ISHOF News Archives - Page 62 of 132 - International Swimming Hall of Fame (ISHOF)

Throwback Thursday Video – 2023 Honoree Michael Phelps as a young teen before he owned any Olympic medals…..

Heather Petri, Sixth Female Water Polo Player to be inducted to the International Swimming Hall of Fame

Heather Petri is a four-time Olympian, winning one gold (2012), two silver (2000, 2008) and a bronze medal (2004) as part of the USA Women’s National Water Polo Team. She is only one of four women to be a four-time Olympian and one of two, who has won four Olympic medals. Heather is only the sixth woman ever to be inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame in the sport of water polo, behind teammates Brenda Villa and Maureen O’Toole, Australians Debbie Watson and Bridgette Gusterson, and Karin Kuipers of the Netherlands.

As an Olympian, she helped Team USA win the gold medal in the 2012 London Games, the silver medal in 2000- the first-year women were allowed to compete in water polo in the Olympic Games, then in 2008, Beijing; and finally, the bronze in 2004, in the Athens Games.

Petri was inducted into the USA Water Polo Hall of Fame in 2018, and prior to that, into the Cal Athletic Hall of Fame in 2013, the same year she had her cap retired by the Cal women’s water polo program, where she played collegiate water polo from 1997–2001. Petri also was named to the Pac-12 All-Century Team in 2016.

Petri represented the USA at the other events as well, winning three World Championships in 2003, 2005 and 2009, three gold in the FINA Women’s Water Polo World League Super Finals in 2009, 2011 and 2013 and two Pan American gold medals in 2007 and 2011.

Heather also played professional water in Europe for several seasons and she is currently the Women’s water polo coach at her alma mater, Cal.

Come join Heather and this year’s spectacular class of 2023 in Ft. Lauderdale. If you cannot join us, consider making a donation.

To make a donation, click here: https://www.ishof.org/donate/

This year’s International Swimming Hall of Fame Honorees include:

International Swimming Hall of Fame 2023 Honorees

Bob Bowman (USA)……………..…….…….….….…Honor Coach

Chris Carver (USA)………..……………..…….………Honor Coach

Cesar Cielo (BRA)…………..….…….…..….……Honor Swimmer

Kirsty Coventry (ZMB)…………..…….……..….Honor Swimmer

Missy Franklin (USA)…………..…..……..……… Honor Swimmer

Natalia Ischenko (RUS)…….…Honor Synchronized Swimmer

Kosuke Kitajima (JPN)……….……………….……Honor Swimmer

Heather Petri (USA)……..………..…… Honor Water Polo Player

Michael Phelps (USA)………………..….…………Honor Swimmer

Wu Minxia (CHN)……………………..…….………..……Honor Diver

Sam Ramsamy (RSA)…………….………….…..Honor Contributor

Stephane Lecat (FRA).………..…Honor Open Water Swimmer

Trischa Zorn (USA).………..………Honor Paralympic Swimmer

ISHOF 58th Annual Honoree Induction weekend

September 29-30, 2023 – Complete schedule will be forthcoming soon.

HOTEL INFORMATION

Host Hotel: Fort Lauderdale Marriott Harbor Beach Resort & Spa

To make reservations click here: https://book.passkey.com/e/50527236

Upscale retreat with private beach access, two pools, four restaurants, full-service spa and oceanside bar. Location of the Saturday evening induction ceremony. ¼ mile south of the International Swimming Hall of Fame.

3030 Holiday Drive, Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33316 (954) 525-4000

Special ISHOF Guest Rate of $229 per night,

($39 Resort fee – Guests can opt out if not interested in resort amenities)

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 – $189 per night

Honoree Ceremony September 29-30, 2023: Last Day to Book: Friday, August 31, 2023

STAY TUNED FOR MORE INFORMATION ON SCHEDULE AND TICKETS

World Aquatics updates and clarification on the Paris 2024 Rules and Qualification

Written by:FINA Communication Department

In a historic milestone for aquatic sports, men will be eligible to compete in the Olympics’ artistic swimming competitions for the first time at the Paris 2024 Games.

Following IOC approval, World Aquatics today announces updates and clarifications to the rules and Olympic Qualification System for aquatic sports at Paris 2024 Games. Key among these was the inclusion of male athletes in artistic swimming.    

The change means that, for the first time, both men and women will be eligible to compete in all the aquatic sports included in the Olympic Games programme. Rules enabling the participation of men in team events will also apply to World Aquatics World Championships and Junior World Championships. 

