Happy Birthday Jill Sterkel!!
Jill Sterkel (USA)
Honor Swimmer (2002)
The information on this page was written the year of their induction.
FOR THE RECORD: 1976 OLYMPIC GAMES: gold (4x100m freestyle relay); 1980 OLYMPIC GAMES: (boycotted); 1984 OLYMPIC GAMES: gold (4x100m freestyle relay – preliminary heat); 1988 OLYMPIC GAMES: bronze (50m freestyle, 4x100m freestyle relay – preliminary heat); THREE WORLD RECORDS: 2 (4x100m freestyle relay), 1 (4x200m freestyle relay); 1978 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS: gold (4x100m freestyle relay); 1982 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS: silver (4x100m freestyle relay), 4x100m medley relay), bronze (100m freestyle); 1986 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS: bronze (water polo); 1983 PAN PACIFIC CHAMPIONSHIPS: gold (4x100m freestyle relay); 1975 PAN AMERICAN GAMES: gold (4x100m freestyle relay), silver (100m freestyle); 1979 PAN AMERICAN GAMES: gold (4x100m freestyle relay, 4x100m medley relay, 100m butterfly), silver (100m freestyle); 1983 PAN AMERICAN GAMES: gold (4x100m freestyle relay); 20 U.S. NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS: 13 individual, 7 relays; 21 NCAA/AIAW NATIONAL: 16 individual, 5 relays.
n 1971, Jill Sterkel appeared in her first US National Championship meet at the age of ten. At age 14, she qualified for the Pan American Games, the same year she made her first appearance in the world rankings, with a 12th in the 100m freestyle. Sterkel strongly kept the momentum going, becoming a member of four U.S. Olympic Teams (1976, 1980, 1984, 1988), the most for any American swimmer in the first 92 years of the modern Olympiad. She won medals at each Olympics in which she competed.
Her first Olympic medal came in 1976 at Montreal when her 4x100m freestyle relay defeated the favored East German team and won the gold medal in the world record time of 3:44.82, with teammates Kim Peyton, Wendy Boglioli and Shirley Babashoff. Little did the athletes know at the time, but the competitors from East Germany had been under a planned drug doping program for six years. Their female swimmers won every event except two. When the East German drug scandal was exposed 17 years later, it proved their swimmers performances to be unfair, unbalanced and completely against the rules. They had won 11 of 13 gold medals and many silver and bronze medals.
At the 1980 Moscow Games, Jill’s Olympic aspirations were again dampened by another incident out of her control – U.S. President Carter’s boycott of the U.S. Olympic Team from competing in Moscow. Jill was picked to win three gold medals and to be team captain.
But, she could not compete.
Jill’s second gold medal came as a member of the 1984 Olympic 4x100m freestyle relay team (preliminary heat). When the 50m freestyle became an Olympic event in 1988, she tied with Katrin Merssner (GDR) for the bronze medal with a career best time of 25.71 behind Kristen Otto (GDR) and Yang Wenyi (CHN). This was Jill’s fourth Olympic quadrennial. She also received a second bronze medal for swimming the 4x100m freestyle relay – preliminary heat. Sterkel was elected captain of the U.S. Team for three Olympic Games – 1980, 1984, 1988.
Jill started her swimming career as an age group swimmer with coach Don Garmon (1966-1971). She then moved to El Monte Aquatics Team (1971-1979) in her home state of California where she trained under Don LaMont, competing in her first U.S. Nationals at age 12. By 14, she was competing at the 1975 Pan American Games where she won gold as a member of the 4x100m
freestyle relay and took home a silver medal in the 100m freestyle. Sterkel was then coached by Hall of Fame coaches Paul Bergen (1979-1983), Richard Quick (1983-1988) and Mark Schubert (1988-1991) while at the University of Texas, Austin.
Jill won gold medals at the 1978 World Championships (4x100m freestyle relay) and the 1979 Pan American Games (14x100m freestyle and medley relays) where she also won a silver in the 100m freestyle.
Sterkel competed at the 1982 World Championships in Guayaquil, Ecuador, winning silver medals in both relays and a bronze in the 100m freestyle. At the 1983 Pan American Games in Caracas, Jill won the gold on the freestyle relay. All totaled, Jill won 20 U.S. National Championships and 21 NCAA/AIAW National Championships while swimming for the University of Texas Longhorns.
