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.
Dennis Pursley to be inducted in Fort Lauderdale as Honor Coach in October, as part of ISHOF’s Class of 2024
During Dennis Pursley’s coaching career he was a five-time Olympic coach, a recipient of the U.S. Olympic Committee Chair’s Coaching Award, an American Swimming Coaches Association “Coach of The Year” and “Hall of Fame inductee” and was recognized in 2003 as one of the “25 Most Influential People in the History of USA Swimming”. He personally coached swimmers of both genders to world record performances as well as to the podium of the Olympic Games and/or to the long course World Championships in all four competitive strokes and both individual medley events.
Lakeside Swim Club
His coaching career began as a volunteer assistant coach under 1983 ISHOF Honor Coach, Don Gambril at the University of Alabama. In 1974, Dennis returned to his hometown as the head coach of Louisville’s Lakeside Swim Club, where he took a team of unranked status to a top 10 national championship finish. From Lakeside Swim Club, he moved on to the head coach for the Cincinnati Marlins and led them to three national championship team titles. After placing six swimmers on the 1980 USA Olympic Team, he was appointed to the USA Olympic Team coaching staff.
Cincinnati Marlins
He was named the first head coach of the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) where he served as the head coach of the combined team for two years and of the men’s team until August 1984. At the 1984 Olympic Games, the AIS led a resurgence in Australian swimming with a second-place finish to the United States in the medal count.
Australian Sports Institute
In 1989, Pursley was appointed the first National Team Director of USA Swimming and was responsible for all aspects of the National Team program. During his 14-year tenure in this position the medal production of the USA in international competition increased substantially. The USA team finished first in the medal count in both men’s and women’s competitions in all three Olympiads, culminating with 33 medals (14 gold) in the 2000 Olympics which was described by “Sports Illustrated” magazine as the greatest team performance of all time. In recognition of his contributions, Pursley was presented the United States Olympic Committee Chairman’s Coaching Award for 2000.
In 2008 he was named head coach of British Swimming and served in that capacity through the 2012 London Olympics. After the 2012 Olympics, Coach Pursley returned to the University of Alabama as the head coach to lead his alma mater back to a position of national prominence. Pursley’s second year, the men’s team was named “Breakout Team of the Year” by the College Swimming Coaches Association and went on to achieve six consecutive top 15 finishes in the NCAA Championships in his seven-year tenure, including four top 10 finishes. His women’s team rewrote the school record books establishing new school records in 17 of the 19 events.
University of Alabama
Come join Coach Dennis Pursley and hear the rest of his amazing story, along with this year’s spectacular class of 2024 in Fort Lauderdale. If you cannot join us, please consider making a donation.
To make a donation, click here: https://www.ishof.org/donate/
This year’s International Swimming Hall of Fame Honorees include:
Honor Swimmers:
Lars Frölander (SWE)
Daniel Gyurta (HUN)
Dana Vollmer (USA)
1976 Women’s 4×100 Freestyle Gold Medal Relay Team (USA)
(Includes Shirley Babashoff, Wendy Boglioli, Kim Peyton*, Jill Sterkel)
Honor Divers:
Alexandre Despatie (CAN)
Yulia Pakhalina (RUS)
Wu Minxia (CHN)
Honor Artistic Swimmer:
Virginie Dedieu (FRA)
Honor Water Polo Players:
Carmela “Lilli” Allucci (ITA)
Vladimir Akimov* (USSR)
Honor Coach:
Dennis Pursley (USA)
Honor Contributor:
Dale Neuburger (USA)
Additional Awards presented Saturday night:
Al Schoenfield Media Award:
Peter Diamond (USA)
ISHOF Gold Medallion Award:
Alex Blavatnik (USA)
ISHOF 59th Annual Honoree Induction weekend
October 4-5, 2024 – Complete schedule will be forthcoming soon.
~ HOTEL INFORMATION ~
Host Hotel: Westin Fort Lauderdale Beach Resort & Spa
To make reservations click here: https://book.passkey.com/e/50757008
321 North Fort Lauderdale Beach Blvd., Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33316 (954) 467-1111.
Special ISHOF Guest Rate of $229 per night,
Additional Hotel Option:
Courtyard Marriott Fort Lauderdale Beach
Book your group rate for Honoree Ceremony
440 Seabreeze Blvd., Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33316 (954) 524-8733
Special ISHOF Guest Rate of $169 – $199 per night
STAY TUNED FOR MORE INFORMATION ON SCHEDULE AND TICKETS.