Artistic Swimming

Image Source: Quinn Rooney/Getty Images

On 3 October this year, during the Technical Congress, World Aquatics Rule AS 6.2.1 was modified for artistic swimming. The modified rule specifies the following: 

For Olympic Games, team routines shall consist of eight (8) competitors. The total number of competitors entered by each Federation (unless otherwise specified) may not exceed nine (9) competitors, one as reserve. The total number of competitors may include a maximum of two (2) male competitors.  

Mixed team entries in artistic swimming first featured in an international competition in 1998 and a dedicated mixed event has been featured in World Aquatics competitions since 2015.  

“Aquatics sports are universal, and men have proven themselves to be excellent artistic swimmers. I look forward to seeing this new dimension of artistic swimming being shared with the world in Paris. The inclusion of men in artistic swimming is a great credit to all those who have worked for many years to make this happen,” said World Aquatics President Captain Husain Al-Musallam. 

Diving

Image Source: World Aquatics/Antoine Saito

The Olympic Qualification System for diving has been clarified. References to phases one, two and three have been deleted or replaced to account for calendaring, with the prospect of Continental Championships taking place before the World Aquatics Championships Fukuoka 2022 (to be held in July 2023). The three pathways to qualification, via the World Aquatics Championships Fukuoka 2022, the Continental Championships and the World Aquatics Championships Doha 2024 remain.

Open Water Swimming

Image Source: Quinn Rooney/Getty Images

In open water swimming, a clarification has also been issued for those National Olympic Committees (NOCs) wishing to enter pool athletes in the Marathon Swimming event. These athletes must have achieved an Olympic Qualification Time in either the 800m or 1500m freestyle (for both genders). These athletes must also have swum in either the 800m or 1500m freestyle at the Olympic Games Paris 2024 prior to competing in the Marathon Swimming event there. All entries must comply with team limits whereby no more than two athletes per event of the same gender are from the same NOC.

Swimming

Image Source: Al Bello/Getty Images

For the Olympic Qualification System for swimming at Paris 2024, a clarification has also been made. As previously indicated, three (3) NOCs per relay event will qualify for the corresponding relay event at the Olympic Games Paris 2024 based on the final results achieved by their respective World Aquatics member federations at the World Aquatics Championships 2022 in Fukuoka.

The remaining 13 teams for each relay event will qualify on the basis of the fastest times from the preliminaries and finals performances of both the World Aquatics Championships Fukuoka 2022 and the World Aquatics Championships Doha 2024.

Aquatics Sports at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games

Image Source: Getty Images

As was the case at Tokyo 2020, aquatics sports at Paris 2024 will offer the most medal opportunities for athletes at the Olympic Games.    

Swimming will take place at Paris La Défense Arena, where a temporary pool will be used to enable as many as 17,000 spectators per session to experience the racing, as well as the water polo finals.   

Diving, artistic swimming and the preliminary water polo games will take place at the new Aquatics Centre, one of only two sports venues being built for the Olympic Games and due to open in 2023. The Aquatics Centre will ensure a long-term boost to aquatic sports in Seine-Saint-Denis, the area to the North and West of Paris that will also be home to the Olympic Village. Seine-Saint-Denis is currently the French department that is least well-served in terms of swimming pool provision.  

Open water swimming will take place in the Seine, the river running through the heart of Paris and providing an iconic experience for athletes, spectators and worldwide audiences alike.  

United by Water | The Gyarmati aquatics family of Hungary

Written by:Meg Keller-Marvin, International Swimming Hall of Fame (ISHOF)

In the Gyarmati family, a love of water is matched by their success in the pool. Dezso, Eva and Andrea are the lone father, mother and daughter grouping with their names etched into the walls of the International Swimming Hall of Fame.

Dezso Gyarmati | An Icon of Water Polo

Coming from a small, landlocked country in central Europe, at first blush it might come as a surprise that Hungarian athletes have traditionally excelled in the pool, particularly in water polo and swimming. Water polo is the national sport of Hungary.

As it has been said many times, Dezso Gyarmati is “the most decorated player in the history of water polo.” It’s a hard sentiment to argue. Gyarmati participated in five Olympics and medalled in each of those Games, including winning three gold medals at Helsinki 1952, Melbourne 1956 and Tokyo 1964 event editions.