Not only was Jill a great swimmer, she was also a member of the 1986 U.S. National Water Polo Team that won a bronze medal at the Madrid World Championships. From 1986 to 1991, Jill was assistant women’s swim coach at the University of Texas, and head coach from 1992 to present. “I am glad and proud to be able to give girls growing up in the sport some sort of example to follow…,” Jill Sterkel said in a 2001 USA Today interview. One of the first females to break into the USA Swimming coaching hierarchy to coach at the World Championship level, Sterkel is “an American swimming legend,” said Dale Neuburger, USA Swimming President,
“and she’s already distinguished herself as one of our country’s foremost coaches.”
Jill Sterkel’s accolades continue to flow. She won nearly every award available in swimming, from Olympic gold to the Broderick Cup U.S. National Female Athlete of the Year and a Texas-record 28 All-America honors. She was named assistant women’s swimming coach for the 1999 Pan American Games in Winnipeg and the 2001 World Championships in Fukuoka.
Sterkel has had a profound impact on the Texas women’s swimming program. She placed two swimmers on Olympic teams: Whitney Hedgepath (1996) winning silver medals in the 100m and 200m backstrokes and gold on the 4x100m medley relay – preliminary heat and Erin Phenix (2000) winning gold on the 4x100m freestyle relay – preliminary heat. Sterkel was inducted into the Texas Women’s Athletics Hall of Honor and was the 2000 Big 12 Conference Coach of the Year.
Happy Birthday Bruce Furniss!!
Bruce Furniss (USA)
Honor Swimmer (1987)
The information on this page was written the year of their induction.
FOR THE RECORD: OLYMPIC GAMES: 1976 gold (200m freestyle; 1 relay); WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS: 1975 gold (relay), silver (200m, 400m freestyle); 1978 gold (relay); WORLD RECORDS: 10 (200m freestyle; 200m individual medley; 5 relays); AMERICAN RECORDS: 19 (200m, 200yd freestyle; 200m, 200yd, 400yd individual medley; 9 relays); AAU CHAMPIONSHIPS: 11 (200yd, 500yd freestyle; 200m, 400yd individual medley); 7 relays); NCAA CHAMPIONSHIPS: 6 (200yd freestyle; 4 relays); KIPHUTH AWARD: 1975, 1976.
Bruce Furniss coped with painful arthritis using swimming as a remedial exercise. That he enjoyed himself during a twelve year career and turned his therapy into a successful competitive swimming career is an understatement. This younger brother of Pan American champion and world record holder, Steve Furniss, set out to own the 200 meters. He won two Olympic gold medals in world and Olympic record times in the 200 and in the 800 freestyle relays at Montreal and broke his brother Steve’s world record in the 200 individual medley. Twice he was high point winner at the U.S. Nationals and twice he was picked as World Swimmer of the Year in the 200 freestyle and individual medley. His world record total of ten included both 400 and 800 freestyle relays at the World Championships in Berlin. He added 19 American records including ten in yard distances which were the world’s fastest times.
Bruce, as an age grouper under Tom DeLong, Flip Darr and Jon Urbanchek, as a Senior National AAU swimmer with Dick Jochums, and as a college swimmer with Peter Daland, certainly added to the reputation of these distinguished coaches. During much of Bruce Furniss’ career he swam tired, without the benefit of a good night’s sleep. On trips he usually roomed with his best pal, Tim Shaw, a character who rarely needed more than six hours sleep and did most of his talking to roommates late at night.
Happy Birthday Nathalie Schneyder!!
Nathalie Schneyder (USA)
Honor Synchronized / Artistic Swimmer (2013)
The information on this page was written the year of their induction.
FOR THE RECORD: 1996 OLYMPIC GAMES: gold (team); 1991 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP: gold (team); 1994 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP: gold (team); 1989, 1991, 1993, 1995 FINA WORLD CUP: gold (team); 1991 PAN PACIFIC CHAMPIONSHIPS: gold (team); 1988, 1992 SWISS OPEN: gold (team); 1991 ROME OPEN: gold (team); 1993 CHINA OPEN: silver (duet); 1994 FRENCH OPEN: gold (team); 1992 U.S. NATIONALS: gold (team), 4th (solo); 1993 U.S. NATIONALS: silver (team), bronze (duet), 5th (solo); 1994 U.S. NATIONALS: silver (team), 4th (duet) 6th (solo); 1995 U.S. NATIONALS: silver (team), bronze (solo).
When Nathalie fell into the swimming pool at the age of four and almost drowned, her mother decided she needed swimming lessons to keep her safe. Within four years, she was competing in synchro as a member of the Walnut Creek Synchronized Swimming Team.
