Throwback Thursday: Rowdy Gaines Knows Dreams Can Be Worth the Wait
by JOHN LOHN – EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
29 February 2024, 04:17am
Rowdy Gaines – A Wait Worth It
As Swimming World continues its Great Races Series, we offer a look at the final of the men’s 100-meter freestyle from the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. Here is the story of Rowdy Gaines, who endured the boycott of the 1980 Olympics to achieve Olympic glory, with a twist to the race that made it happen.
Through history, sports and politics have frequently run along parallel lines, their paths eventually colliding with ugly results. There has been no bigger stage for these clashes than the Olympic Games, the quadrennial event which brings together countries with differing governments, cultures, socioeconomic statuses and religious beliefs.
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At the 1936 Olympics in Berlin, Adolf Hitler used Germany’s role as host to promote the Nazi party and its ideals, and to especially emphasize his perceived superiority of the Aryan race. While Hitler had a global forum, his plan was significantly hindered by American Jesse Owens. As Hitler looked on, the African-American track star short-circuited any suggestions of Aryan supremacy by winning four gold medals in dominant fashion.
Thirty-two years later, the United States’ Tommie Smith and John Carlos ran to gold and bronze medals, respectively, in the 200-meter dash at the 1968 Olympics in Mexico City. But it’s their actions during the medal ceremony, not their speed, which are remembered most. In protest of civil rights inequality for African-Americans, Smith and Carlos each bowed their heads and raised a black-gloved fist into the air, a known symbol for black power, during the playing of the Star Spangled Banner. They also stood only in black socks, meant to represent black poverty.
The actions of Smith and Carlos were deemed inappropriate by many, including the International Olympic Committee. Under pressure from the IOC, the United States Olympic Committee suspended the athletes, who were subsequently thrown out of the Olympic Village. To this day, the picture of Smith and Carlos on the podium is an iconic image in Olympic history.
Olympic history, too, knows Rowdy Gaines. And Gaines knows the combustible relationship between athletics and politics.As the 1980 Games in Moscow neared, Gaines was expected to be one of the American stars of the 22nd Olympiad, along with countrywomen Tracy Caulkins and Mary T. Meagher, among others. As a star for Auburn University, Gaines was surging at the right time, his peak performances seemingly destined for the Summer of 1980. If the blueprint unfolded according to plan, Gaines would be a gold-medal favorite in the 100 freestyle and 200 freestyle, and as a member of two United States relays.
Photo Courtesy: Griffin Scott
While Gaines was training for the biggest moment of his career, the Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan in December 1979 in support of the Afghan communist government’s conflict with anti-communist Muslim guerillas. A month later, United States President Jimmy Carter gave a speech which described several reactionary measures to the Soviet Union’s invasion of Afghanistan. One of the measures was a boycott of the Moscow Games if Soviet troops did not withdraw.
“Although the United States would prefer not to withdraw from the Olympic games scheduled in Moscow this summer, the Soviet Union must realize that its continued aggressive actions will endanger both the participation of athletes and the travel to Moscow by spectators who would normally wish to attend the Olympic games,” Carter said in his speech.
On March 21, 1980, the hammer dropped. Meeting with 150 American athletes, Carter announced the United States would officially boycott the Olympic Games. With that one decision, which was mimicked by 60 other countries, hundreds of American athletes saw their Olympic dreams crushed. Years of hard work, dedication and sacrifice went to waste. Gaines was one of the athletes who was robbed.
“I never believed for a moment that we would actually boycott,” Gaines said. “In fact, I was in denial all the way until they made the official announcement…I think the boycott was made for two reasons. One was to influence the (Soviets) to leave Afghanistan. The other was to try and move the Olympics out of (the Soviet Union). Neither one worked. If it truly would have helped the cause, then I would have been for it as well. But the old cliché of mixing politics and sports is so true. The (Soviets) used it to their advantage by winning more medals and the propaganda helped them tremendously and it ruined so many people’s athletic careers. The best thing we could do then was to go over there and kick their ass.”
Like many athletes of the era, Gaines faced decisions in the aftermath of the boycott. Following his senior year at Auburn, Gaines had to decide whether to continue with the sport and pursue a berth to the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles or retire. It wasn’t an easy decision considering what Gaines had accomplished in the preceding months. Simply, he was on the finest roll of his career.
In addition to setting a world record in the 200 freestyle ahead of the 1980 Olympics, Gaines set a world record in the 100 freestyle in 1981. But for a six-month period after his senior year of college, Gaines couldn’t see sticking with the pool through 1984. At the time, the end of a collegiate career typically coincided with retirement, due to the truly amateur status of the sport. For Gaines, it was time to walk away.
At least temporarily.
“It was a very difficult decision,” Gaines said. “In fact, I retired after my senior year in 1981 because that’s what you did back then. There was no swimming after you graduated from college because there was no money. I wasn’t even allowed to accept money. It was still truly an amateur sport back then. After being retired for those six months, my father came to me and said that I would have a hard time the rest of my life looking in the mirror and saying ‘what if’ and he was right, I didnt want to have that feeling. It was not easy though. I worked as a night clerk in a hotel to try and make some money to survive, lived in a hovel and survived on mac and cheese. But there were a lot of us doing that so there was a camaraderie with those that were boycott babies.”
Photo Courtesy: Universal Sports
Gaines’ comeback from his brief retirement got off to a positive start, with Gaines breaking his world record in the 200 freestyle at the United States World Championships Trials in July of 1982. He followed by winning silver medals at the World Champs in the 100 freestyle and 200 freestyle and anchored three gold-medal-winning relays.
But the next summer didn’t produce the results Gaines was chasing. While he won the 100 freestyle and was the bronze medalist in the 200 freestyle, the performances lacked the pop which was a familiar trademark. With the Olympic Games – and redemption – a year away, Gaines hardly put fear into his rivals. More, questions began to creep into Gaines’ mind.
“I sort of felt (doubt) in the summer of 1983 after the Pan Am Games,” he said. “I swam really poorly there. It was the first time in such a meet that I didn’t improve my times. I didn’t even win the 200, the event in which I held the world record. I won the 100 and was on three winning relay teams, which sounds OK, but I knew the competition wasn’t that strong, not like it would be in the Olympics. For the first time, I felt old. I had doubts. I sat down with my parents, my coaches and my friends, all of whom really helped me. And in the end, I decided to go for it – win, lose or draw – because otherwise I would never know.”
The 1984 Olympic Trials didn’t exactly boost Gaines’ confidence, either. He didn’t even qualify for the Los Angeles Games in the 200 freestyle – individually or as a relay member – and he was only second to Mike Heath in the 100 freestyle, although that placement officially secured his Olympic invitation. Could Gaines get it together in time to excel in the biggest meet of his life? It was a legitimate concern.
The 100 freestyle was the first event of Gaines’ Olympic program and he was racing in a stacked field. Although the Eastern Bloc countries boycotted the Games in retaliation for what took place in 1980, Gaines had to deal with formidable competition in Heath, Australia’s Mark Stockwell and Sweden’s Per Johansson. A medal of any color was far from a guarantee, let alone a gold medal.
