Happy Birthday Mayumi Aoki
Mayumi Aoki (JPN)
Honor Swimmer (1989)
The information on this page was written the year of their induction.
FOR THE RECORD: OLYMPIC GAMES: 1972 gold (100m butterfly); WORLD RECORDS: 2 (100m butterfly); WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS: 1973 bronze (100m butterfly); CANADIAN NATIONALS: 1970 gold (100m butterfly).
On Friday, September 1, 1972, 19 year old Mayumi Aoki became Japan’s first female Olympic gold medal winning swimmer in 40 years and only the second in history after Hall of Famer Hideko Maehata won at the 1932 Los Angeles Olympics.
In winning her race at the Munich Games, Aoki established several other Olympic firsts. She was the first non-American to win the women’s 100 meter butterfly since it was introduced into the games with Shelly Mann’s gold medal in 1956. She was the first woman to lower the Olympic record under 1:04. Her world record of 1:03.9 had been set at the Japanese Nationals earlier in the summer. She swam a new world record of 1:03.34 in the Olympic Finals, in a cliff hanger over the German Democratic Republic’s Roswitha Beier, Hungary’s Andrea Gyarmati and America’s Deena Deardruff and Dana Shrader. All five women were under Mayumi’s old world record in one of the closest across the board finishes in Olympic history. Aoki swam a super fly split of 1:02.47 in the medley relay but it wasn’t enough to make her Japanese team a medal winner.
Aoki was A-OK in winning her first big North American race at the Canadian Nationals in 1970. She also won a bronze medal for a third place finish at the first World Championships in 1973. She was Japanese National Champion in the 200 meter butterfly as well as the 100 meter butterfly. She is currently (1989) a high school physical education teacher and a swimming coach in Japan.
Happy Birthday Alain Bernard
Alain Bernard (FRA)
Honor Swimmer (2017)
The information on this page was written the year of their induction.
FOR THE RECORD: 2008 OLYMPIC GAMES: gold (100m freestyle), silver (4x100m freestyle), bronze (50m freestyle); 2012 London: gold (4×100m freestyle); 2007 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS (LC): bronze (4×100m freestyle); 2009 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS (LC): silver (100m freestyle), bronze (4×100m freestyle); 2011 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS (LC): silver (4×100m freestyle), bronze (50m freestyle); 2010 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS: gold 4×100m freestyle; 2006 EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIPS (LC): bronze (4×100m freestyle); 2008 EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIPS (SC): gold (100m freestyle, 50m freestyle); 2010 EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIPS (LC): gold (100m freestyle), silver (4×100m freestyle); 2012 EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIPS (LC): gold (4×100m freestyle), silver (100m freestyle); 2004 EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIPS (SC): gold (4×50m freestyle); 2005 EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIPS (SC): silver (4×50m freestyle); 2006 EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIPS (SC): silver (4×50m freestyle), bronze (100m freestyle); 2007 EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIPS (SC): gold (100m freestyle), silver (4x50m freestyle), bronze (50m freestyle); 2008 EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIPS (SC): gold (4×50m freestyle); FOUR WORLD RECORDS: 50m freestyle (LC), 100m freestyle (LC & SC), 200m freestyle relay.
Born in Aubagne, Bouches-du-Rhône, France, Alain Bernard trained at a local club until the age of 16, when he switched to Club Marseille to train under coach Denis Auguin. He made slow but steady progress until 2007, a break-out year in which he set the French record in the 100m freestyle and later claimed his first European Championship title in the same event. Then, at the European Championships in March 2008, he set his first world records, winning the 50m and 100m freestyle. A month later he qualified for the Beijing Olympic Games in both events.
Alain’s experience in Beijing began with bitter disappointment, when the USA took the gold medal from the favored French team in the 4x100m freestyle relay. In addition, he also lost his world record to Eamon Sullivan who led off Australia’s relay with a phenomenal swim.