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.
Happy Birthday Sharon Wichman!!
Sharon Wichman (USA)
Honor Swimmer (1991)
The information on this page was written the year of their induction.
FOR THE RECORD: OLYMPIC GAMES: 1968 gold (200m breaststroke), bronze (100m breaststroke); AAU NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS: 3 (100yd, 200yd breaststroke).
If you had two wishes that might come true, what would they be? This was the question Sharon was asked on a guidance questionnaire in 1965 at Chester T. Lane Junior High School. Sharon’s first wish was, “To get a gold medal in the Olympics.” Little did she know that her wish would come true.
Unlike most of us who have blown our big chance because we didn’t prepare for the unexpected, Sharon was ready to take the reins when world record holder and teammate Catie Ball, became very ill and could not compete at the Olympic Games in Mexico City. Sharon won the 200 meter breaststroke in Olympic record time and became the first American woman in
the history of the Olympic Games to capture the 200m breaststroke title. She also won the bronze medal in the 100m breaststroke, barely out-touched by gold medal winner Djurdica Bjedov of Yugoslavia by three tenths of a second.
Sharon began her career at Club Olympia in Fort Wayne, Indiana at age eleven. In 1966, Sharon’s father was transferred to Mexico City and she missed the expert coaching of breaststroke specialist and Hall of Famer, Stefan Hunyadfi. Despite the advantages that could be obtained from high altitude training, Sharon’s training was minimal and she returned home one month early to train with Hunyadfi for the U.S. Summer National Championship of 1967.
Although she returned to Mexico to compete in the Olympic Games in 1968, Sharon was a scared and homesick sixteen year old. It was the Olympic training camp in Colorado Springs and the encouragement from Olympic Coach Frank Elm, that prepared Sharon for the competition. “He said just the right thing because his words were all I though of the last length,” said Sharon.
Having continued success in 1969, Sharon captured the national short course title in the 100 meter breaststroke and placed in the top three in all national competitions. She went on to win international titles at Bremen, Germany in the 100 and 200 meter breaststroke events. Sharon’s attitude was not so much to beat someone, but to have a good race, and she had many good races.
Happy Birthday Anne Ottenbrite!!
Anne Ottenbrite (CAN)
Honor Swimmer (1999)
The information on this page was written the year of their induction.
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.
Happy Birthday Gunnar Larsson!!
Gunnar Larsson (SWE)
Honor Swimmer (1979)
The information on this page was written the year of their induction.
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.
Passages: ISHOF Honor Coach Jon Urbanchek, Iconic Olympic, Michigan Coach Dies; Legacy Will Endure
by DAN D’ADDONA — SWIMMING WORLD MANAGING EDITOR
10 May 2024, 06:57am
Jon Urbanchek, one of the most iconic coaches in swimming history has died. He was 87.
He coached the University of Michigan from 1982-2004, winning an NCAA title, and was the U.S. coach at the Olympics in 1988, 1992, 1996, 2000 and 2004. He was also an assistant for the U.S. in 2008 and 2012.
“Keep it moving” was his often-used phrase, a mantra for training as well as life. He coached 34 Olympic swimmers, who totaled seven gold, six silver and four bronze medals.
He was inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame in 2008 and Michigan Sports Hall of Fame in 2009.
He innovated he called the Color System of training, which revolutionized swim coaching by allowing athletes to easily gauge and adjust their training intensity to match specific physiological goals. The color-coded system categorized training intensities for swimmers, aligning them with specific heart rate zones and levels of exertion. This system helps swimmers understand and adjust their training intensity more effectively.
Urbanchek was born in Hungary on Aug. 23, 1936. He emigrated to the U.S. to attend the University of Michigan, where he swam from 1959-61, winning the NCAA championship in the 1650 freestyle in 1961, and helping the Wolverines win the NCAA titles in 1969 and 1961.
Before coaching at Michigan, he taught and coached at Anaheim High School, coached at Garden Grove High School in California, co-founded Fullerton Aquatics and coached at Long Beach State.
Anaheim High School’s pool was renamed Jon Urbanchek Aquatics Complex in 2019.
At Michigan, he led the Wolverines to 13 Big Ten titles, including nine in a row, and an NCAA championship.