Like in any sport, a number of coaches helped her along the way. Linda Kreiger started her synchronized swimming career; Betty Hazel coached her when she was twelve; Joan Marie Vanaski was her junior team coach who taught her to dance; Hall of Famer Gail Johnson Pucci brought her from the junior team to the club’s “A” team, developing her creativity; Lynn Virglio provided most of the 3,000 to 6,000 yards training before they started synchro training each day; Karen Babb worked tirelessly to get her figures up to par; and Chris Carver, National Team Coach gave her the final touch. But it was Hall of Fame coach Gail Emery who served as her club coach and developed her into the Olympic champion she would become.
As member of the United States National Team for nine years, she and her team rarely missed the top of the podium, winning five FINA World Cups and two FINA World Championships. Winning the 1994 French Open Team Championship in front of her family was special to Nathalie, because her mom and dad had both emigrated from France to the USA. At the Atlanta 1996 Olympic Games, Nathalie reached every athlete’ s dream when she helped the USA win the gold medal with a perfect score of “10 “ in the freestyle event. This was the first and only perfect score of “10” in Olympic synchronized swimming history until Russia received the same award in Beijing for their freestyle routine. But for all of her accomplishments in the pool, she is also famous for the perfect pose with teammate Margo Thien that appeared in “Life Magazines” Celebration of the Olympic Body.
Since retiring from the sport, she has coached, been a consultant and choreographed for teams in China, Great Britain, Argentina and the Netherlands, as well as the U.S. Junior National Team and helped Stanford to their first synchronized swimming Collegiate National Championship.
Katie Ledecky, Ryan Murphy, Caeleb Dressel Well-Positioned For Another Successful Trials
Katie Ledecky — Photo Courtesy: Andrea Staccioli / Deepbluemedia / Insidefoto
by DAVID RIEDER – SENIOR WRITER
21 May 2024, 05:22am
Katie Ledecky, Ryan Murphy, Caeleb Dressel Well-Positioned For Another Successful Trials
Top American swimmers have begun their final preparations for next month’s Olympic Trials, with most having completed their final in-season races prior to their all-important trip to Indianapolis. All of their training and racing efforts this year and from the previous two years will culminate in a football stadium in four weeks.
With Olympic spots and even swimming careers on the line, the pressure will be immense as always, although perhaps slightly less than the last edition of Olympic Trials when a one-year delay due to the COVID-19 pandemic gave veterans and hopefuls even more time to overthink and overanalyze the meet. At any Trials, though, not all possible contenders can handle the weight of Olympic selection. Some might tighten up behind the blocks or deviate from their race strategy — and the results will be costly.
So much about Trials is unpredictable, but here is a rather safe bet: expect multi-time individual Olympic champions like Katie Ledecky, Ryan Murphy and Caeleb Dressel to be ready. None of those three have provided any sizzling performances thus far in 2024, but that’s no concern. All three have built steadily throughout the season and recorded some of their quickest times during this weekend’s Club Excellence Series.
Ledecky, competing at the Atlanta Classic, swam the world’s fastest time in the 1500 freestyle, a result which might be faster than the eventual silver-medal-winning time at the Paris Games, and she swam her first sub-4:00 400 free performance of the season, notching a time that only Summer McIntosh and Ariarne Titmus have beaten in 2024.
The 27-year-old Ledecky has literally never had a poor end-of-season performance since she rose to prominence at the London Olympics in 2012. Her one blemish came when she was sick at the World Championships in 2019, but she still earned a gold medal and two silvers. Ledecky has already won seven Olympic gold medals, and should everything proceed as expected over the next two months, she will likely move into a tie for second-most Olympic gold medals of any athlete regardless of sport. Golds in the 800 and 1500 free, which Ledecky is heavily favored for, would give her nine, behind only the other-worldly 23 of Michael Phelps.
Does anyone really think Ledecky will be unprepared for Trials?
Similar story for Murphy, the top American backstroker for the better part of a decade. His results thus far in 2024 had been forgettable, particularly in the 200 back, but he recorded his season-best mark in the event by more than a second at the Southern California Invite this weekend while also clipping his season-best in the 100 back.
Ryan Murphy — Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick
Murphy is known for holding some of his cards until absolutely necessary, so we can reasonably expect to see times at Trials that will vault him into the gold-medal conversation in both backstroke distances. Remember, Murphy has won gold or silver in the 200 back at every major meet since the 2016 Olympics, and he has been on the podium for the 100 back at every meet but one during that time. It also will not hurt that Russian rivals Evgeni Rylov, Kliment Kolesnikov and Miron Lifintsev are all expected Paris because of the country’s current ban from Olympic sport aside from neutral athletes.