As Gaines was preparing for the final, he was approached by his coach Richard Quick and told to prepare for a quick start by the referee, Francisco Silvestri of Panama. Not just one of the greatest coaches in the world, Quick was attentive to details. From what he witnessed at the 1982 World Championships and 1983 Pan American Games, Quick knew Silvestri had a quick trigger when starting races and wanted Gaines to be alert for a similar outcome.
Indeed, Quick’s advice paid dividends. After the finalists in the 100 freestyle climbed the starting blocks, Silvestri’s reputation played out. As many of the swimmers were still moving downward to the “set” position, Silvestri fired his starter’s pistol. Ready for the quick fire, Gaines surged off the blocks and immediately bolted to a half-body length lead. Meanwhile, Stockwell was left behind, with Heath even farther back.
Gaines made the turn at the halfway mark in front of the pack, and aware of his lead. As he made his way down the last lap, he kept reminding himself to dig deep and push as hard as he could in what would be the last individual race of his career. Although Stockwell was closing during the final strokes, Gaines got to the wall first in 49.80, with Stockwell earning the silver medal in 50.24. Johansson placed third in 50.31, just ahead of Heath in 50.41.
After turning to read the scoreboard, a jubilant Gaines threw his head back and jumped into the air, thrusting his right arm upward. Four years after what should have been his handshake with Olympic glory, Gaines recognized his career dream.
“Part of me feels like it was yesterday,” Gaines said. “I can remember specific details of the race. But another part me feels like that was another person. I’m not sure how I did all that. It would have been impossible without Richard Quick. He had such a knack for picking up things to help his athletes, and that’s what he did with the start. But more than a coach, he was always a confidant and friend.”
The excitement of Gaines was equally matched by the anger of Stockwell and Heath. The Australian, knowing he wasn’t set for the start of the race, twice slammed his fist against the wall, but then congratulated Gaines. The Australian delegation filed a protest on Stockwell’s behalf, but it was denied. As for Heath, he congratulated Gaines before exiting the pool irate with the start and the way it cost him early ground.
“I don’t want to take away anything from Rowdy,” Stockwell said. “I mean, he’s great. He’s been around for a long time and he knows what to look out for. It just wasn’t a fair start.”
Photo Courtesy: Taylor Brien
Gaines’ might have been forced to wait for his Olympic experience, but he certainly got the most out of the occasion. After winning the 100 freestyle, Gaines powered the United States to gold medals in the 400 freestyle relay and 400 medley relay, giving him three victories on his home soil. However, it wouldn’t be the last of his Olympic dalliances.
Following his athletic career, Gaines became involved in broadcasting and has been a commentator at every Olympic Games since 1992. The 2020 Olympics in Tokyo marked his eighth Olympiad behind the microphone. Listening to a broadcast in which Gaines is involved leaves no doubt about his genuine care for what is taking place in the pool. He is highly excitable, his voice frequently rising to a crescendo as a down-to-the-wire race is decided at the wall.
Although some fans of the sport object to Gaines’ approach, he doesn’t apologize for his style. Enthusiasm is his calling card. Perhaps his most-famous call was at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, when Jazon Lezak anchored the United States to an improbable victory in the 400 freestyle relay, in the process keeping alive Michael Phelps’ pursuit of eight gold medals.
“The first and foremost thing I try to bring to my announcing is passion,” Gaines said. “People can question some of my knowledge and my language or grammar, but they can’t question my passion. I hope that’s something that comes across because it’s genuine and I love doing it. I have the best seat in the house.”
An affable man who remains active in operating swim clinics, Gaines is one of the most recognizable faces of the sport. He can tell stories about races he has witnessed and ones in which he has taken part. It would be difficult to find a better story than the tale of his 1984 gold medal, which capped a journey from heartache to elation.
“I’ll tell you the truth. I was preparing my loser’s speech,” Gaines said of 1984. “I felt if I lost, I would come out and be gracious. I was going to say that I thought I had contributed to the sport and that I’ve got nothing to be ashamed of. It would hurt for the rest of my life. But I would have said it was worth it.
“(Olympic Coach Don Gambril) realized that I needed to stick around for my own sense of sanity. I think if I had quit, 20 years down the line I would have jumped out of the 20th floor, just from wondering if I could have made it or not. I felt in my heart that I needed to do this. He asked me if it was worth it. I told him, yeah, it was worth it. I’d go through another four years for this feeling. There’s so many of us who have been around for so long (since the 1980 boycott). You might get tired of hearing it, but we went through hell in 1980. But it was worth it.”
As we close out Black History month, let’s take a look at ISHOF’s Black History Exhibit……”Black Splash” and the importance of “A Film Called Blacks Can’t Swim”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bK6jR4zvcLg
Several years ago, ISHOF CEO, Bruce Wigo, partnered with the Dillard Museum and Derek T. Davis, Curator to bring an exhibit to Fort Lauderdale on the history of African American Swimming. Watch the video here.
The Importance of “A Film Called Blacks Can’t Swim”
by Bruce Wigo
Black History Month is a time for us in the aquatic community to reflect on why more African Americans and people of color don’t swim. Especially because for 400 years (the period from from 1451 – 1860), Africans, Native Americans and the indigenous populations of Oceana “excelled all others in the arts of swimming and diving”. The cultural history of swimming is both tragic and fascinating and while it helps explain how people of color lost their aquatic traditions and how European/Caucasians became the most accomplished swimmers – it’s only part of the story.
Recently, A Film Called Blacks Can’t Swim was released on the internet. I was lucky enough to see it before its release. It’s just 33 minutes long, but it touches on all the important cultural stereotypes and excuses that keep Blacks and other minorities out of the water.
A Film Called Blacks Can’t Swim is about British hip-hop artist Ed Accura’s fears and anxiety with swimming. The film depicts the effects of the stigma, stereotypes and myths and also highlights the views of various people in his community. The aim of the film, he says, is to help eradicate the negative views associated with black people and swimming as well as encouraging more to learn toswim thus reducing the number of deaths by drowning.
Ed plays “Frank Awuah” a neurotic character who, after hearing a news report about the inevitable floods from global warming, develops a phobia for water because he can’t swim. He buys a life jacket and wears it everywhere. His friends think he’s gone loony. “Frank, if you’re worried about drowning just go learn to swim.” But Frank has a little devil in his ear that keeps telling him “Blacks can’t Swim!” “Your bones are too dense!” “Blacks can’t even float, ha ha!” All the negative messages you can imagine.
In between the vignettes of Frank’s inner voice telling him he can’t swim are interviews with Frank’s friends who do their best to dispel the myths and stereotypes and discuss their ideas why Blacks don’s swim. “It’s fear!” “It’s a middle-class upper class thing.” “It’s expensive” “Chlorine and chemicals ruins our hair and skin.” “People are ashamed to admit they can’t swim so they just stay away from the water.” “It’s not part of our culture.” “We have other priorities!” “Look, if you ask Black people if they can swim 500 yards they look at you like you’re from another planet.”
Frank is even afraid to take a bath. “What did I tell you Frank?” says his evil inner voice. “Just stay away from the water! There’s zero chance of drowning if you just stay away from the water! Ha! Ha! ”
One of Frank’s friends says he learned because it was part of his school’s curriculum. Several other had children who could swim. Another tells of a school swimming class. He could swim “ok”, but not as good as the white kids, but he was better on the track. This discouraged him and confirmed the stereotype about swimming, so that was it for swimming.