The gold medal in Melbourne was a memorable event in the history of water polo. The Hungarians played the Soviets, in what became known as “The Blood in the Water” match, in which many stories have been written and even movies have been made. The match was played just weeks after the Soviets had invaded Hungary. Hungary won 4-0, with Gyarmati scoring the first goal, and setting up the other three in the semifinal.

Gyarmati and the Hungarians won the silver medal at the London 1948 Olympics and the bronze at the Rome 1960 Games.

After his career in water polo, Gyarmati went on to become the national team coach, where he won the first gold medal for Hungary at the first FINA World Championships (Belgrade 1973). In time, Gyarmati’s daughter Andrea would become Hugary’s top swimmer and a world record-setter.

Gyarmati coached the Hungarian Team from 1972 -1980, and then again from 1985-1988. In addition to the gold in 1973, the team won two silver World Championship medals in 1975 and 1978. The team also took gold at the first World Cup event in 1979 and two European Championships under Dezso.

After his successful career in coaching, Dezso went into politics, where he was already respected and well-known in his country. Elected as a Member of Parliament from the Hungarian Democratic Forum, he served on the Municipality, Public Administration, Internal Security and Police Committee, beginning in 1990.

In 2003, he was appointed chairman of the sports section of the Fidesz’s Cultural Department where he served for several years.

Hungary lost an icon in 2013 when Gyarmati passed away that August. World Aquatics said at the time “we are in mourning,” and went on to call him one of the best water polo players of all time and described him like this: “The left-handed genius could play in all positions of the field. Known for his fearless approach in every game, he was able to decide the biggest clashes single-handedly.”

Despite a long illness, Gyarmati attended Hungary’s last match before the World Championships – Barcelona 2013 and watched Hungary’s victory in the championship from his hospital bed.

He remained a water polo player until his last breath, which is only fitting for the greatest water polo player of our time.

Dezso Gyarmati was inducted into ISHOF in 1976.

As if Dezso Gyarmati was not enough in his own right, he went on to marry Eva Szekely, 1952 Hungarian Olympic gold-medal swimmer. Together they had the aforementioned Andrea Gyarmati, who won an Olympic gold medal for Hungary at the Munich 1972 Games.

Never has a father, mother and daughter all been inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame until the Gyarmati Family came along.

Eva Szekely | “Madame Butterfly” of Swimming

Image Source: ISHOF

Eva Szekely, more than any other swimmer, took the difficult transitions in world records, more than any stride from butterfly-breast (Olympic gold) allowed in 1952 to the orthodox breast (Olympic silver) required in 1956.

Eva known as the original “Madame Butterfly,” overcame rough treatment during World War II to become the 100m breaststroke world record holder and Olympic gold medallist in the 200m breaststroke at the Helsinki 1952 Games. Four years later, Szekely would add another Olympic medal in the event – this time silver.

She was the first world record holder in the 400-metre individual medley in 1953. In a long career of three Olympics (1948-52-56), Szekely was Europe’s best all-around swimmer in the early 1950s. After her swimming career, she became a coach, training daughter, Andrea to a world record and Olympic fame.

Eva Szekely was inducted into ISHOF in 1976, right alongside her husband, Dezso.

Andrea Gyarmati | Continues the family legacy as Hungary’s top swimming ace

Image Source: ISHOF

Andrea Gyarmati was born in 1954 in Budapest, Hungary, to parents who had an Olympic heritage. Andrea’s commitment to succeed in her life goals developed because of her parents’ example.

Taught to swim at the age of three by her mother’s coach, the master and Hall of Famer, Imre Sarosi. By the age of four, Andrea was jumping off the 10m diving tower. As Andrea improved and her swimming became more her focus, Eva became her coach and taught Andrea the butterfly stroke – the stroke first performed in the 1940s by Eva as the overarm breaststroke which earned her the “Madame Butterfly” title.

Twenty-five years later, it was Andrea Gyarmati setting records at the Munich 1972 Olympics. Her goal was the Olympic gold medal, and she had not lost a 100m fly race in the preceding four years. In the semi-finals, she set a new Olympic and world record — 1:03.34. Eight of her competitors qualified for the finals within seven-tenths of a second of each other, but the in the finals Andrea couldn’t keep the winning streak alive.

To anyone else, a bronze medal would have been acceptable; Andrea was going for the gold. But she was strong and spirited and knew that only the winners can cry. She returned the next day to win a silver medal in the 100m backstroke, only one-tenth of a second behind Hall of Famer Melissa Belote of the United States.

