When a Tie Was Not a Tie; How .002 Decided Olympic Gold and Changed the Sport
by JOHN LOHN – EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
08 May 2023, 01:22am
When a Tie Was Not a Tie; How .002 Decided Olympic Gold and Changed the Sport
On Aug. 30, 1972, Sweden’s Gunnar Larsson and the United States’ Tim McKee touched the wall in identical times of 4:31.98 in the 400-meter individual medley at the Olympic Games in Munich. However, the rules of the day required the race to be taken out to the thousandth of a second, and it was Larsson who was awarded the gold medal, with McKee earning silver. Ultimately, .002 separated the men, a time difference that changed the sport.
The guy in Lane Four charged to the finish, looked to the scoreboard and saw what he wanted. He was an Olympic champion, the “1” next to his name confirming the achievement.
The man in Lane Seven surged for the wall, looked to the scoreboard and saw the outcome he desired. He was an Olympic champion, the “1” next to his name confirming the achievement.
Gunnar Larsson and Tim McKee arrived at the 1972 Olympic Games in Munich in search of gold, and for a moment at the conclusion of the 400-meter individual medley, they both believed their quest was fulfilled. But when the medals were presented inside the Schwimmhalle, only Larsson wore the metal of the most-cherished medal.
There have only been three gold-medal ties in the history of Olympic swimming, and all occurred in sprint-freestyle events. In 1984, Americans Nancy Hogshead and Carrie Steinseifer shared the title in the 100 freestyle at the Los Angeles Games. Sixteen years later, the United States’ Gary Hall Jr. and Anthony Ervin each earned gold in the 50 freestyle at the Sydney Games. At the most recent Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, American Simone Manuel and Canadian Penny Oleksiak posted identical times in the 100 freestyle.
Photo Courtesy:
The fact those six athletes, and not three, were honored as Olympic champions is the direct result of what unfolded in 1972, when Larsson and McKee were inseparable to the human eye and to the hundredth of a second, but not to the timing system in use during the era.
There was no shortage of storylines in Munich, where Mark Spitz corralled seven gold medals and as many world records, and where Australian 15-year-old Shane Gould won five individual medals. So, Larsson and McKee were just doing their part by producing the tightest race – at least to date – in Olympic history.
Despite their personal designs on Olympic gold, neither Larsson nor McKee was the favorite heading into the final of the 400 individual medley. That status went to McKee’s American teammate, Gary Hall, who blasted a world record of 4:30.81 at the United States Olympic Trials in Chicago. It was the fourth time Hall broke the world record since 1969, and it would take a major upset to keep him off the top of the podium.
And then…
Known for his skill in the butterfly and backstroke events, it was not surprising that Hall attacked the front half of the final, which consisted of those two strokes. The aggression displayed by Hall was stunning, as he built a massive advantage during the opening 200 meters. With a weak breaststroke leg, Hall knew he needed separation, but there was also a need to have enough energy for the back half of the race. Would Hall hit a wall?
“Hall went out very fast in the first two legs and was eight seconds ahead (of me) at the 200,” Larsson said. “I had told my dad before the Olympics that if I was six seconds behind or less (at the midway point), I was going to beat him. But six seconds in the last 200 meters is a lot. He went out too hard and died.”
As the competitors shifted into the breaststroke leg, Hall started to show signs of fatigue, and coupled with his struggles in the stroke, McKee was in front of his countryman by the 275-meter mark. Meanwhile, Larsson narrowed his deficit significantly. The question for the Swede, though, was whether he could reel in McKee over the final two laps.
One of several international swimmers on the Long Beach State University roster of coach Don Gambril, Larsson was a well-known force to members of Team USA. And as a former world-record holder and European champion in the 400 freestyle, Larsson was fully expected to make a push down the stretch. But would he have enough room to catch McKee?
Tim McKee
With every stroke, Larsson cut into his deficit and took what was a no-doubt-about-it victory for one of the Americans and made the outcome disputable. At one point, McKee snuck a peek across the pool and saw he had a sizable edge. But when the swimmers approached the wall, there was no separating them, and confusion reigned.