In one of the last scenes, Frank, wearing his life jacket, is driving his car. His wife is in the passenger seat. “You’re being ridiculous, why don’t you just learn to swim,” she says. “But Blacks can’t swim!” – he retorts. In the back seat is Frank’s daughter. “But I can swim daddy,” she says.
The film ends with Frank in the pool and an image of 2016 Olympic champion Simone Manuel. Of course Blacks can swim! Interestingly in an online interview, Accura relates that one of the reasons he never learned to swim is that he was comfortable in the stereotype that “Blacks can’t swim.” He also believes that today, it is a matter of priorities. It’s just not a priority within the minority community.
It should be. But it’s not just a matter of water safety. All humans spend their first nine months as swimmers. When we emerge from the womb we all have the bradycardia reflex, which is part of the mammalian diving reflex – just like dolphins, whales and seals. When our faces are exposed to cold water as infants, our hearts slows down and blood is shifted away from the peripheral muscles to conserve oxygen for the brain and heart, and we hold their breath. We are of the sea and it is no coincidence that our body fluids are nearly identical to sea water. There is something that is spiritual, if you will, about the water.
In his book, the Blue Mind, Dr. Wallace J. Nichols, explores the Surprising Science That Shows How Being Near, In, On, or Under Water Can Make You Happier, Healthier, More Connected, and Better at What We do. In addition learning-to-swim can open minds to the two-thirds of the planet that is covered with water and to the innumerable recreational and opportunities that are denied to those who cannot swim.
Accura is to be greatly commended for exploring this issue and changing world culture where everyone can swim. The earth is, after all, the only planet we know of that has liquid water. How can you be an earthling and not know how to enjoy an element that covers 2/3rd of our planet.
To learn more about the film and to support it: Click Here
Watch these great videos celebrating Cullen Jones as he marks his 40th birthday!!!
Cullen meets the NBA……
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v4IJf7-kZHU
Learn about Cullen’s life in his own words……
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G3DufyD4Rj4
Watch Brett Hawke’s entire entire with Cullen Jones!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H4EI2snSdvE
Cullen JONES (USA)
FOR THE RECORD: 2012 OLYMPIC GAMES: gold (men’s 4 x 100 medley relay), silver (men’s 50m freestyle, 4 x 100 freestyle relay); 2008 OLYMPIC GAMES: gold (men’s 4 x 100 freestyle relay); 2009 FINA WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS: gold (men’s 4 x 100 freestyle relay); ); 2007 FINA WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS: gold (men’s 4 x 100 freestyle relay), silver (men’s 50m freestyle); 2006 FINA WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS (SC): silver (men’s 50m freestyle), bronze (men’s 4 x 100m freestyle relay); 2015 PAN AMERICAN GAMES: bronze (4 x 100m freestyle relay); 2006 PAN PACIFIC GAMES: gold (men’s 50m freestyle, 4 x 100m freestyle relay);
Cullen Jones is a two-time Olympian winning two gold and two silver medals. He is the first African American to hold a world record (4 x 100-mete freestyle relay) in swimming. At the 2008 U.S Olympic Trials, Cullen broke the American record in the 50-meter freestyle with a time of 21.59. The record didn’t last long, as it was broken the next day by teammate, Garrett Weber-Gale. At the 2008 Games in Beijing, his first Olympics, he won his first gold, as part of the 4 x 100-meter freestyle relay, in a world record breaking time of 3:08.24. The relay team included Michael Phelps, Garrett Weber-Gale and Jason Lezak. The next year, Jones set the American record in the 50m freestyle at the U.S Nationals in Indianapolis. In 2012, Cullen swam at the Olympic Trials in Omaha and qualified first in the 50-meter freestyle, just ahead of Anthony Ervin, qualifying him for his second Olympic team. He placed second in the 100-meter freestyle which qualified for his second individual event, which subsequently qualified him a spot on the 4 x 100 freestyle relay.
At the 2012 Games in London, Cullen won silver in the 50-meter freestyle and as part of the 4 x 100m freestyle relay. He also earned his second Olympic gold medal, as part of the 4 x 100m medley relay, swimming in the preliminaries. Cullen made history at the London Games, as the 2012 U.S. Olympic Swim Team was the first Olympic Swim Team with more than one black swimmer on it ~ the U.S. had three in 2012, Anthony Ervin, Lia Neal and Cullen Jones.
Happy Birthday Cullen!
Happy Birthday Jeff Farrell!!
Jeff Farrell (USA)
Honor Swimmer (1968)
FOR THE RECORD: OLYMPIC GAMES: 1960 gold (4x200m freestyle relay; 4×100 medley relay); Appendectomy 5 days before 1960 Olympic Trials; 1960 had world standard times in 100yd, 100m, 110yd, 200yd, 200m, 220yd freestyle; WORLD RECORDS: 4x200m freestyle; 4x100m medley relay; NATIONAL AAU CHAMPION: 1960.
No man ever overcame a greater handicap to make the U.S. Olympic swimming team than Jeff Farrell, the world’s premier freestyle sprinter at the time of the 1960 Rome Olympic Games. Farrell, with world standard times at 100 yds, 100 meters, 110 yds., 200 yds., 200 meters, and 220 yds., was considered a shoo-in for the Olympic team when he came down with acute appendicitis six days before the Olympic Trials at Detroit. The operation was a success, but Farrell, wrapped in yards of adhesive tape, was considered in no shape to swim. He refused a special dispensation and took his chances in the sudden-death trials that mark U.S. team selection methods. Farrell placed fourth, and qualified for the relays. By Rome, Farrell was fully recovered and anchored both U.. men’s relays to Olympic and world records for his two Olympic gold medals.
Farrell’s whole swimming career was a classic example of determination. A good high school swimmer from Wichita, Kansas, he enrolled at Oklahoma, talked athletic director Bud Wilkinson into hiring Matt Mann, the retired Michigan coach. Under Mann, Farrell became a Conference champion, worked his way up to the finals in NCAA and NAAU championships. Just about the time Farrell was ready to make his run for the top, he wrecked his shoulder in a dormitory wrestling match. His senior year in college, with a long scar marking the shoulder operation, he was a solid third in the Nationals. Pretty good swimming, but Farrell was not ready to quit. He became a Navy ensign and was assigned to the ROTC at Yale where he worked out with retired Yale coach Bob Kiphuth, and finally reached his potential without injury. Farrell was unbeatable that winter at Yale, winning the National AAUs. Everyone–Matt Mann, Bob Kiphuth, the swimmers–agreed it couldn’t happen to a nicer guy. Even Farrell must have figured he was finally home free until the appendectomy came to handicap him once more.
ISHOF Announces its Stellar Aquatic Class of 2024
The International Swimming Hall of Fame (ISHOF) is proud to announce its prestigious Class of 2024. This year, ISHOF will induct 12 honorees from seven countries: three individual swimmers and one relay team, one coach, two divers, two water polo players, one synchronized swimmer, one contributor and one Paralympic swimmer, its second ever. The induction event will be held Saturday, October 5, 2024 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
This year’s International Swimming Hall of Fame honorees include:
HONOR SWIMMERS: Lars Frölander (SWE), Daniel Gyurta (HUN), Dana Vollmer (USA) and the 1976 Olympic Gold Medal winning Women’s 4 x 100 freestyle relay team (USA) consisting of Shirley Babashoff, Wendy Boglioli, Kim Peyton* and Jill Sterkel; HONOR DIVERS: Alexander Despatie (CAN), Yulia Pakhalina (RUS); HONOR SYNCHRONIZED (ARTISTIC) SWIMMER: Virginie Dedieu (FRA); HONOR WATER POLO: Carmela “Lilli” Allucci (ITA), Vladimir Akimov* (USSR); HONOR COACH: Dennis Pursley (USA); HONOR CONTRIBUTOR: Dale Neuburger (USA) and PARALYMPIAN: to be named soon in a separate release.