As for Dressel, after a shaky cameo at last year’s U.S. Nationals, we have seen him steadily progress back toward the form that made him the most dominant swimmer in the world for five years. His times have been notable, including a 48.30 season-best mark in the 100 free at the Atlanta Classic, but just as impressive was his performance Friday night: a solid 1:47.38 in the 200 free, potentially putting himself in the 800 free relay conversation for the Olympics, followed by a 51.38 in the 100 fly not long after.
Dressel’s closing speed is on point; his 26.15 homecoming split in that fly race was three tenths quicker than he went in his world-record-setting performance at the Tokyo Games.
His Olympic cycle might have included its significant hurdles, but like Ledecky, his current University of Florida training partner, and Murphy, his former club teammate and friend for more than 20 years, Dressel is on track, producing the sort of confidence-building swims that bode extremely well for what is to come.
We have no hesitation in projecting that next month in Indianapolis, these three swimmers will spend plenty of time in the spotlight as they each pick up tickets to another Olympic Games.
Happy Birthday Vladimir Salnikov!!
Vladimir Salnikov (URS)
Honor Swimmer (1993)
The information on this page was written the year of their induction.
FOR THE RECORD: 12 WORLD RECORDS: 400m freestyle (5), 800m freestyle (4), 1500m freestyle (3); OLYMPIC GAMES: 1976 (participant), 1980 gold (400m freestyle, 1500m freestyle, 800m freestyle relay), 1984 (boycott), 1988 gold (1500m freestyle); WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS: 1978 gold (400m freestyle, 1500m freestyle), 1982 gold (400m freestyle, 1500m freestyle); EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIPS: 1977 gold (1500m freestyle), 1981 gold (1500m freestyle), silver (400m freestyle), 1983 gold (1500m freestyle, 400m freestyle).
Regarded as one of the greatest distance freestylers of all time, Vladimir Salnikov joins the ranks of the Hall of Famers Arne Borg of Sweden, Murray Rose of Australia, and Mike Burton of the United States. A 12-time world record holder and 1980 and 1988 Olympic gold medalist, Salnikov was the first man to swim under the 15-minute mark for the 1500-meter freestyle.
Salnikov first emerged into the world swimming scene at the 1976 Olympic Games in Montreal. At age 15, Salnikov became the first Soviet swimmer to make the Olympic finals in the 1500-meter freestyle with a fifth place finish. It is interesting to note that distance times dropped rapidly during the 1970s. Salnikov’s time of 15:29.45 would have given him the gold medal four years earlier in Munich.
The first of Salnikov’s many triumphs and world records came at the 1978 World Championships in Berlin. Salnikov won the 400 and 1500-meter freestyle and established a new world mark for 400-meters. One year later Salnikov, known as a “monster in the waves,” became the first man to swim under eight minutes for 800 meters freestyle, establishing another world record of 7:56.49.
At the 1980 Olympic Games in Moscow, Salnikov accomplished what long-distance swimmers had been trying to do for years–he swam under 15 minutes (14:58.27) for 1500 meters freestyle. Not only did he establish another milestone in world swimming history, but Salnikov’s victory was all the more sweet since he set the world mark in front of a roaring home crowd by shaving four seconds off of Brian Goodell’s record of 1976. Salnikov also won gold medals for his performances in the 800-meter freestyle relay and the 500-meter freestyle.
Salnikov went on to swim under the 15-minute mark three more times during his career. His fastest record, 14:54.76, which he set in 1983, lasted nearly a decade. It wasn’t until 1991 that Salnikov’s record fell to Jorg Hoffman of Germany, who swam 14:50.36 at the World Championships in Perth, Australia.
The son of a sea captain in Leningrad, Salnikov began swimming at age eight, and like many youngsters, had an unfortunate predisposition to colds and ear infections. As a teenager, his perseverance was noticed by Coach Igor Koshkin, who is credited with developing Salnikov to his world-class stature. Salnikov’s training also included short period at Mission Viejo with coach Mark Shubert and Hall of Famers Brian Goodell and Tim Shaw.
In 1984, Salnikov’s wife Marina took over as his coach. Marina is a former Soviet national track and field record holder in the 100-meters and a sports training psychologist. It is with his wife Marina that Salnikov trained for the 1988 Olympic Games and another change at Olympic victory.