“That whole last leg, I knew I had it won,” McKee said. “Then when I touched and saw Larsson, I didn’t think I’d won. When I saw a one next to my name on the scoreboard, I thought I’d won again, but 15 seconds later, I saw the one next to his name. Then I didn’t know what was going on.”
At the finish, the scoreboard showed Larsson and McKee as co-champions, thanks to matching times of 4:31.98, with Hungarian Andras Hargitay earning the bronze medal. American Steve Furniss was fourth, with Hall in fifth and almost seven seconds slower than his world-record time at Trials.
As officials scrambled, Larsson and McKee sat on the deck and waited for six or seven minutes for a decision. Would they share the gold, as the scoreboard suggested? Would there be a swimoff, which would have been a brutal expectation given the grinding nature of the 400 individual medley? Heck, Larsson even suggested to McKee the idea of a gold-silver hybrid medal.
None of those scenarios was an option. Instead, officials revealed that the timing system – although not displayed on the scoreboard – tracked the swimmers to the thousandth of a second, and Larsson was declared the winner. The Swedish standout’s official time was noted as 4:31.981 to the 4:31.983 of McKee.
“With 20 meters to go, I looked around and that messed up my stroke for two or three turns,” McKee said. “Normally, that wouldn’t matter, but I know it cost me two-thousandths of a second. There has to be a winner and a loser, even if it’s two-millionths.”
When a race is won in that fashion, it is easy to dissect every minute detail of the event. Were there any turns that could have been better? How was the finish? Could more energy have been spent or reserved on an earlier stroke?
For Larsson, there was never any doubt he won. Well, his reaction said as much. After touching the wall and looking at the results, Larsson celebrated the “1” next to his name, only to be told by fellow Swede Bengt Gingsjo that he wasn’t the only athlete shown to have prevailed. It took nearly 10 minutes for the result to be confirmed, and for Larsson to breathe a sigh of relief.
A few days later, Larsson and McKee engaged in another duel, this time in the 200 individual medley. Unlike the longer distance, Larsson won the rematch behind a world record, with McKee picking up his second silver medal. McKee’s career was defined by silver linings. Four years after finishing behind Larsson on two occasions, McKee was again the Olympic silver medalist in the 400 individual medley, beaten at the 1976 Games by American Rod Strachan.
The precedent set by the duel between Larsson and McKee resulted in officials deciding that any future ties would not be taken out to the thousandth of a second. Obviously, that decision provided no solace for McKee, who saw the rule book of FINA, the sport’s governing body, altered to read as part of Section SW 11.2: “When automatic equipment is used, the results shall be recorded only to 1/100 of a second. When timing to 1/1000 of a second is available, the third digit shall not be recorded or used to determine time or placement. In the event of equal times, all swimmers who have recorded the same time at 1/100 of a second shall be accorded the same placing. Times displayed on the electronic scoreboard should show only to 1/100 of a second.”
The change to the rules led to the subsequent sharing of gold medals in 1984, 2000 and 2016. Really, Larsson and McKee – although unaware of their future impact – changed the landscape for Hogshead, Steinseifer, Hall Jr., Ervin, Manuel and Oleksiak. If not for their epic showdown, perhaps ties would not have been allowed.
While Larsson was inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame in 1979, McKee did not receive his due recognition until 1998. If not for .002, McKee undoubtedly would have received enshrinement much earlier. Asked about the impact of that finish on his life, McKee once had a simple answer. The reply, too, placed perspective on the moment.
“It’s not who I am,” McKee said. “It’s who I was and where I’ve been.”
Larsson is regarded as one of the two greatest male swimmers in Swedish history, the other being distance legend Arne Borg. Despite the passage of time, Larsson remembers that night in Munich vividly.
“Going into the last 50, Tim was way ahead of me, three or four meters ahead,” Larsson said. “I watch the video and every time, I don’t think I am going to catch him. Every time, it is a new experience where I say, ‘I won this time, also.’”