When he retired from that post in 2004, he remained in Ann Arbor to help coach the team as well as Club Wolverine, where several Olympians trained. His Olympic medalists include: Mike Barrowman (1992), Gustavo Borges (1992 and 2000), Tom Dolan (1992 and 1996), Dan Ketchum (2004), Brett Lang (1988), Tom Malchow (1996 and 2000), Eric Namesnik (1992 and 1996), Chris Thompson (2000), Peter Vanderkaay (2004), Marcel Wouda (2000) and Kaitlin Sandeno (2000 and 2004).
In 2010, Urbanchek moved back to California to lead the U.S. Olympic Post-Graduate Training Center at Fullerton Aquatics (FAST Swimming). He coached two swimmers to gold medals at the 2012 Olympics (Tyler Clary and Matt McLean) and served as special assistant coach for the 2012 U.S. Olympic Swimming Team.
Social media was flooded with reaction to his death.
“Urby is gone but his legacy lives on – a legend and my great friend. I already miss my cool calm and collected friend. Jon oozed with confidence wherever he went. When I was with him, I felt lifted by his contagious smile and attitude. I felt stronger thanks to the unshakable bond of candid friendship we had. As a coach, I saw in him the perfect combination of science and art. He was a genius of training and the world’s best at what he did. Truly, a few in the history of our sport stand at his rank. As a human being, he was as honest as they come, as kind as they can be, and as compassionate as I could witness in my lifetime. I am glad I got to travel around the world with him. I am glad I made him proud through our hard work and success. I am sorry he saw me frustrated and sad, struggling with injuries. But somehow, through it all he was still cool, calm and collected. And we kept it moving….He kept us moving. If you are looking for great leadership without ego, speak of my great friend Jon Urbanchek.
Rest in peace, Urby. I am sad you’re time is up down here but enjoy your time up there, buddy. Heaven is a better place with you in it my friend.” – OussamaMellouli
” No one has given more. The depth of this man’s commitment and love for the sport of swimming and his remarkable ability to express that love through caring for all of us is unmatched. Jon Urbanchek you have always been that one of a kind guy that listened, thought, and guided us well. I consider myself so blessed to have learned from you. Our time together getting coffee and setting up the pace clocks in the morning before practice at the Stanford Olympic Camp was priceless. Your focus on the “right things” never waivered. “Don’t complicate it John, just make him work hard and he’ll be just fine”. Urbs left us today without the spotlight on him, just as he wanted it.” – John Dussliere
“You will be missed. You’re far more than a coach and father figure to thousands of swimmers. Thank you for giving me an opportunity to swim with you.” – Steve West
“You will be missed terribly. The impact you had on me, my career, my family is like none other. You deserve nothing but peace and rest. Love you Jon Urbanchek #moveit.” – Emily Klueh
“I’m at a slight loss for words right now … I want to extend my condolences to all of the swimmers who shared Jon as their coach. We’re all hurting today, but we all get to celebrate that we had this great man touch and influence our lives too. And that’s what really matters. Godspeed, Jon.” – Erik Bacon
“I promise we will keep it moving, buddy.” – Bob Bowman
To read his ISHOF Honor Coach bio, click here: https://ishof.org/honoree/honoree-jon-urbanchek/
Happy Birthday Missy Franklin !
Missy Franklin (USA)
Honor Swimmer (2023)
The information on this page was written the year of their induction.
FOR THE RECORD: 2016 OLYMPIC GAMES: gold (4 x 200m freestyle relay); 2012 OLYMPIC GAMES: gold (100m, 200m backstroke, 4 x 200m freestyle relay, 4 x 100m medley relay), bronze (4 x 100m freestyle relay); FOUR WORLD RECORDS (two 200m backstroke, two 400x100m medley relay) 2015 FINA WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS (LC): gold (4 x 200m freestyle relay, 4 x 100m mixed freestyle relay), silver (200m backstroke), bronze (200m freestyle, 4 x 100m freestyle relay); 2013 FINA WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS (LC): gold (100m backstroke, 200m backstroke, 200m freestyle, 4 x 100m, 4 x 200m freestyle relay, 4 x 100m medley relay); 2011 FINA WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS (LC): gold (200m backstroke, 4 x 200m freestyle relay, 4 x 100m medley relay), silver (4 x 100m freestyle relay), bronze (50m backstroke); 2010 FINA WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS (SC): silver (200m backstroke, 4 x 100m medley relay); 2014 PAN PACIFIC CHAMPIONSHIPS: gold (4 x 200m freestyle relay), silver (4 x 100m medley relay, 4 x 100m freestyle relay), bronze (100m backstroke); 7-time NCAA INDIVIDUAL NATIONAL CHAMPION (two years at Cal Berkeley (2013-14 / 2014-15); Honda Cup (2015); Honda Sports Award (2015).
