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.
Dive with Pride! New Date: Thursday, June 20th
DIVE WITH PRIDE | High Dive Global & The International Swimming Hall of Fame are proud to announce a pop-up high diving event to celebrate Pride Month on Thursday, June 20th, 2024 from 5:00-8:00 PM!
High Dive Global & The International Swimming Hall of Fame are excited to host their inaugural “Dive With Pride” event to celebrate Pride Month at the newly renovated Fort Lauderdale Aquatic Center. This special pop-up event will include a world-class high diving show, an epic MC & DJ, and open bar. There will also be door prizes and a costume contest so make sure you come dressed in festive Pride attire!
Date: Thursday, June 20th
Time: VIP 5:00-8:00 PM / GA 6:00-8:00 PM
Location: Fort Lauderdale Aquatic Center
Tickets: https://highdiveglobal.ticketspice.com/dive-with-pride
Ticket Options:
GA Tickets ($75): General Admission includes open bar, light appetizers, door prizes, and an exclusive high dive show.
VIP Tickets ($150): VIP Experience starts at 5:00 pm and includes everything from GA plus an exclusive walk to the top of the platform 90 feet in the air with a professional high diver and virtual reality high dive experience. This is an experience that is not open to the public yet!
Private Lounge ($2,500): Book your own private experience for the event! Private lounge areas can accommodate up to 10 people and include your own personal bartender for a more intimate experience. VIP Lounge starts at 5:00 pm and includes an exclusive walk to the top of the platform 90 feet in the air with a professional high diver and virtual reality high diving experience that is not available to the public yet!
For More Information Please Contact:
Ellie Smart, CEO High Dive Global
Every Child A Swimmer Legislation introduced in New York
FORT LAUDERDALE, FLORIDA – May 23, 2024 – The Every Child a Swimmer Program, a division of theInternational Swimming Hall of Fame, provides low to no-cost scholarships to swim schools to fund lessons forlow-income families and also advocates for life saving legislation.
In 2021, with the leadership of Dr. Bill Kent, International Swimming Hall of Fame Chairman of the Board, theEvery Child a Swimmer legislation was passed in the state of Florida. It requires all schools in the state toprovide parents, when they initially enroll their child in school, with information on the important role watersafety education courses and swimming lessons play in saving lives. It also requires schools to include info onlocal options for age-appropriate swim lessons and how they can receive those lessons for free or at a reducedcost.
This same legislation passed in Georgia and Arkansas in 2023. New York is the next state to consider this life-saving legislation. Senator Cleare introduced this act to amend the education law on May 10th, proposing the
act to take effect July 1, 2024.Every Child a Swimmer strives to get this legislation passed in all 50 states, as well as spread education andhelp fund swim lessons around the world. It’s imperative that every child in the world is educated in watersafety and has access to local lessons. Every child deserves to learn this basic survival skill. You can helpdonate today at https://everychildaswimmer.org/donate/.
If you are in need of lessons, you can find a swim school who is offering scholarships based on financial needhere: https://everychildaswimmer.org/find-a-lesson/.
For Immediate ReleaseMedia Contact: Casey McGovern – Program ManagerPhone – 954.275.9035Email: casey@everychildaswimmer.org
Chairman Bill Kent welcomes David Lawrence, Jr. to ISHOF for a visit
This week, ISHOF’s Chairman of the Board, Bill Kent played host to Mr. David Lawrence, Jr. of Coral Gables, Florida, and gave him a brief tour of ISHOF and the aquatic facility, explaining the history of ISHOF and Every Child A Swimmer, ISHOF’s spiritual mission.
Mr. Lawrence retired in 1999 as publisher of The Miami Herald (during his tenure the paper won 5 Pulitzer Prizes) to work in the area of early childhood development and readiness. He chairs The Children’s Movement of Florida, aimed at making children the state’s top priority for investment and decision-making.
In 2002 and 2008 he led successful campaigns for The Children’s Trust, a dedicated source of early intervention and prevention funding for children in Miami-Dade. In 2002-3 he chaired the Governor’s Blue-Ribbon Panel on Child Protection, and in 2011 chaired a similar panel for the Secretary of the Department of Children and Families. In 2002, he was a key figure in passing a statewide constitutional amendment to provide pre-K for all 4-year-olds. The David Lawrence Jr. K-8 Public School opened in 2006. An endowed chair in early childhood studies is established in his name at the University of Florida College of Education. He is a trustee of Barry University and for six years served in a similar role at Florida A & M University. His memoir, “A Dedicated Life: Journalism, Justice and a Chance for Every Child,” was published in 2018.
He is a graduate of the University of Florida and the Advanced Management program at the Harvard Business School. His 13 honorary doctorates include one from his alma mater, the University of Florida. His national honors include the National Association of Minority Media Executives award for & lifetime achievement in diversity.
His honors include the Ellis Island Medal of Honor for “outstanding commitment to serving our nation,” the LeRoy Collins Lifetime Leadership Award from Leadership Florida, the Bob Graham Center for Public Service “Citizen of the Year,” the Fred Rogers Leadership Award from the Grantmakers for Children, Youth and Families, the Sand in My Shoes Award from the Greater Miami Chamber, the Claude Pepper Lifetime Achievement Award from United Homecare, the Equal Justice Humanitarian Leadership Award as “a trailblazer in the pursuit of equity and justice” from Legal Services of Greater Miami, the Champion of Philanthropy Award on National Philanthropy Day, and the 40th Miami Book Fair anniversary award for “relentless dedication, visionary leadership and unwavering commitment to making lasting impacts.”