Barely.
Today we honor the day Water Polo great, Mirko Sandic was born
Mirko Sandic (YUG)
Honor Water Polo (1999)
The information on this page was written the year of their induction.
FOR THE RECORD: 1968 OLYMPIC GAMES: gold; 1964 OLYMPIC GAMES: silver; 1960, 1972 OLYMPIC GAMES: 4th and 5th; 1966, 1970 EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIPS: bronze; MEDITERRANEAN GAMES: 1967, 1971: gold, 1963: silver; TROFEO JARDAN: gold (1963, 1967, 1971); TROFEO ITALIA/HUNGARIA: silver (1961, 1965, 1969); WORLD STUDENT GAMES: gold (1961); 11 YUGOSLAV NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS; 7 YUGOSLAV CUPS; 5 EUROPEAN CLUB CHAMPIONSHIPS; Coach of National Teams in Singapore, Malaysia, Egypt, Yugoslavia; President of Yugoslav Water Polo Association.
Born in Belgrade, Yugoslavia on May 9, 1942, Mirko Sandic played water polo during the years when his country was a dominant international team. Wearing number 10 and being the tallest and biggest player, Sandic was considered to be the most prominent player contributing to his country’s 1968 Olympic gold medal performance of Mexico City and the 1964 Olympic silver medal of Tokyo. He also played on the 1960 Rome Olympic Team (fourth) and the 1972 Munich Olympic Team (fifth). All total, he played in 235 games for the National Team of Yugoslavia during a career that lasted from 1958 to 1974.
From the land of Hall of Famer and FINA President Ante Lambasa, Sandic learned to swim at age 4 but it was not until age 16 that he began playing water polo for club Partizan, a member of the second division of the Yugoslav Water Polo League. As a member of this club until his retirement in 1974, Mirko played in over 1000 games and won 11 Yugoslav National Championships, 7 Yugoslav Cups, 5 European Club Championships and several Friendship Tournaments.
Besides his Olympic Games participation as a member of the National Team, Sandic won two European Championship bronze medals in Utrecht (1966) and Barcelona (1970), two Mediterranean Games gold medals in Tunisia (1967) and Izmir (1971) (silver in Naples, 1963), three Trofeo Jadran gold medals in Dubrovnik (1963), Split (1967) and Sibenik (1971) and three Trofeo Italia/Hungaria silver medals in Moscow (1961) and Budapest (1965, 1969). As the World Championships and FINA Cups were not in existence during Sandic’s playing days, Trofeo Jardan and Trofeo Italia/Hungaria were considered comparable.
Sandic is a graduate of The University of Foreign Affairs and became a commercial manager for JAT Yugoslav Airlines serving in Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia. It was during this time that he became coach and trainer of the Singapore National Water Polo Team (1975-1980 winning the bronze medal at the Bangkok Asian Games), The V.K. “GOC” (1980-1982), V.K. “Partizan” (1980-1983) and the Egyptian National Team (1983-1987). He was coach of the Malaysian National Team (1976), New South Wales State Team (1977) and the Queensland State Team (1978).
In 1972, he received the Presidential Medal of Honor from J.B. Tito, the Best Sportsman of Belgrade from the Lord Mayor, the 1971 Sportsman of the Year, and the 1997 Statue of the International Olympic Committee for achievement in the Olympic movement. He is the President of the Yugoslav Water Polo Association (1996 – present), a member of the Presidency of the Yugoslavian Olympic Committee (1987 – present) and member of the LEN Technical Water Polo Committee (1998 – present).
Mirko Sandic was a tough, hard-playing player and striker, who was the best player and scorer on the Yugoslav National Team for many tournaments. Nothing stopped him, including playing with a broken eardrum. He was a team player who served as flag bearer for his country in the 1972 Olympics. He was both feared and respected by every player with whom he came into contact.
Mirko passed away on Christmas Eve, 2006 in Belgrade, Yugoslavia.