At age 28, when most people consider a swimmer “over the hill”, Salnikov came back from a 10-second deficit to defeat West German’s Stefan Pfeiffer and East German’s Uwe Dassler to win the 1500-meter freestyle. His time of 15:00.40 was the fifth fastest in history (Salnikov owned the top four at this time as well). For his remarkable performance, Salnikov received a standing ovation from his peers that night in the Olympic Village. No other athlete in Seoul received such a spontaneous outburst of congratulations.
ISHOF Honoree Michael Phelps Joins ‘Meet the Press’ To Reflect on Olympic Experience
MEET THE PRESS — Moderator Kristen Welker interviews former Olympic Swimmer Michael Phelps in Phoenix, AZ — Pictured: (l-r) Michael Phelps, Kristen Welker — (Photo by: Mark Peterman/NBC)
by DAN D’ADDONA — SWIMMING WORLD MANAGING EDITOR
17 May 2024, 06:02am
With the 2024 Paris Olympics in full focus, Olympic champion Michael Phelps sat down with NBC’s “Meet the Press” to discuss his experiences at the pinnacle of swimming.
The full interview will air on Sunday on NBC.
Phelps is a 23-time Olympic gold medalist and 28-time overall medalist in Olympic competition, setting a record with eight golds in the 2008 games in Beijing.
Off the pool deck, Phelps has opened up about his struggles with mental health issues, including depression.
He speaks about all of that and more in this candid interview on “Meet the Press” – here is a first look.
VIDEO courtesy of NBC/Meet the Press: Michael Phelps reflects on depression and mental health: ‘I saw it as a sign of weakness’
KRISTEN WELKER: When did you first realize you were really struggling with depression?
MICHAEL PHELPS: I would say probably 2004. 2004 was my first taste of post-Olympic depression. Coming off such a high when it’s basically you get to like the edge of the cliff, and you’re like, “Cool. Now what? Oh, I guess I’ve got to wait four more years to have the chance to do it again.” Right? And for those who don’t have a successful Olympics, those four years can be like an absolute eternity. So, for me, 2004 is my first, 2008 was my second taste of post-Olympic depression. Because coming off of that high after doing something, like, you set out to do your whole entire life. My goal was to do something no one else had ever done before. I did it by the age of 19, 20, or so.
KRISTEN WELKER: Did you know it was depression, or did you just think, “I’m feeling a little off”?
MICHAEL PHELPS: I think at that point I’ll say as a male athlete I could tell something was off. But I think I saw it as a sign of weakness and if I shared anything about it then it would give my competitors an edge. And I’m not trying to do that, right? I don’t want to give my competitors an edge. I’m trying to be better than anybody, period, has ever been. So, for me, I looked at it as weakness. So, for me, I had to learn that vulnerability is a good thing. And it was scary at first, but I learned that vulnerability just means change. And for me, it was a great change.
On looking ahead to Paris Olympics amid conflict and global division: “I always think that, no matter what’s going on, whether it’s in the U.S. or all over the globe, the Olympics is something that brings everybody together”
KRISTEN WELKER: As we all get ready to watch the Olympics, there’s so much pain right now all over the world. Do you see the Olympics as a moment that can help bring people together?
MICHAEL PHELPS: Oh, that question. That was something, as a competitor, I always saw. Every four years we have the presidential race. And it’s always kind of a crazy time. But I always think that, no matter what’s going on, whether it’s in the U.S. or all over the globe, the Olympics is something that brings everybody together. The spirit of the Olympic Games is so magical. And for me, it’s just something that I can’t imagine life without. This summer is going to be an incredible opportunity to have Paris really show what that city’s all about. Some of these iconic venues and these amazing pools, volleyball courts, whatever it might be that you’re going to have. Hold on. These iconic landmarks that Paris has, and to be able to play beach volleyball under the Eiffel Tower, all of these things, I just have these visions in my head of this summer’s games and nothing but happiness. For me, that’s what I feel around an Olympic Games, and I can’t wait to get to Paris.
Happy Birthday Jayne Owen Bruner!!
Jayne Owen Bruner (USA)
Honor Masters Swimmer (2003)
The information on this page was written the year of their induction.
