Chinese Great Wu Minxia to be inducted as part of Class of 2024
Wu Minxia is the considered the greatest diver in Chinese history, and that’s pretty impressive considering the Chinese produce the greatest divers in the world. Wu was part of the Class of 2023, but was unable to attend due to her commitment in the planning of the Asian Games, which were held at the same time as last year’s induction. We are excited to announce that Wu will be with us this year to be officially inducted on October 5, 2024.
The winner of seven Olympic medals, five of them gold, 14 World Championship medals, eight of those gold, Wu is the most decorated female athlete in the history of diving. As well as collecting four consecutive Olympic 3-meter synchronized springboard titles in Athens 2004, Beijing 2008, London 2012, and Rio 2016 with three different partners, she also won the 3-meter springboard individual gold in London, 2012.
She began her competitive career at the 2001 World Championships, with partner ISHOF Honoree, Guo Jingjing, winning the 3-meter synchronized event. She and Jingjing went on to win three more titles, with the exception of 2005 when Jingjing partnered with Li Ting. Wu competed in Athens at the 2004 Games, winning gold again with Jingjing in the synchro event, in addition to winning silver in the 3-meter individual event, behind partner Jingjing. At the 2008 Games, she and Jingjing again won the 3-meter synchro event, but Wu took bronze this time in the 3-meter individual event.
Wu and Partner Guo Jingjing
After the 2008 Games, partner Jingjing retired and Wu then partnered with He Zi. This new partnership allowed her to retain the 3-meter synchronized title at the 2011 World Championships. She also won her only World Championship individual title in the 3-meter springboard that same year, 2011. At the 2012 Olympics, Wu’s third Games, she won gold in the 3-meter synchro event along with He, becoming the first woman to win a gold medal in three consecutive Olympic Games. In addition, Wu won a second gold in the individual 3-meter springboard event. By winning the 3-meter synchronized springboard event at the 2013 and 2015 World Championships, with her (third) new partner Shi Tingmao, Wu became the first person to win seven gold medals in the event. They (Wu and Shi) also won gold medals at the 2014 Asian Games and then, finally the 2016 Olympic Games, making her a four-time Olympic gold medalist in the event.
Wu and Partner Shi Tingmao
No one has won more gold medals in the 3-meter synchronized springboard diving event than Wu Minxia.
Come join Wu and this year’s spectacular class of 2024 in Fort Lauderdale. If you cannot join us, 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)
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.
Happy Birthday Randy Reese!!
Randy Reese (USA)
Honor Coach (2005)
The information on this page was written the year of their induction.
FOR THE RECORD: 1980, 1984, and 1988 OLYMPIC GAMES: Assistant Coach; 1979 PAN AMERICAN GAMES: Assistant Coach; 1987 PAN PACIFIC GAMES: Assistant Coach; Coach of 19 Olympic Swimmers Winning: 18 gold, 8 silver, 8 bronze medals; Coach of Six Swimmers Setting 16 World Records; 14 U.S.S. National Team Titles; Four NCAA National Team Titles: two men, two women; Four Times NCAA Coach Of The Year.
Once upon a time, there were two brothers, both of whom loved swimming, coaching swimming and being around the swimming pool. One brother was extroverted, jovial and quick to crack a joke; the other was introverted, serious and reluctant to lavish praise. While one was characterized as “just one of the guys”, the other was described as creating a “fearsome” presence during workouts. Whatever their methods, both brothers became very successful coaches developing Local, National, World and Olympic Champions. Older brother (by five years) Eddie, was inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame in 2002. Now it’s Randy’s turn.