Happy Birthday Grant Hackett
Grant Hacket (AUS)
Honor Swimmer (2014)
The information on this page was written the year of their induction.
FOR THE RECORD: 2000 OLYMPIC GAMES: gold (1500m freestyle and 4x200m freestyle relay); 2004 OLYMPIC GAMES: gold (1500m freestyle), silver (400m freestyle, 4x200m freestyle); 2008 OLYMPIC GAMES: silver (1500m freestyle), bronze (4x200m freestyle relay); FIVE LONG COURSE WORLD RECORDS: 1 – 200m freestyle, 1 – 800m freestyle, 1 – 1500m freestyle, 2 – 4x200m freestyle relay; TEN SHORT COURSE WORLD RECORDS: 2 – 400m freestyle, 2 – 800m freestyle, 2 – 1500m freestyle, 4 – 4x200m freestyle relay;1998 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS: gold (1500m freestyle, 4x200m freestyle), silver (400m freestyle); 2001 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS: gold (1500m freestyle, 4x200m freestyle), silver (400m freestyle, 800m freestyle); 2003 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS: gold (800m freestyle, 1500m freestyle, 4x200m freestyle), silver (400m freestyle), bronze (200m freestyle); 2005 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS: gold (400m freestyle, 800m freestyle, 1500m freestyle), silver (200m freestyle), bronze (4x200m freestyle); 2007 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS: silver (400m freestyle); 2001 GOODWILL GAMES: gold (200m freestyle, 1500m freestyle), silver (400m freestyle); 1998 COMMONWEALTH GAMES: gold (1500m freestyle, 4x200m freestyle), silver (400m freestyle); 2002 COMMONWEALTH GAMES: gold (1500m freestyle, 4x100m freestyle, 4x200m freestyle), silver (200m freestyle, 400m freestyle); 1997 PAN PACIFIC CHAMPIONSHIPS: gold (400m freestyle, 800m freestyle, 1500m freestyle), silver (4x200m freestyle); 1999 PAN PACIFIC CHAMPIONSHIPS: gold (1500m freestyle, 4x200m freestyle), silver (400m freestyle); 2002 PAN PACIFIC CHAMPIONSHIPS: gold (800m freestyle, 1500m freestyle, 4x100m freestyle, 4x200m freestyle), silver (200m freestyle, 400m freestyle)
This swimmer joins a list of Australians who have won more Olympic gold medals in the fifteen-hundred meter freestyle than any other nation – starting with Andrew “Boy” Charlton in 1924. Following Charlton were Murray Rose-1956, Jon Konrads-1960, Robert Windle-1964 and Kieran Perkins in 1992 and 1996.
Grant Hackett was born in Southport, on Australia’s Gold Coast. He joined coach Denis Cotrell’s team in 1992, at the age of 12. In 1999, he broke his first world record, surprising everyone by beating Hall of Famer, Giorgio Lamberti’s 200 meter freestyle record, while swimming the lead-off spot for his club at the Australian Championships.
In his specialty, the 1500 meter freestyle, he was unbeaten from 1997 to 2007, winning every major world competition. His four World Championship gold medals in this event make him the only swimmer to have won a world title in one event four times, and in total, he has won ten World Championship gold medals. In 2001, at the FINA World Championships in Fukuoka, Japan, he set a world record that lasted over ten years, finally broken by China’s Sun Yang, in Shanghai, at the 2011 Championships.
Hackett is best remembered for winning back to back gold medals in the 1500 meter freestyle at the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney and the 2004 Games in Athens.
It was during the 1500 freestyle at the Athens Olympic Games in 2004, where Hackett may have given his most impressive performance. He was suffering from respiratory problems, a partially collapsed lung, but he still overcame the tough competition to win the gold medal in back to back Olympic Games. His Olympic career spanned from 2000 to 2008, all totaled, he won three gold, three silver, and one bronze medal in the freestyle events.
During his career, he set a total of 15 world records, 5 long course and 10 short course and still holds the world record in the 1500 meter short course event that he set in 2001.