All told, Andrea was Europe’s best butterflier and backstroker in the late 1960s and into the early 1970s, with Hungary honouring her as the country’s “Sportswoman of the Year” from 1968 through 1972. She won 28 Hungarian national championships in freestyle, backstroke and butterfly. This included seven consecutive national championships in the 100m butterfly and winning the 100m backstroke for four consecutive years.

Andrea Gyarmati joins her parents to become the only mother, father, and daughter family ever to be inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame.

Happy Birthday to three wonderful Honor Swimmers

Kaye Hall (USA)

Honor Swimmer (1979)

The information on this page was written the year of their induction.

FOR THE RECORD: OLYMPIC GAMES: 1968 gold (100m backstroke; 400m medley relay); WORLD RECORDS: (100m backstroke; 400m medley relay); AMERICAN RECORDS: 6; PAN AMERICAN GAMES: 1967 silver; U.S. NATIONAL AAU CHAMPIONSHIPS: 3; CANADIAN NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS (CASA): 5 (1969: 100m, 200m backstroke; 100m, 200m freestyle; individual medley); WORLD STUDENT GAMES: 3 (1970: backstroke; 400m freestyle relay; medley relay); Her coach was Dick Hannula.

Kaye Hall will be remembered most in the International Swimming Hal of Fame as the first woman ever to go under one minute for the 100 yard backstroke (Dec., 1967) putting her in the record book for milestone achievement alongside of Al Vande Weghe, the first man to do it in 1938. Kaye’s biggest day was winning the Olympic 100m backstroke over Canadian Elaine Tanner at Mexico City, reversing their finish at Winnipeg the year before. The two women were almost “cross-town” rivals competing for years out of Tacoma, Washington, and Vancouver, British Columbia. Kaye proved to the Canadians once more that she was for real with 5 golds in their 1969 National Championships winning the 100m backstroke and freestyle and the 200m backstroke, freestyle and individual medley. She retired in 1970 after winning 3 gold medals in the World Student Games in Italy where she added the 400m freestyle relay to her usual medley relay and backstroke wins. her coach was Dick Hanula.

Andrea Gyarmati (HUN)

Honor Swimmer (1995)

The information on this page was written the year of their induction.

FOR THE RECORD: 1972 OLYMPIC GAMES: silver (100m backstroke), bronze (100m butterfly); 1 WORLD RECORD: (100m butterfly); 1973 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS: bronze (200m backstroke); 1970 EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIPS: gold (200m backstroke, 100m butterfly), silver (100m backstroke, 4x100m medley relay); 28 HUNGARIAN NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS: freestyle, backstroke, butterfly.

Andrea Gyarmati was born in 1954 in Budapest, Hungary, to parents who had an Olympic heritage. Andrea’s commitment to succeed in her life goals developed as a result of her parents’ example. Her mother, Eva Szekely, known as “Madame Butterfly,” overcame rough treatment as a Jew in the European community of World War II to become the 100m breaststroke world record holder and 1952 Olympic gold medalist. Her father, Dezso Gyarmati, was a three-time water polo Olympic gold medalist and the first to succeed as a great player and coach from this giant of a swimming and water polo country.

She was taught to swim at the age of three by her mother’s coach, the master and Hall of Famer, Imre Sarosi. By the age four, Andrea was jumping off the 10m diving tower. As Andrea improved and her swimming became more important, Eva became her coach and taught Andrea the butterfly stroke – the stroke first performed in the 1940s by Eva as the over arm breaststroke which earned her the title of “Madame Butterfly.”

Twenty-five years later, it was Andrea Gyarmati setting records at the 1972 Munich Olympics. Her goal was the Olympic gold medal, and she had not lost a 100m fly race in the preceding four years. In the semi-finals, she set a new Olympic and world record 1:03.34. Eight of her competitors qualified for the finals within seven-tenths of a second of each other, but the finals were a disappointment to Andrea. to anyone else, a bronze medal would have been acceptable; Andrea was gong for the gold. But she was strong and spirited and knew that only the winners can cry. She returned the next day to win a silver medal in the 100m backstroke, only one-tenth of a second behind Hall of Famer Melissa Belote of the U.S.A.

All told, Andrea was Europe’s best butterflyer and backstroker in the late 1960s and early ’70s and was honored as Hungary’s “Sportswoman of the Year” from 1968 through 1972. She won 28 Hungarian National Championships in freestyle, backstroke and butterfly, winning the 100meter butterfly seven consecutive years and the 100m backstroke four consecutive years.