Using a more serious, hard-line approach in his coaching methods, Randy, so far has placed 35 swimmers onto Olympic Teams winning 18 gold, 8 silver and 9 bronze medals. At the 1984 Olympics alone, 20 Reese-coached swimmers represented eight nations appearing on the award stand 19 times winning 13 gold medals. Were they a team, Reese swimmers would have finished 5th as a nation. His Olympic medal winners include: 1980- David Zubero (SPN) (Bronze- 100 Fly); 1984- Theresa Anderson (USA) (Gold- 100 Back, 400 FR), Tracy Caulkins (USA) (Gold- 200 IM, 400 IM, 400 MR), Frederic Delcourt (FRA) (Silver- 200 Back), Geoff Gabarino (USA) (Gold- 800 FR), Sandy Goss (CAN) (Silver- 400 MR), Mike Heath (USA) (Gold- 400 MR, 400 FR, 800 FR, Silver 200 Free), David Larson (USA) (Gold- 800 FR), Mark Stockwell (AUS) (Silver- 100 Free, 400 FR, Bronze- 400 MR), Dara Torres (USA) (Gold- 400 FR), Rafael Vidal (VEN) (Bronze- 100 Fly), Mary Wayte (USA) (Gold- 200 free, 400 FR (prelims); 1988- Duncan Armstrong (AUS) (Gold- 200 Free), Matt Cetlinski (USA) (Gold- 800 FR), Troy Dalbey (USA) (Gold- 400 FR, 800 FR), Sandy Goss (CAN) (Silver- 400 MR), Anthony Nesty (SUR) (Gold- 100 Fly), Laura Walker (USA) (Bronze- 400 FR), Dara Torres (USA) (Silver- 400 MR (prelims), Bronze- 400 FR), Mary Wayte (USA) (Silver- 400 MR, Bronze- 400 FR) and Paige Zumina (USA) (Bronze- 400 FR (prelims)).
Born in 1946 in Daytona Beach, Florida, Randy was always around water. He swam on the local team and competed for his Mainland High School team. Then it was on to Florida State University as a scholarship athlete, but when diagnosed with a heart murmur during his senior year, he switched to coaching Bim Stultz’s freshman team, during a time when collegiate first-year freshman were not permitted to compete on the varsity team. He had found his vocation. Upon graduation from FSU in 1968, he was hired as the men’s and women’s head swim coach at the Bolles School in Jacksonville, Florida where he was responsible for coaching the high school team as well as the AAU team J.E.T.S. From 1969 to 1971, he developed numerous All-American swimmers.
In 1971, Randy was lured across town to Episcopal High School, where he coached the men’s and women’s team for another five years. His men’s team won the High School National Championship title and many of his swimmers attained All-American status. He also coached his AAU team, the Randy Reese Swim Team. Stand-out swimmers included Julie Teeters, Kris Reeves, Beth Hobart and Lauren Dupree for the women and Allan Poucher, Grey Wright, Dean Hamilton, Jimmy Dupree, Chris Hayes and John Hillencamp for the men.
When University of Florida long-time coach Bill Harlan retired in 1976, Randy took over the reigns of both the men’s and women’s teams and over the next 14 seasons achieved a dual meet coaching record of 118 wins, 7 losses (.944%) for the women and 100 wins, 21 losses (.826%) for the men, one of the highest in collegiate swim coaching history. During Reese’s tenure, his men’s and women’s teams each won two National Collegiate Championship team titles (men- 1983, 1984), (women- 1979, 1982). His women have won 76 National titles and include Tracy Caulkins (11), Dara Torres (9), Mary Wayte (8), Tami Bruce (7), Stephanie Zunich (7), Carmen Cowart (6), Renee Laravie (5), Paige Zamina (5), Lorraine Perkins (4), Theresa Andrews (3), Jennie Sawyer (3) and Laureen Welting (3). Male swimmers coached under Randy’s tenure won 15 NCAA titles and include: Geoff Gaberino (4), Mike Heath (4), Albert Mestre (3), Anthony Nesty (2), Craig Beardsley (2), Duffy Dillon (2), John Hillencamp (2), David Larson (2), Martin Zubero (1), Eric Boyer (1), Matt Cetlinski (1), Troy Dalbey (1), Keith Dickson (1), Don Gibb (1), Sandy Goss (1), Paul Robison (1), Bill Sawchuck (1), Bob Utley (1) and David Zubero (1).