FOR THE RECORD: 32 MASTERS WORLD RECORDS: 50m & 100m freestyle, 50m & 100m backstroke, 50m & 100m breaststroke, 50m & 100m butterfly, 200m I.M.; 1986 MASTERS WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS: gold (100m freestyle, 50m & 100m breaststroke, 100m butterfly, 200m I.M.); 1988 MASTERS WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS: gold (3 events); 1989 MASTERS WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS: gold (50m & 100m freestyle, 100m & 200m I.M.); 1996 MASTERS NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS: 62 long course (50m/100m/200m freestyle, 50m & 100m backstroke, 50m/100m/200m breaststroke, 50m & 100m butterfly, 200m & 400m I.M.), 34 short course (50y/100y/200y freestyle, 50y/100y/200y breaststroke, 50y & 100y butterfly, 100y & 200y I.M.); 104 MASTERS NATIONAL RECORDS: 38 long course, 66 short course; MASTERS ALL AMERICAN.
She likes to win and she enjoys being at the top of her age group. She is a competitor and she enjoys swimming fast. She enjoys being number one. For over a 16 year period, Jayne Bruner has become one of the most successful Masters swimmers in the world.
Jayne is a swimmer who developed her elite athletic prowess during the years of her Masters swimming, not necessarily as a youngster. When Olympic Swimmer Ann Curtis visited Jayne’s hometown of Indianapolis, Indiana, Jayne began swimming at the Riviera Club and competed in the National Championships for coach Bud Sawin. But it was only for a three year period. When the team disbanded in 1951, so did her zest for competitive swimming.
It was 21 years later at age 39, that Jayne took up swimming again, this time to lose weight. Although she lost the weight, she didn’t lose her appetite for the sport and in 1974 with the coaxing of husband Bob, she joined the Masters Program. Since that time, she has not looked back. She was coached by Jan Smith (1974-1982), Bob Clemmer (1981-1990), Mark Davin (1990-1993) and Steve Ercolano (1996-present). They have all proclaimed her positive attitude and sincere desire as the qualities that make her one of the most coachable swimmers they have coached.
Her first 24 years of Masters Swimming was spent in Pittsburgh with Team Pittsburgh Aquatics. She credits the coaching techniques in stroke mechanics and training for her improvement in the sport. She swam 6 days per week, lifted weights 3 days per week and stayed on a strict diet of healthy food. She would spend extra time in the pool just to feel better and to compete on the elite level. She has always been a hard worker, but enjoys the friendships and social opportunities that develop within Masters swimming. Although she now trains with Curl-Burke Swim Team in Northern Virginia, she competes with the D.C. Masters Team of Washington, D.C., a team she competed with even while living in Pittsburgh. She relaxes by being physical, scuba diving, taking diving trips to the Caribbean, etc. She must have gills, she would rather swim a mile than walk one.
To date, Jane has set 40 world records in all four strokes plus the individual medley. Those include 25 long course records and 15 short course records competing in the Age groups from 45 to 65 years. She has won 13 World Championship gold medals. She has set 39 U.S. National long course records, 48 U.S. short course yards records and 20 U.S. short course meters records. She is a perennial U.S.M.S. All-American and All-Star (outstanding swimmer in age group).
Masters Swimming has become a part of Jayne’s life as much as eating and sleeping. She represents the epitome for which other Masters swimmers strive, for she not only is an example of racing success in the sport, she is an example of the camaraderie, wholesome environment and healthy living which Masters Swimming promotes.
Happy Birthday Andrea Gyarmati!!
Andrea Gyarmati (HUN)
Honor Swimmer (1995)
The information on this page was written the year of their induction.
FOR THE RECORD: 1972 OLYMPIC GAMES: silver (100m backstroke), bronze (100m butterfly); 1 WORLD RECORD: (100m butterfly); 1973 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS: bronze (200m backstroke); 1970 EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIPS: gold (200m backstroke, 100m butterfly), silver (100m backstroke, 4x100m medley relay); 28 HUNGARIAN NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS: freestyle, backstroke, butterfly.
Andrea Gyarmati was born in 1954 in Budapest, Hungary, to parents who had an Olympic heritage. Andrea’s commitment to succeed in her life goals developed as a result of her parents’ example. Her mother, Eva Szekely, known as “Madame Butterfly,” overcame rough treatment as a Jew in the European community of World War II to become the 100m breaststroke world record holder and 1952 Olympic gold medalist. Her father, Dezso Gyarmati, was a three-time water polo Olympic gold medalist and the first to succeed as a great player and coach from this giant of a swimming and water polo country.
She was taught to swim at the age of three by her mother’s coach, the master and Hall of Famer, Imre Sarosi. By the age four, Andrea was jumping off the 10m diving tower. As Andrea improved and her swimming became more important, Eva became her coach and taught Andrea the butterfly stroke – the stroke first performed in the 1940s by Eva as the over arm breaststroke which earned her the title of “Madame Butterfly.”
