaled, Szabo won one Olympic gold medal, one World Championship gold medal and three European Championship medals, one gold, one silver and one bronze.
Happy Birthday Michelle Calkins!!
Michelle Calkins (CAN)
Honor Synchronized / Artistic Swimmer (2001)
FOR THE RECORD: 1973 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS: silver (team); 1978 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS: gold (duet); 1976 PAN AMERICAN GAMES: silver (team); 1976 PAN PACIFIC CHAMPIONSHIPS: silver (team); 1977 PAN PACIFIC CHAMPIONSHIPS: gold (duet); NATIONAL TEAM COACH AND OLYMPIC COACH: 1988 – present.
Coach Debbie Muir of the Calgary Aquabelles had a knack for pairing the two most synchronized swimmers on her team when she paired Michelle Calkins with Helen Vanderberg to win the 1978 World Championships duet in Berlin, Germany. It marked the first time that Canadian synchronized swimmers had won a World Duet Championship, an important milestone in the evolution of synchronized swimming in Canada. In 1977, Michelle and her Hall of Fame partner Helen were named to the Elaine Tanner Award as Canada’s best young female athletes of the year by Sports Federation of Canada. And all this before synchronized swimming became an Olympic sport!
In 1969, Michelle won the ’12 and under’ Alberta Provincial Figures Trophy and was on her way to synchronized swimming stardom. By 1971, she was a member of The Aquabelles Junior National Team Champions and in 1973 a Canadian Junior National Solo Champion. From 1973 to 1978, she won seven Canadian Senior National Championships in duet, team and figures events. Her first international competition was winning the silver medal in the 1973 First World Championships team event in Belgrade, Yugoslavia. She won the silver in the Mexico City 1975 Pan American Games team event. The Pan Pacific Championships of 1976 and 1977 were the warm up to the gold medal performance of the 1978 World Championships. All this was before synchronized swimming was an Olympic event. Also during 1978, she performed in a demonstration of synchronized swimming at the Edmonton Commonwealth Games before synchronized swimming became an official Commonwealth Games event eight years later in 1986.
Michelle’s success was by virtue of her exacting technical skill. Her and teammate Helen’s 1978 combined figures scores were 87.30, a full 2.70 points above the duet silver medalists. She performed creatively and with intensely dramatic routines. Michelle, with partner Helen, instigated the great success of their home club in Calgary culminating ten years later in another goal medal duet win, this time by Carolyn Waldo and Michelle Cameron at the 1988 Olympic Games.
Michelle’s passion for synchronized swimming never diminished and she is now the head coach of her Aquabelles as well as serving as a Canadian National Team coach since 1988. She was the 1996 Canadian Olympic coach when Canada won the silver medal in the team event.
Happy Birthday Daichi Suzuki!!
Daichi Suzuki (JPN)
Honor Swimmer (2022)
FOR THE RECORD: 1988 OLYMPIC GAMES: GOLD (100M BACKSTROKE); 1987 PAN PACIFIC CHAMPIONSHIPS: SILVER (100M BACKSTROKE); 1986 ASIAN GAMES: GOLD (100M BACKSTROKE, 400M MEDLEY RELAY); 1987 UNIVERSIADE GAMES: GOLD (100 & 200 BACKSTROKE) ONE JAPANESE NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP: 100M BACKSTROKE
As the 1988 Seoul Olympic Games approached, Japan had gone 16 years without winning a medal in swimming, a sport that it had once reigned as the world’s superpower. As swimming has always been an important part of Japanese culture, dating back to at least the Tokugawa Shogunate of the 15th Century, its performances at the Olympic Games was no longer a source of pride. Enter Daichi Suzuchi.