All totaled in collegiate swimming, Randy had 79 women earning more than 500 All-American Honors and 60 men earning more than 200 All-American Honors. He was the 1982 and 1988 Women’s NCAA Coach of the Year and Coach of the Year for the men in 1984 and 1985.
Reese was selected assistant U.S. coach for the 1980 Moscow Olympics, 1984 Los Angeles and 1988 Seoul Olympics as well as the 1979 Pan American Games and 1987 Pan Pacific Games.
Randy’s USS teams, Florida Aquatic Swim Team (FAST) and Holmes Lumber Aquatic Swim Team, were tops in USA club history winning 14 National Championships. His swimmers have set 16 World Records and include the Queen of the Individual Medley Tracy Caulkins (5), Rowdy Gaines (4), Martin Zubero (2), Craig Beardsley (2), Dara Torres (2) and Duncan Armstrong (1).
Long known for his innovative theories on training and nutrition, Reese’s methods are often sought by the top coaches in the United States. Over the years, his Florida swimmers stroked upstream in the nearby Ichetucknee Springs River, did pool workouts fully clothed, and crawled their way up the Florida Field Stadium entrance ramp on their hands with wheels attached to their ankles. Such unusual methods are typical of Reese’s creative ideas- which included his special arm paddles to create water resistance while correcting strokes.
Randy went into swimming retirement in 1990 and became regional president of Teamstaff Companies, Inc. in Jacksonville, responsible for the directing and training of brokers for employees leasing sales. In 1996, as owner and CEO, he set up his own Peak Mortgage Company to hire employees and oversee operations.
But “retirement” didn’t last long and he re-surfaced at Circle C Ranch Swim Team with a team that later merged with Texas Aquatics to form Long Horn Aquatics, co-coached by brother Eddie. After 35 years, the brothers were together again doing what they do best- coaching swimming. Randy has authored several articles appearing in swimming journals. He co-authored A Scientific Approach to the Sport of Swimming with John Troup and published a second book Building a Championship Season with Randy Reese.
Under his hard, outer shell on the pool deck is a coach with a great sense of humor who wants to see his swimmers succeed both in and out of the water.
Happy Birthday Ulrika Knape!!
Ulrika Knape (SWE)
Honor Diver (1982)
The information on this page was written the year of their induction.
FOR THE RECORD: OLYMPIC GAMES: 1972 gold (platform), silver (springboard); 1976 silver (platform); AAU NATIONALS: 1 (platform); EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIPS: 1974 gold (springboard, platform); WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS: 1973 gold (platform), silver (springboard); 1975 bronze (platform); NATIONAL SWEDISH Titles: 38; EUROPEAN DIVING CUPS: 1969 gold (springboard); 1975 gold (springboard, platform); Platform Diver of the Year: 1972, 1973, 1974.
Beautiful Ulrika Knape and her glamorous coach, the late Gunnel Weinas, were a class act on the world diving circuit, which they dominated for 5 years in the early 1970s. Ulrika won 38 national Swedish titles. In 2 European and 2 World Championships as well as in 2 Olympics, she won more total medals than any other diver, male or female. She was World Platform Diver of the Year for three straight years, 1972-1973 and 1974. She was the first Swede to win an Olympic diving gold medal in 60 years (since Hall of Famer Greta Johansson) and was hailed as the blonde queen of diving that the Swedes had dominated in the Olympics prior to 1912. Ulrika is married to Mathz Lindbert, Sweden’s top male diver during the same period and currently their national diving coach.
Happy Birthday Donna DeVarona!!
Donna DeVarona (USA)
Honor Swimmer (1969)
The information on this page was written the year of their induction.