Twenty-five years later, it was Andrea Gyarmati setting records at the 1972 Munich Olympics. Her goal was the Olympic gold medal, and she had not lost a 100m fly race in the preceding four years. In the semi-finals, she set a new Olympic and world record 1:03.34. Eight of her competitors qualified for the finals within seven-tenths of a second of each other, but the finals were a disappointment to Andrea. to anyone else, a bronze medal would have been acceptable; Andrea was gong for the gold. But she was strong and spirited and knew that only the winners can cry. She returned the next day to win a silver medal in the 100m backstroke, only one-tenth of a second behind Hall of Famer Melissa Belote of the U.S.A.
All told, Andrea was Europe’s best butterflyer and backstroker in the late 1960s and early ’70s and was honored as Hungary’s “Sportswoman of the Year” from 1968 through 1972. She won 28 Hungarian National Championships in freestyle, backstroke and butterfly, winning the 100meter butterfly seven consecutive years and the 100m backstroke four consecutive years.
Andrea Gyarmati joins her parents to become the only mother, father, and daughter family ever to be inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame.
Tribute: Jon Urbanchek Inspired Entire Swimming Community to ‘Keep it Moving’
by DAVID RIEDER – SENIOR WRITER
13 May 2024, 05:20am
Jon Urbanchek Inspired Entire Swimming Community to ‘Keep it Moving’
Last week, the U.S. swimming community lost a legend when Jon Urbanchek died at age 87. Over the next few days, tributes poured in from across the swimming community, athletes who swam for Urbanchek at the University of Michigan or as professionals as well as from other coaches. Almost all of the memorials invoked Urbanchek’s favorite phrase, his approach for life both in swimming and outside the sport: “Keep it moving!”
Nearly each comment can summed up as such: great swimming mind but a better person.
Katie Ledecky, who swam in Urbanchek’s group during training camp prior to her first Olympics in 2012, said, “he has been a coach, a mentor and a friend since then. I learned so much from his kindness and care, and I know all of my coaches have learned much from him, too.” Emily Brunemann Klueh, a former U.S. National Team swimmer and current mental health staffer with the organization, wrote, “The impact you had on me, my career, my family is like none other.”
A powerful statement from Katie Hoff, who swam for Urbanchek at a USA Swimming training center in Fullerton, Calif., asked rhetorically, “how do I articulate the joy and meaning that you’ve brought to SO many lives, including my own?” Hoff added, “Thank you for always caring about me as a person first and athlete second.” Hoff recalled how Urbanchek would pretend to forget the assigned workout twice per week” and how he provided “infectious energy that made me want to stay in the sport even when I was going through it.”
At Michigan, Urbanchek led the Wolverine men to an NCAA team title in 1995, and following his retirement as head coach in 2004, successors Bob Bowman and Mike Bottom both begged Urbanchek to stay on as an assistant. Bowman and Bottom each publicly shared their remembrances, with Bottom’s statement calling Urbanchek “the Yoda to world swimming, add on the sense of humor and occasionally needed warm hug. His wisdom grew and spread over the decades.”
So few people are universally beloved, but Urbanchek was part of that exclusive club, a genuinely kind man to all. Even as one of the sport’s elder statesmen in recent years, he brought a youthful joy and energy to all sorts of pool decks as decades leading Michigan led into six years assisting the Wolverines, the stint coaching professionals in Fullerton, some time assisting Dave Salo at the University of Southern California and finally a few years as USA Swimming National Team Technical Advisor.
There were hundreds of championship meets over that time, but perhaps none were less significant than his appearance at U.S. Masters Nationals in Riverside, Calif., in April 2017. That was the meet where Ryan Lochte, then training with Salo and Urbanchek at USC, made his first racing appearance since the infamous gas station incident at the Rio Olympics. Lochte was still serving a USA Swimming suspension at the time, but USMS allowed him to race, and Urbanchek followed.
Were these the most competitive swimmers in the world? Of course not, but Urbanchek was in his element. “We have tremendous competition in the pool and good vibrations all over this deck,” he said. “It still feels like I’m in Coachella Valley right now, all the vibrations coming over here.”
Urbanchek set up a tent in one corner of the deck marked off with caution tape and a sign reading “Jon’s Gang.” It was an exclusive group, but maybe not considering all the people on deck who knew the coach.
I interviewed Urbanchek at that meet mostly about Lochte’s return to swimming, but the conversation delved far beyond that. He mentioned how he enjoyed assisting his successors at Michigan, Bowman and Bottom, “because the buck stops with the head coach. If something goes wrong, go see him! I’m just an assistant.”