*deceased
1976 USA Women’s Gold Medal 400 Free Relay
Honor Swimmers:
Lars FRÖLANDER (SWE)
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 finishing second behind the Unified Team. In the 1996 Games, Frölander and his team again finished second in the same event. The pinnacle of Frölander’s career had to be when he captured gold in the 100m butterfly at the Olympic Games in September 2000, in Sydney. A couple of months prior he had broken the world record in the men’s 100m butterfly twice (short course).
He is a nine-time World Champion and 12-time European Champion in the freestyle and butterfly events. Lars first competed in World Championship competition in 1993 (Palma-SC) and 1993 (Sheffield-LC), and in both championships, he was part of the gold medal winning 4 x 200m freestyle relay, He also took the silver in Sheffield in the long course event in the 100-meter butterfly. Frölander went on to win a total of 21 World Championship medals in his career: nine of them gold, seven silver, and four bronze.
He was one of the greatest swimmers in SMU history, dominating the pool during his career as a Mustang, swimming for the late great Coach Eddie Sinnott. Frölander was the 1998 NCAA Swimmer of the Year, winning the NCAA Championship in two events – the 100m freestyle and 100m butterfly. He won the same pair of championships in 1997 and the 100 butterfly as a freshman in 1995.
Daniel GYURTA (HUN)
Daniel Gyurta, of Hungary, was a breaststroke specialist, specializing in the 200-meter. He is a four-time Olympian, with a gold and a silver and a three-time world record holder. He is a five-time World Champion, all in the 200-meter breaststroke, and an eight-time European Champion, seven in the 200 and one title in the 100-meter breast, both long and short course. Gyurta has over 30 National Championships, with too many national records to count.
He was awarded the Order of Merit by the Republic of Hungary in 2004 (Knight’s Cross), in 2010 (Officer’s Cross), and in 2012, ( Commander’s Cross); Voted Hungarian Swimmer of the Year five times (2004, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2013), and was the Hungarian Sportsman of the Year, three times, as voted by journalists (2009, 2012, 2013). He was voted Best Youth Hungarian Athlete of the Year by the National Hungarian Sports Association (2011); He was Swimming World Magazine’s European Swimmer of the Year in 2013; Daniel was given the UNESCO Fair Play Award in 2014. In 2015, he was chosen Hungarian University Athlete of the Year and a year later, in 2016, he was elected to the International Olympic Committee by his fellow athletes.
Dana VOLLMER (USA)
American Dana Vollmer is a three-time Olympian, competing in 2004, 2012, and 2016, who specialized in the freestyle and the butterfly events. She is a five-time Olympic gold medalist and broke six world records.
At the age of 12, Vollmer was the youngest swimmer to compete at the 2000 Olympic Trials, however, she did not make the team. Four years later, Vollmer did make the 2004 Centennial Olympic Games in Athens, where she won her first Olympic gold medal as a member of the winning U.S. team in the 800m freestyle relay, setting a new world record, breaking one which had stood for the previous 17 years. She just missed making the 2008 Olympic team, but that did not discourage her. At the London Games in 2012, Vollmer had qualified for the 100-meter butterfly and she walked away with her first individual Olympic gold medal of the Olympics, while also setting a new world record. In addition, she swam as a member of the 800m freestyle relay, where she and her teammates won gold, and then again in the 4 x 100 medley relay, where the USA women’s team again won the gold, breaking the world record, previously set by China in 2009.
17 months after giving birth to her first son, in March 2015, Vollmer was in top shape again and ready for the 2016 Rio Olympic Games. She walked away from her third Games not only with a medal of each color: a gold in the 400m medley relay, a silver in the 400m freestyle relay and a bronze in the 100m butterfly, but as the only Mother in the sport of swimming to win a gold medal.
Vollmer won a total of 32 medals in major international competitions, including 19 gold, eight silver and five bronze medals. The events included the Olympic Games, the FINA World Championships, the Pan American Games, the Pan-Pac Championships, and the Goodwill Games, making her one of the most decorated Olympic female swimmers.
The 1976 USA Women’s Gold Medal 400 Freestyle Relay Team (USA)
The 1976 Olympic Games for women’s swimming will always be tainted by the East German doping scandal. Everyone suspected it at the time, but it was not confirmed until decades later.
The East German women were systematically doped by their country and coaches and thus won every event. Except one. The last one. The 4 x 100 freestyle relay, where the world witnessed Americans, Shirley Babashoff, Wendy Boglioli, Jill Sterkel and Kim Peyton*, swim out of their minds beating the East Germans out of sheer determination and frustration, in a world record time of 3:44.82. The win was one of the most shocking and exciting finishes of the Games because the East German women had won every event in the swimming program.
The 4 x 100m free relay was the last event of the Games. Everyone could see the German girls were on steroids due to their low voices, excessive body hair and manly shapes. The American girls had even said when they first heard the East German girls talking and even saw a couple of them, they thought they had entered the men’s locker room by mistake. All through the 1976 Games, it was sad and frustrating for the other girls, particularly the Americans, as they could not capture gold, yet many went into the Games as the favorites.
However, in the last event, things finally turned around. Kim Peyton went first and started the girls off. On the second leg of the relay, Wendy Boglioli produced the fastest split of her career by two seconds, swimming 55.81. Jill Sterkel then split 55.78, the fastest of any woman in the field, on the third leg giving U.S. anchor, Shirley Babashoff the lead. Shirley held on as the U.S. pulled off one of the greatest upsets in the history of swimming and set a world record in the process by four seconds. Whether it was out of sheer willpower, determination or karma, the East German women were beaten. The performance sparked the inspiration for the 2016 film, The Last Gold.
Honor Divers:
Alexander DESPATIE (CAN)
Canadian Diver, Alexander Despatie, is the only diver to have won a World Championship in all three individual events, the 1-meter and 3-meter springboard and the 10-meter platform. He was also World Champion on the 1 and 3-meter springboards from 2005-2007. He is a 37-time Canadian senior diving champion and nine-time junior champion, as well as the most decorated male diver in Canadian history, winning two silver medals in Olympic competition and being crowned world champion three times, while reaching the medal stand a total of eight times.
He has also had a successful synchronized diving career with partner, Arturo Miranda, winning gold at the Commonwealth Games in 2006 in the 1- and 3-meter springboards, following it up with silver in the 3-meter synchro event at the World Championships in 2007, and in 2008, he and Miranda finished a respectable 5th in the 3-meter synchro event at the Olympic Games.
He is a three-time Olympian, winning a total of sixty medals in international competition, 19 gold, 23 silver and 18 bronze. In 2018, Despatie was inducted into Canada’s Sport’s Hall of Fame.