FOR THE RECORD: OLYMPIC GAMES: 1960 (participant); 1964 gold (400m individual medley, 4x100m freestyle relay), 5th (100m butterfly); WORLD RECORDS: 8 long course events; AMERICAN RECORDS: 10 short course events (she broke and re-broke her World and American records in these events many times); NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS: 37 individual titles in backstroke, butterfly and freestyle (including 18 gold medals and 3 national high point awards); AWARDS (1964): America’s Outstanding Woman Athlete, Outstanding American Female Swimmer, San Francisco’s Outstanding Woman of the Year, Mademoiselle Award, National Academy of Sports Award, and others.
What Eleanor Holm and Esther Williams were to the “Aquacades” 20 years earlier, Donna deVarona was to swimming in the 1960s. Her glamour and showmanship seen on television, in swimsuit ads, and as an after-dinner speaker are a popular reflection of a swimming record second to none in her time.
Miss deVarona won 37 individual national championship medals, including 18 golds and three national high point awards. She held world records in 8 long course events and American records in 10 short course events, which would have been world records if FINA still recognized 25 yard pool times as they did until 1957. Most of Donna’s world and American records were broken and re-broken numerous times by Donna herself, so she actually held many times more records than the 18 events she held them in.
Her versatility is reflected in her absolute dominance of the tough four stroke Individual Medley, often thought of in tract terms as “the decathlon of swimming.” She further won national titles and set world fastest times in 3 of the 4 strokes in individual events (backstroke, butterfly, and freestyle), establishing herself at various times as the world’s fastest as well as the world’s best all-round swimmer of her day. Her day was a 5-year period which extended from the Rome Olympics until retirement after the Tokyo Games. She was the youngest American on the 1960 team, and four years later she won two gold medals.
In between and following these two Olympics, she was the Queen of Swimming and was so recognized by the International Swimming Hall of Fame at its first International Meet in 1965. During her reign, as most photographed woman athlete, Donna was cover girl on “Life”, “Time”, “Saturday Evening Post” and twice on “Sports Illustrated”.
Her biggest award year was 1964 when she was voted America’s Outstanding Woman Athlete, Outstanding American Female Swimmer, and San Francisco’s Outstanding Woman of the Year, plus the Mademoiselle Award, National Academy of Sports Award and many others in as many languages. She has represented the United States, “doing her thing” in Australia, New Zealand, Germany, Japan, Netherlands, Peru, Brazil, England and Italy.
Happy Birthday Tom Stock!!
Tom Stock (USA)
Honor Swimmer (1989)
The information on this page was written the year of their induction.
FOR THE RECORD: WORLD RECORDS: 10 (100m, 200m, 220yd backstroke; relays); AAU NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS: 11 (100m, 200m, 220yd backstroke; relays; AMERICAN RECORDS: 14 (200yd, 220 yd, 100m, 200m backstroke; relays).
Tom Stock may just be the greatest backstroker who never swam in the Olympics, due to prolonged illness before the 1964 Olympic Games. He may have been the smallest backstroker to hold a world record. He weighed in at 130 lbs. and set 10 world records. When he was in his second month of competition at Indiana University, Stock became the first man in history to swim the 200 yard backstroke under 2 minutes. This was a performance that caused his coach, “Doc” Counsilman to put a sign on the locker room door which said, “It’s not the size of the dog in the fight, but the size of the fight in the dog.”
This desire and an amazing feel of the water, long arms and a powerful kick, made Tom Stock great in the opinion of his famous coach. To the spectators he looked like he was riding on top of the water from the waist up. This unique buoyancy, plus the fastest arm turnover yet seen in backstroke, took him to 11 National championships, 14 American records and five world records in the 100 meter, 200 meter, 110 yard, 220 yard backstroke and the 400 meter medley relay. For four years he was the World Record holder and “King” of the 200 meter backstroke.
It started just after the Rome Olympics and finished just before Tokyo in 1964. In between, he victoriously represented the USA in Japan, South America, and Europe and was The American Swimmer of the Year in 1962. Stock had only two coaches, Dave Stacy at Bloomington, Illinois and “Doc” Counsilman at Bloomington, Indiana. He missed making the 1960 U.S. Olympic team by a judge’s decision. They took only two and not three as chosen in previous Olympics.