Andrea Gyarmati joins her parents to become the only mother, father, and daughter family ever to be inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame.

Jayne Owen Bruner (USA)

Honor Masters Swimmer (1998)

The information on this page was written the year of their induction.

FOR THE RECORD: 32 MASTERS WORLD RECORDS: 50m & 100m freestyle, 50m & 100m backstroke, 50m & 100m breaststroke, 50m & 100m butterfly, 200m I.M.; 1986 MASTERS WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS: gold (100m freestyle, 50m & 100m breaststroke, 100m butterfly, 200m I.M.); 1988 MASTERS WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS: gold (3 events); 1989 MASTERS WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS: gold (50m & 100m freestyle, 100m & 200m I.M.); 1996 MASTERS NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS: 62 long course (50m/100m/200m freestyle, 50m & 100m backstroke, 50m/100m/200m breaststroke, 50m & 100m butterfly, 200m & 400m I.M.), 34 short course (50y/100y/200y freestyle, 50y/100y/200y breaststroke, 50y & 100y butterfly, 100y & 200y I.M.); 104 MASTERS NATIONAL RECORDS: 38 long course, 66 short course; MASTERS ALL AMERICAN.

She likes to win and she enjoys being at the top of her age group. She is a competitor and she enjoys swimming fast. She enjoys being number one. For over a 16 year period, Jayne Bruner has become one of the most successful Masters swimmers in the world.

Jayne is a swimmer who developed her elite athletic prowess during the years of her Masters swimming, not necessarily as a youngster. When Olympic Swimmer Ann Curtis visited Jayne’s hometown of Indianapolis, Indiana, Jayne began swimming at the Riviera Club and competed in the National Championships for coach Bud Sawin. But it was only for a three year period. When the team disbanded in 1951, so did her zest for competitive swimming.

It was 21 years later at age 39, that Jayne took up swimming again, this time to lose weight. Although she lost the weight, she didn’t lose her appetite for the sport and in 1974 with the coaxing of husband Bob, she joined the Masters Program. Since that time, she has not looked back. She was coached by Jan Smith (1974-1982), Bob Clemmer (1981-1990), Mark Davin (1990-1993) and Steve Ercolano (1996-present). They have all proclaimed her positive attitude and sincere desire as the qualities that make her one of the most coachable swimmers they have coached.

Her first 24 years of Masters Swimming was spent in Pittsburgh with Team Pittsburgh Aquatics. She credits the coaching techniques in stroke mechanics and training for her improvement in the sport. She swam 6 days per week, lifted weights 3 days per week and stayed on a strict diet of healthy food. She would spend extra time in the pool just to feel better and to compete on the elite level. She has always been a hard worker, but enjoys the friendships and social opportunities that develop within Masters swimming. Although she now trains with Curl-Burke Swim Team in Northern Virginia, she competes with the D.C. Masters Team of Washington, D.C., a team she competed with even while living in Pittsburgh. She relaxes by being physical, scuba diving, taking diving trips to the Caribbean, etc. She must have gills, she would rather swim a mile than walk one.

To date, Jane has set 40 world records in all four strokes plus the individual medley. Those include 25 long course records and 15 short course records competing in the Age groups from 45 to 65 years. She has won 13 World Championship gold medals. She has set 39 U.S. National long course records, 48 U.S. short course yards records and 20 U.S. short course meters records. She is a perennial U.S.M.S. All-American and All-Star (outstanding swimmer in age group).

Masters Swimming has become a part of Jayne’s life as much as eating and sleeping. She represents the epitome for which other Masters swimmers strive, for she not only is an example of racing success in the sport, she is an example of the camaraderie, wholesome environment and healthy living which Masters Swimming promotes.

Sending very Special Birthday Wishes to ISHOF Honoree Gunnar Larsson

Gunnar Larsson (SWE)

Honor Swimmer (1979)

The information on this page was written the year of their induction.

FOR THE RECORD: OLYMPIC GAMES: 1972 gold (200m, 400m individual medley); WORLD RECORDS: 3; WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS: 1973 gold (200m individual medley); EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIPS: gold (400m freestyle; 200m medley; 400m individual medley), silver (200m freestyle); SWEDISH NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS: 21; NATIONAL AAU CHAMPIONSHIPS: 2.