Yulia PAKHALINA (RUS)
Like 1990 ISHOF Honor Diver, Irina Kalinina, one of this year’s Honor Diver’s, Yulia Pakhalina, was also born in Penza, a city in western Russia, just a little less than 400 miles west of Moscow. Yulia is a three-time Olympian, specializing in the 3-meter springboard, winning one gold, three silver and one bronze medal in Olympic competition.
In her first Olympic Games, Pakhalina competed in the 3-meter synchro competition in Sydney 2000, with partner, Vera Ilyina. They won the gold medal in the inaugural event. Pakhalina and partner Ilyina won silver at the next Games in Athens in 2004, with Yulia also capturing bronze in the individual 3-meter event. Everything would be different at the 2008 Games in Beijing though, at her third and final Olympiad. Yulia had a new partner in Anastasia Pozdnyakova. Yet, somehow, she and Anastasia were able to come away with the silver medal in the synchronized 3-meter event, the same medal, she and Vera had won four years earlier. In addition, Yulia was able to improve her medal from 2004, and she captured her second silver of the games in the individual 3-meter, bringing her Olympic medal total to five.
In between the Olympic Games, Yulia was a three-time World Champion on the 1- and 3-meter springboard, reaching the podium a total of eight times as well as being an eight-time European Champion between 1995 and 2008.
Yulia moved to the United States to attend college at the University of Houston, diving under Jane Figueiredo, where she became a three-time All-American, wining five NCAA Championships and five conference titles. She was also a two-time NCAA and Conference USA Diver of the Year. Pakhalina won 64 of the 66 collegiate diving events she entered while at UH, with her only losses coming during the finals of the NCAA Championships.
Today, Yulia is married and has made Houston her home, with her husband and two children.
Honor Water Polo Players:
Vladimir AKIMOV* (USSR)
Vladimir Akimov played for the team of Moscow Navy CSK, winning multiple USSR National Championships. He was USSR Champion in 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1980, 1983 and USSR Cup winner in 1977, 1979, 1980, 1981 & 1982. He won the European Cup in 1976, the Super Cup in 1976, 1980 & 1982 and the Cup Winners’ Cup in 1980 & 1982.
Vladimir was a member of the USSR National team winning the gold medal in the Moscow 1980 Olympic Games. With his team, he also won the 1982 World Championships in Guayaquil (Ecuador), the silver medal in the 1981 European Championships in Split, Croatia and was part of the gold medal team at the 1981 Water Polo World Cup. Akimov is considered one of the best defenders in the world from the mid 1970’s to the early 1980’s. He tragically passed away at age 34 on October 5, 1987.
Carmela “Lilli” ALLUCCI (ITA)
Carmela “Lilli” Allucci was an Italian female water polo player. She competed at the 2004 Olympic Games as the captain of the Italian team that won the gold medal, at only the second Olympic Games where women competed. As a member of the Italian team, Alluci has two World Championship titles and one silver medal. She has four European Championship titles, along with two silver medals and a bronze. She is the second most titled player at the European Championships, only behind Netherlands player, Hedda Verndon. In FINA World Cup competition, Carmela and team took silver in 1993, and bronze in 1999 and in FINA World League competition, she won silver in 2006 and bronze in 2004. She has won seven consecutive titles with Team “Volturno” (1985-1991).
She was given the honor of carrying the Italian flag at the Closing Ceremonies of the 2004 Olympic Games.
Allucci was awarded the Knights of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic in 2003, at the initiative of the President of the Republic; Commander of the Order of the Merit of the Italian Republic, again at the initiative of the President. Carmela was also presented with the Gold Collar with Sporting Merit in 1998.
Honor Synchronized Swimmer (Artistic Swimming):
Virginie DEDIEU (FRA)
Virginie Dedieu is the most successful artistic swimmer from the country of France and one of the most impressive to ever come from the continent of Europe. Her combination of stunning artistry and technical excellence earned her three consecutive FINA World Championship solo titles (2003, 2005 and 2007). In 2005, while watching her free solo performance, the television commentator called Virginie the “perfect swimmer.”
She is a three-time Olympian, winning a bronze medal in 2000 in the duet competition. In the solo event, she is a five-time medalist, three-time World Champion with two silvers and a bronze in the duet; Virginie is also a two-time European Champion, in the solo event, with three silvers to go along with her golds; In the duet competition at the European Championships, she has three silvers and two bronze.
Up until today, Virginie is the only solo synchro champion not to come from one of the powerhouse countries in artistic swimming. Until Virginie, all of the other solo champions have had teams behind them that have scored medals in other events at the same World Championships. Virginie is unique because of her solo talent, and even more so, because of her influence as a choreographer.
Honor Coach:
Dennis “Denny” PURSLEY
Dennis “Denny” Pursley is a five-time Olympic Coach, from the USA, but his coaching career and coaching success spans the globe.
He was first selected as a 1980 Olympic Assistant Coach under George Haines, as he produced six Olympians from his successful program, the Cincinnati Pepsi Marlins; Mary T. Meagher, Glenn Mills, Stephanie Elkins, Kim Carlisle, Bill Barrett, and Lisa Buese.
Pursley was named the first Head Coach of the Australian Institute of Sport in 1981, and he led a resurgence in Australia swimming with a second-place finish in the 1984 Olympic medal count to the USA.
In 1984 USA Swimming created a new paid staff position called National Team Director. Dennis Pursley was the first person hired by USA Swimming to fill this position. The USA Team finished first in the medal count in both the men’s and women’s competitions in all three Olympiads (1992 Barcelona, 1996 Atlanta, 2000 Sydney), culminating with 33 medals (14 golds) in the 2000 Olympics, which was described by Sports Illustrated magazine as the greatest team performance of all time. Per Mike Unger, of FINA, “Denny set the National team up for success, from start to finish for 14 key years”.
In 2008, Pursley was hired by Great Britain to be the Head Coach of British Swimming. In the Fall of 2012, he headed back to the states and became the Head Coach of the University of Alabama, his alma mater. During Pursley’s years at Alabama, the men placed in the top-10 at the NCAA’s four times, finishing seventh in the last year of Denny’s tenure, while the women placed at the last six-straight national championships of his career.
To name just a few of his many awards and accolades, he was inducted into the ASCA Coaches Hall of Fame in 2006, voted one of the most influential people in the history of USA Swimming (2013), given the US Olympic Committee Chairman’s Coaching Award (2000), and was named ASCA Coach of the Year in 1980.
Dennis Pursley retired from coaching in 2019.
Honor Contributor:
Dale NEUBURGER (USA)
Dale Neuburger has spent a lifetime in service to aquatic sports and Olympic ideals. He was elected as Vice President of FINA on five occasions (2000, 2005, 2009, 2013, and 2017) representing the 45 National Federations of the Americas. In 2021, he was elected as FINA Treasurer, and, in 2023, he was elected as World Aquatics Treasurer for a term ending in 2027.
Since 2005, he has served as the Bureau Liaison to the FINA/World Aquatics Technical Swimming Committee and Chairman of the FINA Technical Swimming Commission, overseeing all FINA/World Aquatics swimming competitions.
Mr. Neuburger has been appointed by FINA/World Aquatics and the International Olympic Committee to be the Technical Delegate for the swimming competition for five Olympic Games: 2008 Beijing, through 2024 Paris. The technical delegate roles encompass competition director duties, as well as general oversight of all venue-related issues.