Happy Birthday Milena Duchkova!!
Milena Duchkova (CZE)
Honor Diver (1983)
The information on this page was written the year of their induction.
FOR THE RECORD: OLYMPIC GAMES: 1968 gold (platform), 1972 silver (platform); EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIPS: 1970 gold (platform); EUROPEAN CUP: 1967, 1971 gold (platform); WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS: 1973 silver (platform); CZECHOSLOVAKIAN NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS: 62 (1965-1977); ITALIAN CHAMPIONSHIPS: 3; EAST GERMAN INTERNATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS: 3; SWEDISH CUP: 1; Swimming World magazine’s World’s most outstanding female “Platform Diver of the Year”: 1968, 1970.
Milena Duchkova won Czechoslovakia’s first, second and only Olympic medals in any aquatic sport and she was the first female tower diver from any country to score more than 100 total points in the Olympics. This courageous little (5′ 2 1/2″) tower diver with the big eyes and the cute button nose started diving at age 12 and won the Olympics at 16, in 1968, although she wasn’t sure until two weeks before the Olympics that she would be allowed to go to Mexico for the competition. Her country was occupied by the Russians at that time, and she had to cross a bridge guarded by Soviet guards each day to train. She came back to win the silver medal in 1972 and competed (without medaling) in 1976 after she had shoulder surgery 8 weeks before the Games. She received the Czechoslovakian “President’s Award of Distinction” in 1972. Milena was a member of the Czech Olympic Committee and official medical doctor for the Czech diving team in 1978-1979. She began coaching in Prague 1978-1980 and in 1980 moved to Canada as head diving coach for the Newfoundland diving team, acting also as a coach and consultant to the Canadian National diving team. A brilliant student as well as athlete, Milena is fluent in 6 languages, won her Master of Sport ’66. Meritorious Master of Sport ’68, and coaching certificate also ’68. She graduated as an M.D. in 1977 into the faculty of medicine with a specialty in dental surgery. On immigrating to Canada, she worked her way through dental school at the University of Manitoba in two years and is presently on the faculty while still coaching the Pan Am Diving Club in Winnipeg. Her coach was Marie Cermakova throughout her diving career.
Happy Birthday Marco D’Altrui!!
Marco D’Altrui (ITA)
Honor Water Polo (2010)
The information on this page was written the year of their induction.
FOR THE RECORD: 1992 OLYMPIC GAMES: gold; 1984, 1988 OLYMPIC GAMES: 7th; FINA WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS: 1994, gold; 1986, silver; FINA CUPS: 1983-bronze; 1985, 1987-5th, 1989-silver; 1993-gold; 1983 MEDITERRANEAN GAMES: bronze; 1987, 1990 MEDITERRANEAN CHAMPIONSHIPS: gold; 1983 EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIPS: 6th; 1985 EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIPS: 4th; 1987, 1989 EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIPS: bronze; 1993 EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIPS: gold.
For the first time in history, the International Swimming Hall of Fame is recognizing a father and son as one, jointly in the same year. This honor goes to three-time Olympic water polo players Giuseppe and Marco D’Altrui of Italy.
Giuseppe “Geppino” D’Altrui was born in Naples on April 7, 1934. He played in over 300 Series A games, from 1952 through 1964. Coached by Hall of Famer Mario Majoni, Giuseppe competed in 75 Italian National Team games from 1954 to 1964. He was a member of the 1956 Italian Olympic Team that competed in Melbourne finishing fourth, but as the Captain of the 1960 Olympic Team, he helped to lead his team to a gold medal victory in front of a home-town crowd at the Rome Olympic Games. He was also Captain of the 1964 Olympic Team that just finished out of the medal count.
Giuseppe’s love for the game flowed naturally from his love of being in the water. “I can say that I have spent more time in the water than on earth and for me is never enough!”