Urbanchek recalled how he ended up on deck part-time at USC: Salo knew he was living in Los Angeles and asked for help, and Urbanchek’s wife, Melanie, had graduated from USC. Urbanchek recalled her saying, “You gave your life to Michigan. How ’bout giving the remaining of your life to my school, to USC?”
He shared how the “Keep it moving!” mentality was infectious among the swimmers he was working with at the time. “I go to USC and see all these people, young and enthusiastic. I suck it all in and shove it right back to them. They always ask me, ‘Jon, what makes you so happy?’ I say, ‘I have caffeine, and I also have your energy.’ Usually I have a quad latte. That’s four shots,” Urbanchek said.
“They ask, ‘Jon, what makes you so happy? It’s 5 a.m, 5:30.’ ‘Heck, I’ve got my juice. I still enjoy it. Probably keep doing it as long as I’m healthy. Just because I’m retired, my wife says it doesn’t mean you stop coaching. ‘I want you out of the house for three days a week.’ I’m doing it.”
And at one point in the conversation, Urbanchek actually took credit for Lochte breaking the world record in the 200 IM, albeit in a joking manner, harkening back to when Lochte qualified for his first Olympic team in 2004 and he swam in Urbanchek’s group leading up to the Games.
“We’re doing some IM work, and I see him doing an old pivot turn on IM from back-to-breast. I said, ‘What the — how the hell did you make it to this level if you don’t know how to do a crossover turn?’” Urbanchek said.
“Katie Hoff was on the team, so I said, ‘Hey Katie, how about showing Ryan how to do the crossover turn?’ And she couldn’t get it. Ryan couldn’t get it. So I’m on deck just like this with my board shorts on. ‘(Gosh darn) it! I’ll jump in and show it to you. (Darn)!’ Finally, he set the world record for 200 IM — I guess he still has the record. I said, ‘Ryan, you owe me five percent of that. That was my turn!’
That conversation on a sunny spring day in Southern California was classic Urbanchek: begin with a few specific questions, and end up spending 14 minutes laughing and smiling at Urbanchek’s spirit and zeal. He was the first coach to receive the International Olympic Committee’s Lifetime Achievement award, and the reasons go far beyond his ability to write a workout. Simply, the man could inspire.
Happy Birthday Dick Kimball!!
Dick Kimball (USA)
Honor Coach (1985)
The information on this page was written the year of their induction.
FOR THE RECORD: NCAA CHAMPION: 1957 (1m,3m springboard); U.S. OLYMPIC COACH: 1964, 1980, 1984; WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP COACH: 1978; 1972 “Mike Malone Memorial Award”. 1972, 1976 “Fred A. Cady Memorial Diving Coaches Award”; Past president American Diving Coaches Association; US Diving Olympic Committee; Rules Committee of US Diving; NCAA Chairman of the Women’s Diving Rules Committee; Diving Coach at the University of Michigan for 25 years; NCAA Women’s & Men’s Diving Coach of the Year 1984; Big Ten Women’s Diving Coach of the Year 1984.
While Dick Kimball was a double N.C.A.A. Champion in 1957, he never reached his diving peak until six years later, when he won the Professional World’s Championship. He was considered the all-time world’s greatest acrobatic diver. Kimball, also a trampoline champion, was the first to put a spotting rig over a diving board. He developed many new dives, first using the mini-tramp, then the mini-board and ultimately off the tower. He was the first to develop many of the newer dives in today’s optional list.
Likewise, Kimball’s divers learned new dives in the process of winning it all. Micki King and Lani Loken were the first women (9167) to do a complete men’s list off the women’s tower. They, along with Phil Boggs and Ron Merriott, were among the Kimball divers to do a new dive first. Kimball’s divers won the Olympic gold three times–Hall of Famers Bob Webster ’69, Micki King ’72 and Phil Boggs ’76.
Twenty-five Kimball divers have represented the United States on international trips. His men and women have won 13 national Collegiates, 37 U.S. and A.A.U. Nationals, three Olympics, two Pan Americans, three World Championships and one World Student Game. His divers finished second in these various championships 54 times.
As a show diver, Kimball became the straightman for comic Hobie Billingsley after the tragic death of Bruce Harlan. When Billingsley retired four years later, Kimball teamed with Ron O’Brien. Presently Kimball runs a successful summer diving camp in Brandon, Florida. Two of his world class divers have been his own son, Bruce, and daughter Vicki.