Since its creation in 2009, Mr. Neuburger has been the Chairman of the FINA Development Commission, appointed by FINA President Julio C. Maglione. In this role, he has helped to create its extensive Athlete Scholarship Program, implement the Swim for All/Swim for Life Program and Pools for All Program, and created five global training centers for athletes from developing countries.
In 2015, Mr. Neuburger was elected as President of UANA (now known as Pan Am Aquatics), the Continental Association for aquatics serving the 45 National Federations of the Americas. Simultaneously, he was elected as a member of the Executive Committee of ACODEPA, the council of continental sport organizations that oversees sport competition in the Pan American Games. In 2019, he was elected First Vice President of ACODEPA, and he retained a position on its Executive Committee in the run-up to the 2023 Pan American Games in Santiago (CHL) and served as Technical Delegate for Swimming at the Games.
Mr. Neuburger was a member of the Board of Directors of the United States Olympic Committee for eight years, from 1994 to 2002, and a member of its Executive Committee from 1996 to 2000. In recognition of his prominence within the USOC structure, Mr. Neuburger was designated to serve as Deputy Chef de Mission of the 531-member United States delegation for the 2004 Athens Olympic Games that won 101 medals, topping the medals standings.
Honor Paralympian: TBA
Look for more information coming soon and visitwww.ishof.org and www.swimmingworld.com regularly to keep up with all the news.
Hotel and ticket Information coming soon….
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contact: Meg Keller-Marvin
Honoree & Olympian Liaisonmeg@ishof.org
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The world of water polo loses a great: Giuseppe D’Altrui
Giuseppe D’Altrui (4/7/1934 – 2/26/2024)
The information on this page was written the year of their induction.
FOR THE RECORD: 1960 OLYMPIC GAMES: gold; 1956, 1964 OLYMPIC GAMES: 4th Place; 1954 EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIPS: bronze; 1958 EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIPS: 4th place; 1959 UNIVERSITY GAMES: bronze; 1958, 1959 WORLD MILITARY CHAMPIONSHIPS: gold; 1955, 1963 MEDITERRANEAN GAMES: gold; 1959 MEDITERRANEAN GAMES: silver; Captain of the Italian National Team at Two Olympic Games: 1960, 1964.
https://www.facebook.com/100039870985375/videos/314941544895095
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 Belated Birthday to 1967 ISHOF Honoree, Ethelda Bleibtrey, trailblazer for women’s swimming who was arrested due to her swimsuit was a pioneer in more ways than one!
Shared from The Olympic Games
American Ethelda Bleibtrey won every single event on the program in women’s swimming at the 1920 Antwerp Games. A unique achievement by a champion who also cut through conventions in her country, at a time when being a female swimmer came with a number of constraints, particularly with regard to swimwear…
Women first competed in swimming at the Olympic Games in Stockholm in 1912, taking part in two events: the 100m freestyle, which was won by Australia’s Fanny Durack, and the 4x100m relay, won by Great Britain’s Belle Moore, Jennie Fletcher, Annie Speirs and Irene Steers. At Antwerp 1920, a third event was introduced onto the programme: the 300m freestyle. Ethelda Bleibtrey, aged just 18 (she was born on 27 February 1902 in Waterford, New York State), raced in, and won, all three!
The true story of Ethelda Bleibtrey. 🏊 #tbt @fina1908 @TeamUSA pic.twitter.com/U5nyaZsGjy— The Olympic Games (@Olympics) April 20, 2017
Jailed for “nudity”?
Bleibtrey’s story is that of an emancipated woman who made a real difference for all female swimmers in her country. She first took up swimming in 1917 to help her recover from polio. At the time, social convention in the USA dictated that women had to cover up their legs – i.e. wear stockings – when they went swimming. In 1919, at Manhattan Beach, Bleibtrey removed her stockings before going swimming; this was considered a reprehensible act of “nudity” and Bleibtrey was arrested. Her arrest caused public outrage, however, to such an extent that not only was Bleibtrey not sanctioned, but it was also subsequently decided that women could go swimming without having to wear stockings! Bleibtrey was also one of the first women to wear a swimming cap.
Bleibtrey made a name for herself that same year, one year before the Antwerp Games, as the only swimmer to beat Fanny Durack in competition during the Australian star’s much-hyped and extremely popular exhibition tour of the USA. Providing some context, Patricia Reymond, Collections Manager at the Olympic Foundation for Culture and Heritage, explains: “When Fanny Durack and Wilhelmina Wylie were selected for the Olympic Games in 1912, thanks to pressure from the general public and after the wife of a Sydney-based entrepreneur funded their trip, their federation insisted that a chaperone had to accompany them. Durack’s sister and Wylie’s father took on the role and went with them. It was inconceivable to many people at the time – particularly in countries still steeped in Victorian morality – that young women could travel alone.”
There’s also the incredible story of what happened in Central Park: having dived into the Central Park Reservoir, Bleibtrey was arrested and spent a night in prison, before the Mayor of New York, Jimmy Walker, intervened. At any rate, it was a case of mission accomplished: a swimming pool was built in Central Park. It subsequently came to light that the whole thing had been a publicity stunt, orchestrated by the New York Daily News and the local star, with the aim of getting the necessary authorisation so that the reservoir at the heart of the Big Apple could be used for swimming!
Three gold medals in Antwerp – and it could have been more!
The pool that was used during the Antwerp Games was built specifically for the event, in the centre of a city still emerging from the ashes of the First World War. According to the swimmers who took part in the Olympic competitions, the water was dark and cold, and the situation was not helped by the chilly air temperatures. All of which meant that the swimmers were forced to huddle together to keep warm after each race.
The swimming costumes worn by the swimmers, meanwhile, were long garments made out of wool, cotton or silk, as nylon had not yet been invented; and it was virtually mandatory for them to be dark coloured. They were heavy and unpleasant to wear, and became transparent when wet, so much so that athletes were strongly encouraged to wear a bath robe, which they took off only for competition or to pose for the camera, as can be seen in photos from the 1912 and 1920 Games. As for Bleibtrey, she wore a swimming costume that was cut high on the back and under the arms, with a longer cut for the legs. Her outfit looked more like a short dress than a swimming costume. As Reymond explains: “The sartorial emancipation of women began after the First World War. They started wearing their hair short, corsets became a thing of the past, flowing and tighter-fitting dresses became the norm, and skirts became shorter.
The young Bleibtrey took to the water on 23 August 1920 in the third heat of the 100m freestyle. She won her race and set a new world record of 1:14.4 in the process. Forty-eight hours later, on Wednesday 25 August, she claimed her first Olympic title, beating compatriot Irene Guest by nearly four seconds in the final and setting another world record – 1:13.6 – which would last for three years.
In the 300m freestyle, she was once again head and shoulders above her rivals. The day after her victory in the 100m, she swam her 300m semi-final in a world record time of 4:41.4, 16 seconds quicker than Great Britain’s Constance Jeans, who finished as the runner-up. In the final, on 28 August, Bleibtrey was simply on another level, breaking the world record again with a time of 4:34.0 and beating silver medallist Margaret Woodbridge, also from the USA, by more than eight seconds.