Suzuki’s parents signed him up for swimming lessons at the age of seven. It took only six months before Suzuki decided that he wanted to be an Olympian. It wasn’t until high school, swimming for coach Yoji Suzuki, that he began to show real promise, and after his junior year he began rigorous training with the hope of making the Japanese Olympic team in 1984. While he did not make the finals in the backstroke events, he was a member of the 400-meter medley relay team. They were the only Japanese men to swim in a final in 1984.
By 1986, Suzuki was one of the Top 10 backstrokers in the world. As he continued training and competing, he began winning. He won gold in the 100m backstroke and in the 400m medley relay at the 1986 Asian Games in Seoul, South Korea. He took silver in the 100m back at the 1987 Pan-Pac Championships in Brisbane, Australia, and at the Universiade Games in Zagreb in 1987, he won gold in both the 100 and 200m backstroke events, beating USA’s up and comer – David Berkoff in the 100.
By the time the 1988 Olympics came around the next year, Berkoff was the one to beat, unless of course you asked Suzuki or his coach. Suzuki had analyzed Berkoff’s swimming style and noticed Berkoff usually swam faster in the morning. Suzuki decided he would conserve his energy for the finals in Seoul. Suzuki also noticed that Berkoff stayed underwater until the 35-meter mark, known as the Berkoff Blastoff. Yet probably most importantly, and something that was completely missed by most of the swimming world, was that years earlier, at the 1984 Games, Suzuki had already adopted the underwater kick and decided to use it at the Games.
As expected, Berkoff swam fast and broke the world record in the prelims. When it was time for finals, Suzuki was in lane three next to Berkoff in lane four. Suzuki surfaced at about 30 meters after the start, just ahead of Berkoff, who remained underwater for another 5 meters. Berkoff pulled in front at the turn, but Suzuki chased him down over the last ten meters of the race. Instead of his usual arch finish, Suzuki decided to reach straight for the wall to out-touch Berkoff, winning the gold medal in a time of 55.05.
It was the first time Japan had won the gold medal in a backstroke event since Masaji Kiokawa had won it 52 years earlier in Los Angeles in 1936, and the first time in 16 years since that Japan had won a medal of any color in Olympic swimming. It was also the only swimming medal Japan won in Seoul.
Suzuki retired just after the 1988 Olympic Games. He had achieved his dream and decided to focus on his future and career. Among other things, he wanted to help future Japanese swimmers be able to truly focus on swimming, while not having to worry about making a living. That was not possible during his era, as international rules did not allow swimmers to become professionals.
Suzuki became a member of the Japan Olympic Committee, the World Olympians Association, the World Anti Doping Agency and Japan Swimming Federation, eventually becoming the youngest President in its history at 46.
Between his role as President of Japanese Swimming Federation and in his new position as Commissioner, he has helped lead Japan in rebuilding and revival as a world swimming power, as evidenced by its performances in the last two Olympic Games, where Japan won seven medals in 2016 and 11 medals in 2012. Rest assured that the future of Japanese swimming is in the good hands of Daichi Suzuki, Olympic Champion and 2022 ISHOF Honoree.
Happy Birthday David Wilkie!!
David Wilkie (GBR)
Honor Swimmer (1982)
FOR THE RECORD: OLYMPIC GAMES: 1972 silver (200m breaststroke); 1976 gold (200m breaststroke, silver 9100m breaststroke); WORLD RECORDS: 3 (200m breaststroke; 200m individual medley); AAU NATIONALS: 3 (100yd, 200yd breaststroke; 200yd individual medley); NCAA CHAMPIONSHIPS: 3 (100yd, 200yd breaststroke); EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIPS: 1974 gold (200m breaststroke; 200m individual medley), silver (relay); COMMONWEALTH GAMES: 1974 gold (200m breaststroke; 200m individual medley), silver (100m breaststroke); 1970 bronze (200m breaststroke); AMATEUR SWIMMING ASSOCIATION CHAMPIONSHIPS: 10 (100yd, 200yd breaststroke; 200yd individual medley); WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS: 1972 gold (200m breaststroke); 1973 bronze (200m individual medley); 1975 gold (100m, 200m breaststroke), bronze (relay); CANADIAN NATIONAL: 1 (200m breaststroke); SCOTTISH CHAMPIONSHIPS: 9 (400m freestyle; 100m backstroke; 110yd, 100m breaststroke; 220yd, 200m breaststroke; 200m, 400m individual medley); U.S. OPEN RECORD: 1 (200yd breaststroke).