Gunnar Larsson failed to make a final in the 1968 Olympics then came on like a surprise bombshell to be the best swimmer in Europe two years later. At Barcelona in 1970, he set World Records in the 400m freestyle and 200m medley plus another gold medal in the 400 I.M. and a silver in the 200 freestyle. In the 1972 Munich Olympics he won the “decathlon” events of swimming coming from behind to win gold medals in both the four-stroke 200 and 400 individual medleys over Tim McKee by two thousandths of a second in the 400 and by 1.2 seconds in the 200 in World Record time. Once more Gunnar pulled it off in the First World Championships in Belgrade in 1973. Larsson’s best time before the meet was unlikely to make the finals but he again won the 200 individual medley. Coached by Don Gambril at Long Beach State and Harvard and by Lars-Erik Paulsson at home, Larsson must rank with Arne Borg as one of Sweden’s two greatest all-time swimmers.

Happy Birthday Anne Ottenbrite

Anne Ottenbrite (CAN)

Honor Swimmer (1999)

Anne Ottenbrite (CAN)

Honor Swimmer (1999)

The information on this page was written the year of their induction.

FOR THE RECORD: 1984 OLYMPIC GAMES: gold (200m breaststroke), silver (100m breaststroke), bronze (4x100m medley relay); 1982 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS: silver (100m breaststroke), bronze (200m breaststroke); 1982 COMMONWEALTH GAMES: gold (200m breaststroke), silver (100m breaststroke); 1983 PAN AMERICAN GAMES: gold (100m breaststroke, 4x100m medley relay); CANADIAN GAMES: gold (100m and 200m breaststroke, 4x100m medley relay); 5 CANADIAN NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS: 3 short course, 2 long course (breaststroke).

You could say that Canada’s Anne Ottenbrite was born to swim the breaststroke. At age 3, she learned to swim in her backyard pool in Whitby, Ontario and immediately started using a whip kick. It came very naturally to her and by age 12 she was swimming competitively at the Oshawa Aquatic Club.

Her phenomenal flexibility allowed her to use an undulating upper-body movement in her stroke, long before it became the popular technique. Being tall and lanky at 5’8 ¾” and 132 pounds, her double-jointedness lent itself to use this technique. Her first coach, Lynne Trimbee, brought Anne along gradually with heavy emphasis on stroke technique. It was not until age 15 that she began to significantly lower her times.

In 1981, she moved to the Ajax Aquatic Club and coach Paul Meroneu who intensified workouts and stressed quality pool and dry land training. In less than a year, she turned into one of the world’s leading breaststrokers. Between 1981 and 1984, she won the silver and bronze medals in the 100m and 200m breaststroke at the Guayaquil 1982 World Championships, the gold and silver medals in the 200m and 100m breaststroke at the 1982 Commonwealth Games and 5 Canadian National Titles in the breaststroke. She was twice named Canada’s Female Swimmer of the Year.

Because her undulating body motion caused her legs to break the water’s surface, she was disqualified in a few international invitationals resulting in a slight kick-stroke change to assure not being disqualified in the Olympics. But her biggest problem before the Los Angeles Olympics occurred when she accidentally dislocated her knee. Being loose jointed, she didn’t rip any tendons. But she couldn’t kick and was forced to do only pulling in workouts. Her tremendous flexibility helped her rehabilitation (she could turn her feet around completely backwards and twirl her arms at the elbows).

Competing in the Olympic Games of 1984 was her goal. She had won the gold medal in the Pan American Games the year before and was Canada’s top breaststroker for the medley relay. Her dilemma was that her bad knee prevented her from swimming in the Olympic Trials. Fortunately, Canadian Technical Director and Head Coach Trevor Tiffany declared that Anne would be added to the team, irregardless of the complaints of coaches who said she never officially qualified for the team. Trevor knew that Anne was one of Canada’s best chances for a medal. His foresightedness paid off when 18 year old Ottenbrite became Canada’s first-ever gold medalist in women’s swimming by capturing the 200m breaststroke. Just after Alex Baumann’s 400m I.M. swim, she was Canada’s third gold medalist in swimming behind Alex (1984) and George Hodgeson (1912). She also won the silver in the 100m breaststroke and bronze on the 4 X 100m medley relay.

Since 1988, Anne has been coaching swimming, currently as the University of Guelph Assistant Coach and Guelph Marlins Swim Club Head Age Group Coach. She is a graduate of the University of Southern California (1984-1986) and Wilfred Laurier University (1987-1990) in Ontario. She and her husband Marlin Maylaert have a son, Cameron.