Finally, on 29 August, she swam as the anchor in the 4x100m relay for the USA, alongside team-mates Woodbridge, Guest and Frances Schroth. The Americans secured victory and set a new world record (5 :11.6), with the reigning champions, Great Britain, finishing almost 30 seconds behind them. Bleibtrey explained that it was only because of the nature of the women’s programme that she did not win four gold medals in Antwerp: “At that time, I was the world record holder in backstroke, but they didn’t have women’s backstroke, only freestyle in those Olympics.”
Competitive swimming in the early 20th century
On the subject of the costumes worn at the time, Aileen Riggin, a gold medallist in diving at the same Games and in the same pool, explained in 1920 that the cotton swimsuits provided by the American Federation covered the arms down to the elbows and the legs down to the knees, so the swimmers preferred to take their own costumes to Antwerp, insisting that the “official” swimsuits would compromise their performances.
In 1931, she starred in a film that traced the evolution of women’s swimsuits, which required her to wear “that modest and enveloping outfit” of the late 19th and early 20th century. After one attempt, she refused to get back in the water, despite the director’s anger. “The skirts belled up over my head, the shoes weighed me down, the hat got wet and flopped over my eyes,” said Riggin. “I had to fight to keep my balance. I came as near to drowning as I ever have.”
Bleibtrey, meanwhile, who won in every distance at the AUU national championships, would remain undefeated throughout her amateur career. She turned professional in 1922 and is still the only female swimmer to have won all the events on the programme at one Games edition. Following a success-laden professional career, she became an acclaimed coach over many years in New York and Atlantic City, and was inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame in 1967. She died on 6 May 1978 at the age of 76, with her name recorded in gold in the annals of the Olympic Games and forever a part of the history of her sport.
Ethelda and Dawn Fraser
Ethelda and Rosemary Dawson
Ethelda and Doc Counsilman
Mayor Ed Burry
Ethelda Bleibtrey at her 1967 ISHOF Induction in Fort Lauderdale, with a little help from Dawn Fraser, Rosemary Dawson, Doc Counsilman, and then getting a little assistance with her hand and footprints in cement from Ed Burry.
Honoring Black History Month: Female Swimmer Edition
18 February 2021, 07:15am
Honoring Black History Month: Female Swimmer Edition
Every February brings a month full of reflection, gratitude and a chance to honor some of the nation’s most inspiring black leaders and their contributions. In the world of swimming, there is no debating the excellence and accomplishments of several, prominent black swimmers who have opened doors for future generations of swimmers yet to come. With the constant push to create an environment that is all-inclusive and diverse, learning about some of the most prominent swimmers of the past and present is crucial in understanding the significance everyone brings to the pool. It’s also important to embrace our differences while focusing on the betterment of the sport and society in general.
Black women are important to highlight during this month of reflection and honor. In the sport of swimming, we have only ever seen but a handful of black females on the big stage in terms of national and global events. It was not until just four years ago that the first black female won a swimming event at the Olympic Games. Black women in society have been extremely marginalized and their time to be recognized and celebrated extends beyond this month. Here are some notable black, female swimmers who have changed the scope of the sport:
Enith Brigitha
Beginning with a true trailblazer, Enith Brigitha’s career was only the beginning of black female excellence in swimming. As a member of the Dutch National Team in the 1970s, Brigitha faced very fierce competition as the first African woman to compete at an Olympic Games. Brigitha competed at the 1972 Munich Games, as well as the 1976 Games in Montreal. She was a four-time finalist at the ’72 Games and earned two bronze medals at the ’76 Games, becoming the first African woman to win Olympic medals in swimming. Most notably, she swam in a time when the women of East Germany dominated almost every race due to systematic doping. Had this not been the circumstances she was faced with, Enith had the potential of earning several gold medals in her races. Alongside her Olympic accomplishments, she raced to five world records, as well as earned a silver and two bronze medals between the 1973 and 1975 World Championships. She also earned a silver medal at the 1977 European Championships. She was inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame (ISHOF) in 2015 and will always be credited with setting the pathway for future black female swimmers to be successful.
Natalie Hinds
Natalie Hinds is a prime example of how swimmers can be talented on and off the pool deck. Hinds has a great list of accomplishments, as she raced for the Florida Gators in her collegiate career, becoming the SEC Freshman of the Year in 2013. She was a 20-time All-American and a member of the trio of African American women that swept the top three spots at the 2015 NCAA Championships in the 100 freestyle, alongside Simone Manuel and Lia Neal. Recently, she became a member of the inaugural Cali Condors ISL team. Hinds launched her own small business called Loominary Design, where she handcrafts designer tapestries. You can visit her site by searching www.loominarydesign.com.
Simone Manuel
Simone Manuel has opened many doors in the sport of swimming. She made her Olympic debut in 2016, walking away with four medals, snatching a silver in the 4×100 freestyle relay and 50 freestyle, as well as golds in the 4×100 medley relay and 100 freestyle. In her astounding 100 freestyle, she became the first black woman to win a swimming event at the Olympic Games. She has competed in four different World Championships, winning two bronzes, three silvers, and a whopping ten gold medals. Manuel completed her collegiate career at Stanford University, where she trained under the direction of Greg Meehan. During her time as a Cardinal, she helped lead Stanford to two Pac-12 Championships as well as two NCAA championships. She was a 13-time Pac-12 champion as well as a 14-time NCAA champion. Finishing her career, she held six American records and seven NCAA records, most notably becoming the first woman under 46 seconds in the 100-yard freestyle. Besides her work in the pool, Manuel is an inspiration for all swimmers as she has shown resiliency and determination in her fight for equality within the sport and society. Simone’s mark on swimming will forever be embraced by future athletes, coaches, and swimming fanatics alike.
Maritza Correia McClendon
After posting a successful age group and high school career, Maritza McClendon began to pave the way for black female swimmers. A University of Georgia alum, Maritza is a three-time world champion, two-time Pan-American champion, and was the first African American to compete for the U.S. Olympic Swim Team. McClendon is also the first African American woman to hold an American and world record. Maritza now works with the organization Swim 1922, an organization that partners with USA Swimming and Sigma Gamma Rho, with the goal of teaching African Americans and members of other minority groups how to swim. McClendon has left a huge mark on the sport of swimming and continues to share her experiences and stories of hope with others across the country.
Lia Neal
Another notable, Lia Neal is a force to be reckoned with. Neal was a member of both the 2012 and 2016 Olympic Games where she managed to bring home a bronze medal in 2012 and silver medal in 2016 as a member of the 4×100 freestyle relay. Alongside Manuel, Neal was also a member of the 2017 Pac-12 championships team, as well as a member of the 2017 NCAA championship team. She is an eight-time Pac-12 Champion and a nine-time NCAA Champion, as Neal served a crucial role in each relay during some point of her collegiate career. Neal has recently partnered with USA National Team Member Jacob Pebley in leading Swimmers for Change. Per the organization’s website, their mission statement concludes by stating, “Their long-term goal is to ignite lasting change in our country through educating, empowering and setting the example for the next generation of swimmers.” You can learn more about Swimmers for Change by visiting the website at www.swimmersforchange.org. You can also follow them on Instagram using the handle @swimmersforchange.