Following in the footsteps of famous fathers can be a difficult burden for young athletes and few are the ones who achieve the same level of success. But for Marco, who was born on April 24, 1964, following in the wake of his father came as naturally as learning to swim, which he did before he was three years of age. “For me to stay in the water was a game, fun, a hobby. I was diving and played with the ball in full freedom from the time I was three,” says Marco.
From his father’s example Marco learned to love the water and the dedication, commitment and time management skills that make a champion. He played in over 700 Series A matches as a member of Recco and Pescara and like his father before him was a member of the national team for ten years. In 1984 and 1988 he was on the Olympic teams that finished 7th in Los Angeles and Seoul. Then, playing for Hall of Fame coach Ratko Rudic, at the 1992 Olympic Games, Marco and the Settebello once again won the gold, 32 years after his father. As a great defensive player, Marco helped to keep his opponents from scoring, resulting in a grand slam of the Italian National Team from 1992-1994 (Olympic Games, World Championships, European Championships) and a grand slam of European Cups (Euro League Cup, Winners Cup, LEN Cup and LEN Super Cup).
“When athletes are young,” says Marco, “certainly the most credit goes to parents for their commitment both in terms of organization of management of daily life. I have no regrets at the sacrifices and am delighted to have followed in the footsteps of my father. Perhaps the best thing about the gold medal won in Barcelona was just to see the joy and emotion of my parents when I got off the plane with the medal around my neck. To win the Olympics was a dream that I’ve always had and it has accompanied me since I played with a small ball in the shallow water. I always wanted to imitate my father, who had won the gold medal at the Olympics in Rome. It goes to show that if you dream it, and work hard, you can do it.”
Happy Birthday Xu Yiming!!
Xu Yiming (CHN)
Honor Coach (2003)
The information on this page was written the year of their induction.
FOR THE RECORD: 1988, 1992, 1996, 2000 OLYMPIC GAMES: Head Diving Coach (men, women); Coach of OLYMPIC DIVERS: winning 15 gold medals, 4 silver medals, 1 bronze medal; NATIONAL TEAM HEAD COACH: 1985-2000; 1982, 1986, 1991, 1994, 1998 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS: Head Diving Coach (men, women); Coach of WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP DIVERS: winning 10 gold medals, 7 silver medals, 4 bronze medals; Served Four Terms on FINA TECHNICAL DIVING COMMITTEE 1984-2000.
Born in 1942 in Guang Dong Province, China, Xu Yiming was destined to lead his country to world dominance in the sport of diving. He began as an eight-year-old diver, diving for Coaches Lui Chen Hai (1950-1960) and then Chen Kuan Xian (1960-1973). But it was not until age 30, in 1972, that he won the 10-meter platform event at the China National Games. The next year, Xu took the step from competitor to coach and started a dynasty of World and Olympic Champions.
From his coaching debut in 1973, Xu rapidly ascended in coaching success. With a strong sense of responsibility, he felt ill-at-ease about China’s slow progress in diving. He was convinced that the Chinese divers would some day do as well as any great divers in the world, provided that they broke away from conventional training methods and tried something new. Trainees used to practice basic somersault skills on a trampoline while a complete dive had to be tried over the pool at the risk of getting whopped by the water. With his diving experience, Xu knew only too well what a belly-flop was like. After carefully studying the training methods used by other coaches, he invented a new device for trampoline exercise. With two pulleys fixed on the ceiling and a belt attached to the waist of the trainee, he was able to increase the height of flight and the speed of somersaults to lengthen the time of descent so that the trainee could take his time in completing a sophisticated dive with his eyes open in the air.
It was with this new method of training that, at the 1974, 7th Asian Games in Teheran, the Chinese Diving Team swept all four gold medals. His first star pupil, Li Kongzhen, then only 15, was a victor.