Alain reclaimed his record two days later in his 100m freestyle semi-final swim, before losing it again to Sullivan in his semi. In the final, however, it was Alain Bernard who won the gold medal, and with his victory, he became France’s first male Olympic gold medalist since Jean Boiteaux, who won the 400m freestyle at the 1952 Helsinki Olympic Games.
The next day he won a bronze medal in the 50m freestyle event and left Beijing with three medals, each of a different metal.
The next year, Alain ushered in the shiny suit era by becoming the first swimmer to break the 47 second barrier in the 100m freestyle, breaking Sullivan’s record with a time of 46.94 seconds. Unfortunately, the suit he wore was not approved by FINA and his record was unrecognized.
Leading up to the 2012 Olympic Games in London, Alain continued to be among the world’s top sprinters and although he missed qualifying in individual events, he was a member of the French 4x100m freestyle relay that finally won the gold, after knocking on the door of greatness for most of his career. Upon returning to France at the age of 29, he announced his retirement as his country’s most decorated Olympic swimmer, owning a total of four medals (two gold, one silver and one bronze) from two Olympic Games, Beijing and London.
Today he continues to share his love of swimming in his role as ambassador and technical advisor for the French AquaSphere brand of swim equipment.
Happy Birthday Charlotte Davis
Charlotte Davis (USA) Honor Coach (2014)
The information on this page was written the year of their induction.
FOR THE RECORD: 1984 OLYMPIC GAMES: Head Coach; 1988 OLYMPIC GAMES: Assistant Coach and Team Leader; 1992 OLYMPIC GAMES: Assistant Coach and Team Leader; 1996 OLYMPIC GAMES: National Team Director and Coach of two swimmers winning two Olympic gold and one Olympic Silver medal; National Team Director and Assistant Coach of 1991, 1994 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS: 1991, 1993, 1995 WORLD CUP: National Team Director and Assistant Coach; 1983, 1987, PAN AMERICAN GAMES: Head Coach 1995 PAN AM GAMES: National Team Director and Assistant Coach.
https://youtube.com/watch?v=Ept3di0E5Do%3Flist%3DPLjYWbX54Yv0Hajz_HtHecswNBl39Ybdz4
She began her love of swimming at age three. At 11, her older sisters taught her “water ballet” and she was immediately hooked. She loved the music, the creativity, the artistry and best of all, swimming upside down! She then discovered the Washington Athletic Club Synchronized Swimming Team, where she competed through high school. After high school, she moved and competed with the reigning National Champion, Santa Clara Aquamaids. It was with the Aquamaids, she became a National Team champion in 1970.
In 1971, Charlotte moved back to Seattle and formed her own synchronized swimming team. After a few years of coaching, a nine year-old swimmer who could barely swim the length of the pool, caught Charlotte’s eye. That little girl’s name was Tracie Ruiz. Soon after, another little girl, Candie Costie, stood out and decided she wanted to swim duet with Tracie.
Under Charlotte’s guidance, Tracie and Candy rose to the top very quickly, winning the Junior National Duet title at the age of 16. Five years later, in 1982, when the IOC announced the inclusion of the duet on the program for the 1984 Olympic Games, Charlotte and the girls made a pact to work hard and earn the right to represent the United States in Los Angeles. Their hard work and dedication paid off as Charlotte was named head Olympic coach and the girls went on to win the gold medal for the USA; because of the Soviet boycott, the IOC added the solo competition at the last minute. Tracie Ruiz won the gold medal in that event as well.