Chairman Kent and Mr. Lawrence met through a mutual friend and immediately hit it off with many of the same interests and values. ISHOF’s Every Child A Swimmer (ECAS) program is right in the same line of thinking as Mr. Lawrence’s life’s work: helping children and readiness. ECAS teaches child to swim, giving them life-saving skills. Kent and Lawrence are on the same page when it comes to helping children. We look forward to welcoming Mr. Lawrence to ISHOF and Every Child A Swimmer events very soon.
Great Britain and the ISHOF family lose a great one: David Wilkie loses his battle with cancer…..
David Wilkie at his ISHOF Induction along with fellow Inductees
Gertrude Ederle’s family comes to ISHOF for a visit!
The first real modern day movie about a swimmer’s life story…….. our very own Honoree, Gertrude “Trudy” Ederle”. The movie opens nationwide next Friday, May 31, 2024, but Disney hosted some early premiers, inviting some top swimmers and Paralympians, and some of our favorite Honorees were included, like John Naber, Janet Evans, Jeff Farrell, Brian Goodell, John Kinsella, Bruce Furniss, MISHOF Honoree, 102-year old Maurine Kornfeld and others!
Disney asked Olympians, prominent swimmers and Paralympians to pose with star, Daisy Ridley at L.A. premier…..
Just as Disney is getting ready to release its new movie, “Young Woman and the Sea”, portraying the life of ISHOF Honoree, Gertrude Ederle, ISHOF got a visit from Ederle’s Grand Nephew, Justin and his son, Greyson. The Ederle’s were in South Florida on vacation and knew that had to make one important stop: at the International Swimming Hall of Fame and see the display of their Aunt Trudy. Justin says he was young when his Aunt Trudy was alive, (Ederle died in 2003) but he remembers her telling him exciting stories. Now that he is older and a father, he realizes he didn’t appreciate the significance of the stories, and what he was hearing; he was just too young. But he certainly does now! And he will carry those stories on to his son, Greyson and her sister.
Gertrude Ederle’s Great Nephew, Justin Ederle and his son, Greyson visit Aunt Trudy’s display at ISHOF last week, May, 2024
The Ederle family is very excited about the upcoming film and is planning on going to see it as soon as it opens. At six, Greyson, is a great swimmer, like his great Aunt Trudy and absolutely loves the water. After his visit to the museum, he made a point to go over and have a swim in the new Fort Lauderdale Aquatic Center. Aunt Trudy would have approved!
Young Woman and the Sea is an upcoming American film based on the life of 1965 ISHOF Honoree Gertrude Ederle. The movie is produced by Walt Disney and stars Daisy Ridley, who plays the title role of “Trudy”, who became the first woman to swim across the English Channel.
Development on the film began in 2015 after producer Jerry Bruckheimer acquired the film rights to the book and settled in up at Paramount Pictures with Nathanson attached to write it and Lily James was cast as Ederle. Paramount eventually put the project in turnaround. In 2020, it was announced it was acquired by Walt Disney Pictures, with Ridley set to portray Ederle. The majority of the photography took place between May and June 2022. Originally set for release on the streaming service DisneyPlus. Walt Disney Pictures opted to release the film theatrically after positive test screenings from the public.
Young Woman and the Sea is scheduled to be released on May 31, 2024.
To read Trudy’s 1965 ISHOF Induction bio, click here: https://ishof.org/honoree/honoree-gertrude-ederle/
Let’s hear for Gertrude Ederle and her unlady-like behavior!
Click the link below and watch the fabulous short story by PBS on the life of Gertrude Ederle, who’s movie, The Young Woman and the Sea is set to open next Friday, May 31, 2024. Ederle was one of the original ISHOF Honorees in the first Class of 1965.
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.
Lars Frölander to be inducted into ISHOF as Honor Swimmer ~ ninth Honoree representing Sweden
Swedish Swimmer Lars Frölander to be join the ISHOF Class of 2024
Swedish Swimmer, Lars Frölander is a six-time Olympian, competing in six consecutive Olympic Games (1992, 1996, 2000, 2004, 2008 and 2012). In the 1992 Olympic Games, he competed in the 4 × 200-meter freestyle relay along with teammates, Christer Wallin, Anders Holmertz and Tommy Werner. The Swedish team finished second behind the Unified Team. In the 1996 Olympic Games, Frölander again finished second in the 4 × 200-meter freestyle relay with the Swedish team. This time the United States took the gold medal. Frölander also competed in the 100-meter freestyle, where he finished ninth in the heats but scratched the B-final, and in the 100-meter butterfly event, he finished a respectable 19th.
The pinnacle of Frolander’s career had to be when he captured gold in the 100-meter butterfly at the Centennial Olympic Games in Sydney, Australia. Several months prior he broke the world record in the men’s 100-meter butterfly twice (short course).
He is a nine-time World Champion and 12-time European Champion in the freestyle and butterfly events. Frölander went on to win a total of 21 World Championship medals in his career: nine of them gold, seven silver, and four bronze. 14 of his World Championship medals were won at the Short Course Championships
Lars attended university in the U.S.A., where he swam for Coach Eddie Sinnott in Dallas, Texas, (1995-1998) at Southern Methodist University. One of the great swimmers in SMU history, Frolander dominated the pool during his career as a Mustang. Frolander was the 1998 NCAA Swimmer of the Year, winning the NCAA Championship in two events – the 100-yd freestyle and 100-yd butterfly. Frolander won the same pair of championships in 1997 and the 100-yd butterfly as a freshman in 1995.
Come join Swedish Swimmer Lars Frölander 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://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.