Xu became five-times Olympic Diving Coach (1984, 1988, 1992, 1996, 2000) and from 1984-2000, coached divers to 15 gold medals, 4 silver medals and 1 bronze medal in Olympic competition, winning more than one-half of the available gold medals in those five Olympiads. In his 16 years as National Team Head Coach, Xu’s Olympic and World Championship medal winners include: Li Conejeng (platform 1984 Olympic bronze, 1986 World Championships silver); Tan Liangde (3m springboard 1984, 1988 and 1992 Olympic silver); Zhou Jihong (platform 1984 Olympic gold); Chen Lin (platform 1986 World Championships gold); Xu Yanmei (platform 1988 Olympic gold); Gao Min (3m springboard 1988 and 1992 Olympic gold); Sun Shuwei (platform 1992 Olympic gold); Fu Mingxia (platform 1992 Olympic gold, 3m springboard and platform 1996 Olympic gold, 3m springboard 2000 Olympic gold); Xiong Ni (3m springboard 1996, 2000 Olympic gold); Tiao Liang (platform 2000 Olympic gold); Xiong Ni / Xiao Hailiang (3m springboard synchro 2000 Olympic gold); Tian Liang / Hu Jia (10m platform synchro 2000 Olympic silver); Guo Jingjing / Fu Mingxia (3m springboard synchro 2000 Olympic gold); and Li Na / Sang Xue (10m platform synchro 2000 Olympic gold).
Xu was also “coaching” the coaches to advance their level of technique. Eighty percent of all diving coaches attended his two- to four-month long seminars held throughout the provinces.
From 1984-2000 Xu served four terms on the FINA Technical Diving Committee. In 1996, he offered and edited Basic Diving Coaching Manual, a 412-page publication presented by FINA to the world diving community. Printed in multiple languages, it describes his training methods used from 1973-1995 and includes new, innovative dryland equipment he introduced.
In 2000, FINA appointed Xu to produce a 10-volume video series on diving coaching which includes material from his first publication as well as new methods used from 1995-2002.
Xu is engaged to establish an international diving training center with all amenities and has designed competitive stadiums throughout China including Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou as well as at TsingHua University in Beijing. New dryland training facilities are designed with each location.
To Xu, success lies with strict discipline. You can never train too long or too hard. A perfectionist, Xu has an insatiable desire for success. He trains children into world champions.
Only 2 Days left to NAME THE ISHOF NEWSLETTER!!!! Could you be THE WINNER???
A
ISHOF Newsletter Contest
ONLY TWO DAYS LEFT !!!!!
The International Swimming Hall of Fame is looking for a new
name for its monthly newsletter and we’ve decided to have a
contest and give all our favorite swimmers, aquatic athletes, and
fans a shot at naming it.
If your choice is selected, you will win two tickets to the 2024
ISHOF Induction Ceremonies or a $100 gift card to the ISHOF Gift
Shop.
The contest is now open and ends April 26th. You may enter your
responses in the comment section of this post or send an email to rob@ishof.org
We will select a winner to be announced on May 1 via ISHOF
socials.
Happy Birthday Mary Kok!!
Mary Kok (NED)
Honor Swimmer (1980)
The information on this page was written the year of their induction.
FOR THE RECORD: OLYMPIC GAMES: 1956 (boycott); WORLD RECORDS: 10 (440yd, 880yd, 800m, 1760yd freestyle; 100yd, 100m butterfly; 400yd, 400m individual medley; 1 relay) from 1955 to 1957.
Hall of Fame coach Jan Stender developed 8 world record holders living on one street in Hilversum, Holland, in 1955. Yet neither coach Stender nor any of his Dutch swimmers were allowed to compete in the 1956 Melbourne Olympics. This boycott which the Dutch Government called as a protest to the Russian repression of the Hungarian Revolution was toughest on Mary Kok, perhaps the finest of the Dutch swimmers and the world’s most prolific record holder (10) in 1955. The versatile Mary (no relation to Hall of Famer Ada Kok) held the middle distance freestyle records and was one of the first world record holders in the four stroke individual medley and the butterfly stroke. After the 1956 Olympics, Mary Kok became one of the world’s greatest marathon swimmers. She is currently married to Kees Oudegeest coaching in Spain.