Charlotte Davis was instrumental in the formation of the U.S. Synchronized Swimming Inc. program that began when the corporation was formed in 1979. She was hired as the organization’s first full-time National Team coach in 1984 and in 1992 was named National Team Director, a position she held until her retirement in 2000. During her tenure, the USA was the dominant force in international synchronized swimming. In addition to the gold medals in 1984 she coached the Josephson twins, Karen and Sarah, to the Olympic duet silver medal in 1988 and Tracie Ruiz to the gold in solo. In 1992 the Josephsons won the duet, while Kristen Babb won the solo gold in Barcelona. As the National Team Director and assistant Olympic coach in 1996, Charlotte also played a major role in the USA’s “perfect ten” performance in Atlanta. It was the first Olympic gold medal awarded for the team event in Olympic history.
Charlotte Davis shared her expertise by giving clinics around the world helping to make synchronized swimming one of the marquee FINA events.
https://youtube.com/watch?v=d_KhTshrlyQ%3Ffeature%3Doembed
Happy Birthday Don Schollander
Don Schollander (USA)
Honor Swimmer (1965)
The information on this page was written the year of their induction.
FOR THE RECORD: OLYMPIC GAMES: 1964 gold (100m, 400m freestyle; 4x100m, 4x200m freestyle relay); 1968 gold (4x200m freestyle relay), silver (200m freestyle); First swimmer in history to win 4 gold medals at one Olympics; WORLD RECORDS: 200yd, 200m freestyle; U.S. NATIONAL RECORDS: freestyle; World Athlete of the Year, 1964.
Nineteen year old Don Schollander is the world’s most honored active swimmer. No swimmer in any year has received the honor that came to Schollander in 1964. His selection as top athlete at the 1964 Olympics, plus his award as U. S. and World Athlete of the Year are proof that swimming has come of age and is long overdue on having its own Hall of Fame.
Don received 138 first-place votes and 459 points compared to 14 firsts and 134 points for runner-up Johnny Unitas. No swimmer had previously won the pool in its 34 year history and no athlete in any sport has won it by such an overwhelming margin.
Justification for Schollander’s overwhelming A.P. vote and for his selection to the first group honored in the new Swimming Hall of Fame is his record of 4 gold medals, 4 Olympic and 3 world records in his four Olympic freestyle swimming events. No other swimmer has ever done so well in the Olympic Games.
Don was the first man in the world to break 2 minutes for the 200 meter freestyle, on July 7, 1963; but his most amazing performance was his 1:41.7 for 200 yards last April. Try to imagine a man with such great talent that he can race and beat a four man relay team, not just any four man relay, but a world record relay team. This is what Don Schollander did at Yale, give or take 50 years. His 1:41.7, 200 yd. freestyle time at the 1965 Indoor U. S. Nationals in April was 7/10 seconds faster than the world record set by Yale’s 200 yd. freestyle relay team in 1917. It is a dramatic illustration of the improvement in swimming times, training and techniques in less than 50 years.
In preparing for the 1964 Olympic Trials and Games, Don’s coach, George Haines, (he has had several great coaches in his young career), felt he could win any freestyle event for which he trained. The middle distances are his forte but Haines felt it would be difficult and dangerous, if not foolhardy , to prime Don for both the 100 meter sprint and 1500 meter distance races at the same time. The coach, showing complete confidence in his swimmer plus a flare for the dramatic, and a rise to the challenge, picked the 100. Although Don is not a sprinter, he has an almost perfect stroke and the 100 meter distance was long enough for this good stroking to pay off in a come-from-behind victory. Certainly it proved a point for good swimming. Don owned the 400 meter race, perhaps his best distance, and swam on two of the U.S.A.’s three gold medal world record breaking relays, something he might not have been able to do had he primed for the 1500. All signs were “go” and all gambles paid off. No swimmer before Schollander has ever won four gold medals in one Olympics, yet Don might have won five had he been on still another relay. On the other hand, 1964 was the first Olympics that offered three relays and only the second Olympics offering more than one men’s relay. Immortality is still a combination of timing and talent.
There are now more races for more and faster swimmers in the booming sport of swimming than ever before. This, just as Schollander’s early selection for the Swimming Hall of Fame, is a sign of the times in this fastest-growing Olympic sport.
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.