Her charismatic personality and ear-to-ear smile captivated the swimming world from the moment she emerged as an international superstar to the day she announced her retirement. Her countless fans were enthralled by a bubbly persona that – in part – made her a face of the sport, and one of the best-known Olympic athletes on the planet.
Of course, that likeability and charm would have gone unnoticed on the global stage if not for the vast talent, desire and hard work that carried Missy Franklin to the greatest of heights as an Olympic gold medalist, world champion and world-record setter.
Even before her teen years, Missy Franklin was pegged as a future star. Training with the Colorado Stars under the direction of coach Todd Schmitz, Franklin produced dazzling times across several events, including a collection of National Age Group records. It seemed obvious that – one day – she would establish herself as a headliner for Team USA.
A year after representing the United States at the 2010 Pan Pacific Championships, Franklin lost any remaining anonymity when she competed at the 2011 World Championships in Shanghai. The competition proved to be a launching point toward the 2012 Olympic Games in London, as Franklin claimed gold in the 200-meter backstroke and jumpstarted the U.S. 800 freestyle relay to victory with a stunning leadoff split. So impressive was Franklin on the front of the American relay that Katie Hoff, preparing to handle the third leg, turned to her teammates, and asked, “Did she just do that?”
Given her surge to international phenom, the expectations thrust upon Franklin were massive heading into the 2012 Olympic campaign. Yet, with her trademark smile, the 17-year-old Franklin handled the pressure with aplomb. At the London Games, Franklin was spectacular, tallying four gold medals and a bronze medal, and just missing another podium finish with a fourth-place effort in the 200 freestyle.
The highlights of Franklin’s Olympic debut were titles in the 100 backstroke and 200 backstroke, races which unfolded in distinctly different fashion. While Franklin obliterated the field in the 200 backstroke, thanks to a world-record swim, she relied on an epic comeback to mine gold in the 100 backstroke.
Coming off the semifinals of the 200 freestyle, Franklin had only 15 minutes prior to the start of the final of the 100 back. With every minute precious, the U.S. coaching staff arranged for Franklin to use the diving well at the London Aquatic Center for her warm down. Ultimately, the approach paid dividends. Despite trailing Australian Emily Seebohm by a sizable margin at the turn and midway down the last length, Franklin continually narrowed her deficit down the stretch and touched the wall ahead of Seebohm. It was a triumph that can be described as nothing less than a spectacular combination of grit and determination.
At the next year’s World Championships in Barcelona, Franklin was even better, securing six gold medals, including individual titles in the 100 backstroke, 200 backstroke and 200 freestyle. It was an iconic performance, rating as one of the finest in the 50-year history of the World Championships.
Although injuries plagued Franklin over the next few years, she qualified for her second Olympics in 2016, and earned a medal in the 800-meter freestyle relay. She was also an NCAA team and individual champion at Cal-Berkeley and became the first woman to crack the 1:40 barrier in the 200-yard freestyle.
Franklin officially announced her retirement in late 2018, but for years to come, her contributions to the sport will be remembered – both for her skill in the water, and the way she carried herself among her teammates, competitors, and fans.
The International Swimming Hall of Fame announces the 2024 ISHOF Specialty Awards
The International Swimming Hall of Fame (ISHOF) is proud to announce this year’s recipients of the ISHOF Specialty Awards. The ISHOF Specialty Awards are presented annually to individuals for outstanding contributions to aquatics. This year’s awards will be presented on Friday evening, October 4th in conjunction with the ISHOF Aquatic Awards, presented by AquaCal and the 59th annual ISHOF Honoree Induction weekend, October 4-5, 2024, in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, USA. Ticket information will be forthcoming shortly or call 570 594-4367.
This year’s 2024 ISHOF Specialty Award Recipients:
Ian Hugh McAllister – Buck Dawson Author Award: Lost Olympics: The Hilda James Story
Dominic Calabro – Every Child A Swimmer Award
Sandra Rossi Madormo – Virginia Hunt Newman Award
Rodna Metz Bordner – John K. Williams, Jr. International Adapted Aquatics Award
Peter Diamond – Al Schoenfield Media Award
Ian Hugh McAllister (GBR) – 2024 Buck Dawson Authors Award
The Awards and Recognition Committee of the International Swimming Hall of Fame is pleased to announce the recipient of the 2024 Buck Dawson Author’s Award is Ian Hugh McAllister for his book, Lost Olympics, The Hilda James Story. This award is presented by ISHOF in the name of William F. “Buck” Dawson, ISHOF’s founding Executive Director, to an author of work that promotes, educates or entertains individuals about aquatics.