Born in Ceylon and trained between his two Olympic Games at the University of Miami, David Wilkie is a Scotsman who likes warm weather. He was Great Britain’s first swimming male Olympic gold medalist in 68 years (Hall of Famer Henry Taylor in 1907). This versatile swimmer won Scot national titles in the 400 freestyle and 100 back; Commonwealth, European and American titles in the four strokes, 200 Individual Medley in which he also held the world record, but he was at his best with trademark bathing cap and goggles, bobbing through Scottish, British, U.S. AAU, NCAA, European, Commonwealth and Olympic breaststroke championships. A silver for his second in the 1972 Olympic 200-meter breaststroke at Munich and a gold, silver and bronze at the 1976 Olympics in Montréal with every kind of a record achievement in between, labeled this flying Scot European Swimmer of the Year three times and British Sportsman of the Year. Coached by David Haller in Britain and Bill Diaz in the USA, Wilkie retired after the ’76 Olympics to a successful new hobby in Masters Swimming, where he just naturally trained at his own pace and went right on winning. He works in London with the Sports Aide Foundation, writes books, and works as British representative for Team Arena among other things.
Throwback Thursday: The Olympic Showdown Of Matt Biondi and Tom Jager in Inaugural 50 Freestyle (Video)
by JOHN LOHN – EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
07 March 2024, 12:01am
The Olympic Showdown Of Matt Biondi and Tom Jager in Inaugural 50 Freestyle
There is something special about being identified as the fastest person on the planet in a specific endeavor. Usain Bolt, the Jamaican track legend, holds the distinction on land. In the water, the honor currently belongs to Brazilian Cesar Cielo.
From the mid-1980s into the early 1990s, there was no doubt about the fastest men in the pool. Outside of one another, the United States’ Matt Biondi and Tom Jager had no peers. Instead, they volleyed ownership of the 50-meter freestyle back and forth. During that timeframe, they combined for nine world records (six for Jager) and took the record in the one-lap sprint from 22.40 to 21.81.
They battled at the World Championships and at Nationals on several occasions, but it was their showdown at the 1988 Olympic Games in Seoul that defined their rivalry. With the event on the Olympic program for the first time, Biondi and Jager each had the chance to make history. Ultimately, it was Biondi who stood on the top step of the podium.
Although Jager was the reigning world champion, having defeated Biondi in 1986 in Madrid, there was little separating the Americans as they prepared to race. An argument could be made, however, that Biondi had greater momentum based on his march toward seven medals (five gold) in Seoul.
Off the blocks in Seoul, Biondi and Jager were deadlocked, and found themselves in a showdown when they hit the midway point. But as the race unfolded, Biondi was strongest down the stretch and touched in a world-record time of 22.14. That performance sliced .04 off the previous standard, the 22.18 produced by South African Peter Williams earlier in the year. Williams was ineligible to compete at the Seoul Games due to the International Olympic Committee’s ban of his nation due to its apartheid practices. That ban was lifted ahead of the 1992 Olympics.
Jager, who went on to retain his world title in 1991, picked up the silver medal in 22.36, with the Soviet Union’s Gennadiy Prigoda the bronze medalist in 22.71. At the touch, Biondi looked to the scoreboard and unleashed a wild celebration that included several fist pumps and splashes. It was clear the triumph was long desired.
“The 50 free was it for me,” Biondi said during a past interview with Swimming World. “I have a picture of my reaction and it was the most jubilant I’d ever been. It was a world record. That swim made it for me.”