These women have opened the doors for change and continue to fight for equality in sport and society. Representation in the sport matters to thousands of swimmers and athletes across the country. We owe it to these athletes for championing the way for future black athletes and leaders within the sport. We must remind ourselves that one month celebrating black history is not enough. For their entire lives, these women have been at the forefront of breaking barriers and standing up for what they believe in. While the future of swimming holds promise, there is still work to be done.
Happy Birthday Jenny Thompson!!
Jenny Thompson (USA)
Honor Swimmer (2009)
FOR THE RECORD: 1992 OLYMPIC GAMES: gold (4x100m freestyle, 4x100m medley), silver (100m freestyle); 1996 OLYMPIC GAMES: gold (4x100m freestyle, 4x100m medley, 4x200m freestyle); 2000 OLYMPIC GAMES: gold (4x100m freestyle, 4x100m medley, 4x200m freestyle), bronze (100m freestyle); 2004 OLYMPIC GAMES: silver (4x100m freestyle, 4x100m medley); SIX WORLD RECORDS: 100m freestyle, 100m butterfly, two – 4x100m freestyle, two – 4x100m medley; NINE WORLD RECORDS (25m): three – 50m butterfly, four –100m butterfly ,two–100m individual medley; 1991 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS: gold (4x100m freestyle); 1994 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS: silver (4x100m freestyle, 4x100m medley); 1998 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS: gold (100m freestyle, 100m butterfly, 4x100m freestyle, 4x100m medley), silver (4x200m freestyle); 2003 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS: gold (100m butterfly, 4x100m freestyle), silver (50m butterfly, 4x100m medley), bronze (100m freestyle); 1997 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS
(25m):gold(100m freestyle, 100m buttefly, 50m butterfly, 100m butterfly, 4x100m medley, silver (50m freestyle); 2000 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS (25m):gold(50m butterfly, 100m butterfly),silver(100m freestyle, 4x200m freestyle),bronze(4x100m medley); 2004 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS (25m): gold (50m butterfly), silver (4x100m medley), bronze (100m butterfly); 1987 PAN AMERICAN GAMES: gold (50m freestyle, 4x100m freestyle), bronze (100m freestyle); 1999 PAN PACIFIC CHAMPIONSHIPS: gold (50m freestyle, 100m freestyle); 19 NCAA NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS: individual and relay titles.
When Jenny Thompson finished her swimming career following the 2004 Olympic Games, she was the most decorated U.S. Olympian with twelve medals, eight of them gold. From 1992 to 2004, she competed on four Olympic
Jenny Thompson Teams winning gold medals all as a member of relay teams, but in the process she set 15 world records mostly in individual events.
In 1999, she broke one of swimming’s most revered records, Mary T. Meagher’s 18 year old world record in the 100m butterfly. All totaled, she set 15 World Records – six long course in the 100m freestyle and 100m butterfly with four world records on relays and nine short course, all individual freestyle, butterfly and individual medley events.
Jenny swam for Mike Parratto (Seacoast Swimming Association, Dover, NH) from 1985-1991. She then swam for Richard Quick at Stanford University where she accrued 19 individual and relay NCAA National titles. When not at the University, she swam for John Collins at the Badger Swim Club. She competed in her last Olympic Games at the age of 31 in 2004 Athens where she won silver medals in the 4 x 100m freestyle and medley relays.
Thompson was the 1998 World Swimmer of the Year.
Remembering Skip Kenney on his Birthday
Skip Kenney (USA)
Honor Coach (2004)
FOR THE RECORD: 1996 OLYMPIC GAMES: Head Coach Men’s Team; 1988 OLYMPIC GAMES: Assistant Coach Men’s and Women’s Team; 1984 OLYMPIC GAMES: Assistant Coach Men’s and Women’s Team; 1994 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS: Assistant Coach Women’s Team; 1993 PAN PACIFIC CHAMPIONSHIPS: Head Coach; 1987 PAN AMERICAN GAMES: Head Coach; Coach of Stanford University (1979-present) winning a total of 7 NCAA NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS; Coach of 18 OLYMPIC SWIMMERS winning 16 OLYMPIC medals.
Skip Kenney was never a competitive swimmer, but he surely knew how to coach them. He developed all of local, state, national, collegiate and Olympic champions not only as individual champions, but also team champions.
Born February 24, 1943, he grew up in Fresno, California attending Fresno High School, playing baseball and doing a little diving. Upon graduation, he joined the U.S. Marines, went through boot camp and served in Viet Nam in the mid-1960s.
Kenney’s first swim coaching position was as Don Gambril’s assistant from 1968-1971 at Phillips 66 Long Beach. He also coached at Long Beach State during that time. When Gambril moved to Harvard University so did Skip, and he stayed there for one season before taking his first head coaching position at the Houston Dad’s Club in Texas. After a few years, Skip moved to Charlie Keating’s Cincinnati Marlins where he coached Renee Magee and Charles Keating, Jr. to the 1976 Montreal Olympics and Glenn Mills, Bill Barret and Kim Carlisle to the 1980 Olympic Team that was never able to compete due to the boycott.
In 1979, Kenney became the head coach of the Stanford University Men’s Swimming Team, a position he has held now for a quarter of a century. In collegiate swimming, he has won seven NCAA National Team titles and a record 23 PAC-10 Conference titles. He is a 15-time PAC-10 Coach of the Year, coached 93 All Americans to 785 All-America honors and developed over 63 NCAA champions. In his first 24 years at Stanford, Kenney has recorded a 177-35 overall record, including an 88-5 record (.946) over the past 11 years.
In the international arena, Coach Kenney was head coach of the U.S. Men’s Team at the 1996 Olympic Games after serving as the assistant coach of both the men’s and women’s teams at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics and 1988 Seoul Olympics. He was the assistant coach of the women’s team at the 1994 World Championships and head coach at both the 1993 Pan Pacific Championships and 1987 Pan American Games. Skip will be the men’s coach for the U.S. Team at the 2004 Short Course World Championships in Indianapolis.
Kenney has coached 18 swimmers to Olympic competition winning ten gold, three silver and three bronze medals. His swimmers in World Championship competition have won five gold, three silver and two bronze medals. Some of his swimmers include Dave Bottom (American record holder); Ray Cary (1996 U.S. Olympian); Wade Flemons (1980 Canadian Olympian); Kurt Grote (1996 Olympic gold medalist); Joe Hudopohl (1992 and 1996 Olympic gold medalist); Jeff Kostoff (1984 and 1988 U.S. Olympian); John Moffet (1980 and 1984 U.S. Olympian and world record holder); Pablo Morales (three-time Olympic gold medalist and four-time world record holder); Jay Mortensen (1988 Olympian); Anthony Mosse (1988 Olympic bronze medalist); Sean Murphy (1988 Canadian Olympian); Eddie Parenti (1992 and 1996 Canadian Olympian); J. Plummer (1988 Australian Olympian); Brian Retterer (American record holder); Jeff Rouse (1992 and 1996 Olympic gold medalist and world record holder); John Simons (1980 U.S. Olympian); Derek Weatherford (American record holder); and Tom Wilkens (2000 U.S. Olympic bronze medalist).
Skip’s international coaching achievements are held in high esteem by his peers and he is respected for his ability to teach as well as coach. His strong sense of character is revered by his swimmers.
Skip is also a great clinician whose purpose is to promote swimming better at all ages.