Ian McAllister
After a 30 year on and off research project about the life and times of his remarkable Grandmother Hilda James, Ian finally began writing in earnest during late 2011. The resulting book, Lost Olympics, was the long-awaited family history. Along the way he learned that Hilda was even more of a character than the determined old lady he had known as a child. He unearthed some dark and sometimes controversial family secrets that needed to be aired as part of the narrative.
In early 2015 Ian was appointed as the English Administrator at 10 Minute Novelists, an increasingly respected and busy Facebook community for writers at all levels of experience and aspirations. He was MC at their first live conference in Cincinnati, during August 2018.
About Buck Dawson: Dawson was a veteran of WWII who served as assistant and publicist for Generals Gavin and Ridgeway in the 82nd Airborne. From the time he was chosen to lead ISHOF in 1962, until his death in 2008, Buck traveled the world armed with Hall of Fame brochures, books, and bumper stickers. He was always spreading the word, and always willing to talk and teach swimming and swimming history to anyone who would listen. He wrote hundreds of articles and was the author of eight books, ranging in subjects from bathing beauties to war, but especially swimming.
Dominic Calabro — 2024 Every Child A Swimmer Award
The Awards and Recognition Committee of the International Swimming Hall of Fame is pleased to announce the recipient of the 2024 Every Child A Swimmer Award is Dominic Calabro. The Every Child A Swimmer Award is presented to someone for their long and exceptional leadership, insight, and dedication to the water safety of children and the cause of making “Every Child A Swimmer”.
As the President and Chief Executive Officer of Florida TaxWatch, Dominic leads a statewide, non-profit, non-partisan organization dedicated to enhancing government efficiency, limited government, advocating for taxpayers, and fostering informed citizen engagement. Founded in 1979, Florida TaxWatch’s rigorous and nationally respected research has shed much light on the impact of tax and spending decisions, ensuring that Floridians’ livelihoods and quality of life are stronger and better than ever. Calabro has made it his life’s mission to improve government productivity, enhance taxpayer value, and deepen citizen understanding.
Calabro has been a proactive supporter of Every Child A Swimmer (ECAS) since the first meeting in 2020 regarding the passage of the Every Child a Swimmer legislation. He has opened doors to the key players in the Florida Legislature and the Department of Education for ECAS to accomplish the enactment of the legislation. Calabro also had a research study done regarding the cost of drowning in the state of Florida and a second voter survey, during the Trump-Biden Presidential election of 2020, that confirmed that 90% of the registered voters in Florida supported the concept that every child should be taught to swim. This was extremely important during the passage of the legislation in 2020. Recently, Calabro provided behind the scenes help in having $500,000 budgeted for swim lessons for children statewide.
About G. Harold Martin: Back in 1908, G. Harold Martin almost drowned in the Ohio River. Over the next two decades drowned two more times. From these experiences evolved a mission to make “Every Child A Swimmer.” His civic involvement led to the building of Fort Lauderdale’s first municipal pool in 1927. Kiwanian sponsored free swim lessons at the pool, and eventually influenced the decision by ISHOF to be in Fort Lauderdale. An active Kiwanian his entire adult life, he was instrumental in making the Key Club an integral club within Kiwanis International and the adoption of Every Child A Swimmer as a Kiwanian project.
Sandra Rossi Madormo (BRA) — 2024 Virginia Hunt Newman International Award
The Awards and Recognition Committee of the International Swimming Hall of Fame is pleased to announce that Sandra Rossi Madormo will be the 2024 recipient of the Virginia Hunt Newman International Award.
Sandra Rossi Madormo is the co-founder and Technical Director of INATI – Child Swimming Institute, with a mission to develop swimming lessons for children in her home country of Brazil as well as promoting water safety to reduce drownings, especially among children. In 2012, through INATI, she co-created the National Water Safety Campaign, which gathers swimming schools, clubs, and aquatic activity professionals nationwide. The campaign has grown into the largest water safety movement in the sector, transforming how Brazilian swimming schools and teachers include water safety in their curriculum.
She received the Inclusive Good Practices Award from the World Association of Special Education in Cuba and the 2019 Physical Education Medal from the Regional Council of Physical Education of São Paulo.
This year she completes 43 years of uninterrupted work as a teacher of baby and children’s swimming, dedicating a significant part of her classes in recent years to children with disabilities.