2023 ISHOF Aquatic Awards presented by AquaCal (formerly Paragon Awards) Ceremony will be Celebrated Friday, September 29th in Fort Lauderdale
The International Swimming Hall of Fame (ISHOF) is proud to announce the recipients of this year’s annual ISHOF Aquatic Awards, presented by AquaCal( formerly the Paragon Awards). The ISHOF Aquatic Awards presented by AquaCal are presented annually to individuals or organizations for outstanding contributions to aquatics. This year’s recipients are Mike Unger for Competitive Swimming; Mark Koganov for Water Polo; Ellie Smart for Diving; Maria Jóse Bilbao Bruñel for Artistic/Synchronized Swimming; Cullen Jones for Water Safety and Sofia Forte for Recreational Swimming. This year’s awards will be held Friday evening September 29, 2023 during the ISHOF Honoree Induction weekend, in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, USA.
Make your plans now to attend the weekend, September 29-October 1, 2023!
The annual Awards are a spectacular event that celebrate the unsung heroes who make competitive and recreational aquatics possible. These are the people who save lives, promote water safety and further aquatic education around the world. We are so proud to recognize these important people at the International Swimming Hall of Fame.
About This Year’s Award Recipients:
Mike Unger (USA) – Competitive Swimming
There is probably no one more knowledgeable about swimming than Mike Unger. After spending 28 years at United States Swimming, he was hired as a Senior Advisor at World Aquatics (formerly FINA), based in Lausanne, Switzerland. Over the past year and a half, Unger has helped lead World Aquatics efforts at all major aquatic events such as the World Championships and the Olympic Games.
Mike served as USA Swimming’s Chief Operating Officer for the last 18 years of his tenure there. He also served as the organization’s Assistant Executive Director, National Events Director, Marketing Director, National Team Coordinator, and also spent time as the interim Executive Director in April 2017 following the death of longtime Executive Director Chuck Wielgus.
In his role as COO, Unger oversaw all major events, including the U.S. Olympic Trials, the Golden Goggle Awards, the Pan Pacific Championships, and the Duel in The Pool.
In addition to his major roles at USA Swimming, Unger has also worked “on loan” for NBC Sports and Olympics as a co-producer and associate producer at numerous events, including the past seven Olympic Games with friend and on-air talent, ISHOF Honoree Rowdy Gaines. Unger’s work on the Olympic swimming coverage earned him three Emmy awards and five nominations.
Ellie Smart (USA) – Diving
Ellie Smart is the Chief Executive Officer of the International High Diving Institute (IHDI), which was founded to develop the sport of high diving by providing training opportunities, hosting events, and creating a community for athletes, coaches, and fans. The IDHI supports junior and senior development in addition to technical and freestyle disciplines of high diving. The International High Diving Institute partnered with the Utah Olympic Park to construct the United States’ first high diving training platform. Ellie has been the CEO of the IHDI for over two years now. Ellie and a few others are also working to get the sport of high diving included into the Olympic program, hopefully by 2028.
In addition to being the acting CEO of the IHDI, Smart is also a high diver herself. She has made her debut on the Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series circuit in 2017 and earned a permanent place in the women’s line-up for the 2019 season with a third place at the FINA World Cup.
Maria José Bilbao Bruñel (ESP) – Artistic Swimming
Maria José Bilbao Bruñel has been involved with synchronized swimming for most of her life. She began as an athlete in her home country of Spain and retired after a successful career. She then began to coach, which eventually led to judging. She was the founding member of her club, CN. Kallipolos in 1968.
She began as a Catalan judge, graduated to national judge and then became an international judge in 1998. She was appointed as a member to the FINA Artistic Swimming Technical Committee, 2009-2022. She was named a FINA Assessor in 2013, and a FINA Referee in 2014. She has been involved in most every type of Artistic competition there is, including the World Championships and the Olympic Games.