About Virginia Hunt Newman: Newman was a swimming instructor of infants, and is best known for developing the non-forceful, non-traumatic method of teaching infants to swim. Her methods and distraction from normal fears associated with learning to swim and rewards for trying and performing skills, have been accepted by thousands of swim instructors world-wide.
Rodna Metz Bordner (USA) — 2024 John K. Williams, Jr. Adapted Aquatics Award
The Adapted Aquatics Committee of the International Swimming Hall of Fame is pleased to announce that Rodna Metz Bordner will receive the 2024 John K. Williams, Jr. International Adapted Aquatics Award. The annual award, honoring individuals or organizations who have made significant and substantial contributions to the field of adaptive aquatics.
Rodna Metz Bordner began her career as a Water Safety Instructor and Lifeguard in 1968. She taught wherever she could, as either a professional or volunteer, and was always drawn to working with young children in the pool, especially those that were either physically or cognitively challenged. In 1982, she became an Occupational Therapist, and in 1994 she began to blend her aquatic skills with her occupational therapy career. She then began providing aquatic occupational therapy to children with multiple disabilities.
In 1995, Bordner attended her first ATRI event and began presenting in 1999. In 2001, she received the ATRI Tsunami Award (Aquatics Award for Innovation in the Aquatic Industry) for her work with individuals with Autism and Sensory Processing challenges. She eventually retired from school-based practice in 2005 and began working in the rehab setting as a pediatric Occupational Therapist.
Peter Diamond — 2024 Al Schoenfield Media Award
The Awards and Recognition Committee of the International Swimming Hall of Fame is pleased to announce the recipient of the 2024 Al Schoenfield Media Award will be Peter Diamond for outstanding contributions to the promotion of aquatic sports through journalism. This award is presented by ISHOF in memory of Al Schoenfield.
A 16-time Emmy Award-winner, Peter C. Diamond served as Executive Vice President, Programming, NBC Olympics, and was responsible for programming NBCUniversal’s coverage of the Olympic Games. The 2020 Olympic Summer Games in Tokyo, Japan, marked his 19th and final Olympic assignment – more than any broadcast network executive in television history.
During his tenure, Diamond worked on a regular basis with the international Olympic sports federations and the national governing bodies of Olympic sports in the U.S. Diamond also coordinated NBC Sports Group’s presentation of the U.S. Olympic Trials. He also coordinated year-round Olympic-sport programming, which significantly increased in 2015 when NBCUniversal acquired Universal Sports Network assets, and again in July 2017 when NBCUniversal partnered with the IOC and USOC to launch Olympic Channel: Home of Team USA, a 24/7 U.S. cable channel dedicated to Olympic sports and programming.
Diamond won Sports Emmy Awards for his work on NBC’s coverage of the Seoul Olympics in 1988 (2), Barcelona in 1992 (2), Atlanta in 1996 (2), Sydney in 2000, Salt Lake City in 2002, Athens in 2004, Beijing in 2008 (2), London in 2012, Sochi in 2014, and Rio in 2016.
About Al Schoenfield: He was the Editor and Publisher of Swimming World Magazine (1960-1977) and served on various international committees of swimming, including the FINA Technical Swimming Committee (1980-1984). Schoenfield’s life was a commitment to swimming, and he participated in its administrative structure and spread its stories through his magazines and promotions. Al died in 2005, but his legacy will forever endure to all who have benefited from his lifetime of service to swimming.
Additional Awards During 59th Annual Hall of Fame Honoree Weekend
2024 ISHOF Aquatic Awards presented by AquaCal
2024 ISHOF Aquatic Awards presented by AquaCal Recipients:
Competitive Swimming: Jay Thomas (USA)
Water Polo: Pedro and Cristiana Pinciroli (BRA)
Competitive Diving: Sheilagh Boudia (USA)
Synchronized Swimming: Sandra Roberts (CAN)
Aquatic Safety: Chris and Jenny McCuiston (USA)
Recreational Swimming: Beth Root (USA)
About ISHOF
The International Swimming Hall of Fame (ISHOF) museum opened its doors to the public in December of 1968 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. That same year, the Fédération Internationale de Natation (FINA) – the governing body for Olympic aquatic sports – designated the ISHOF museum as the “Official Repository for Aquatic History”. In 2018, Sports Publications Inc, publisher of Swimming World Magazine and its multi-media platforms, merged with ISHOF to expand the museum’s reach and impact. Today, ISHOF’s vision is to be 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.