She was FINA Evaluator in 2019 at the World Championships, in 2020 at the Olympic Games, in 2022 at the World Championships in Budapest and in 2022 at COMEN in France as well as many other national and international competitions. Brunel is currently the President of the FINA Innovation Committee, in charge of drawing up the 2022-2025 regulations.
Mark Koganov (AZB) – Water Polo
Photo Courtesy: World Aquatics
Mark Koganov began his career in the sport of water polo as an athlete between the years of 1982-1990 and as a member of National team of Azerbaijan.
He later became a water polo referee, and between 1998 and today, he has officiated in approximately 300 international games, more than 1500 collegiate games in different conferences, including officiating in six NCAA Finals, for both men and women.
Koganov has held numerous aquatic positions, including Water Polo Competitions Director, Aquatic Competitions Manager and has held administrative positions in the sport.
He is currently the Vice President of Azerbaijan Swimming Federation, a position he has held since 2012. He is also a LEN TWPC Member, a position he began serving in 2016 and he was the Vice Chairman of the FINA Technical Water Polo Committee, 2017 – 2022.
Koganov has refereed LEN Champions League, Super Cup Finals, and Championship Finals. He has been a neutral referee for the Asian Games, World Championships, and the Olympic Games.
Sofia Forte – Recreational Swimming
Sofia Forte is a P.E. Middle School Teacher at John Hopkins Middle School in St. Petersburg, Florida. As the P.E. teacher, Forte chooses the curriculum for her middle-schoolers. Since they are lucky enough to have E.H. McLin Pool across the street from the school, swimming is always at the top of her list! Sofia knows that drowning is the number #1 cause of deaths in children in the state, not to mention, she sees her kids get healthier by the time the semester is over.
But it isn’t always easy. Sofia pushes her school to work in conjunction with the City of St. Petersburg, who makes its certified lifeguards available as instructors. And the State of Florida helped by passing legislation supporting the work of the “Every Child A Swimmer” program. Children are tested on the first day, then placed in the appropriate level – beginner, intermediate, or advanced. Each child will get a minimum of eight lessons over a two-week period. “Most kids can’t swim on the first day,” said Forte, who has been the driving force behind the program for eight years now. “We want them to be able to save themselves.”
“It is part of our state curriculum, but it is not pushed. Not at all,” Forte added.
Forte and her kids are lucky that they can walk to and from Campbell Park. “If a school has the ability to do it, there’s everything to gain and nothing to lose.”
But you can bet without Sofia Forte spearheading this, this program would not be happening!
Cullen Jones – Water Safety
It is hard to believe that two-time Olympian and Olympic gold medalist Cullen Jones was once afraid of the water. But in fact, as a child, he almost drowned when he was just five. Luckily, his mother enrolled him in a swim program and the rest, as they say is history.
Jones has been an advocate of learn to swim programs for children since he was a member of the USA National team. Cullen will often tell his own story to children to make himself more relatable to anyone learning how to swim. He is a member of multiple initiatives, including being an ambassador for USA Swimming Foundation’s Make a Splash program aimed at promoting water safety on a national level. He is also a member of the Goldfish Swim School. In addition, Cullen is an ambassador for African American swimmers, showing children that black kids can swim too, shattering the stereotype, especially when he became the first African American to break a World Record in swimming, and there was also that time he won two Olympic gold medals.
Cullen makes his way around the country offering opportunities for kids from all walks of life to learn to swim.
More children ages 1-4 die from drowning which is more than any other cause of death. 4,000 fatal unintentional drownings occur each year; that’s 11 drownings occurring each day in the U.S. alone; 70% of African American children, 60% of Latino children and 40% of Caucasian children have little or no swimming ability. Cullen wants to combat these statistics and will continue to fight until maybe one day, its common place for every child to learn to swim, just as easily as it is to read.
The ISHOF Aquatic Awards will be held Friday, September 29, 2023 at the Fort Lauderdale Marriott Harbor Beach Resort and Spa, 3030 Holiday Drive, Fort Lauderdale, FL (954) 525-4000. Ticket information will be forthcoming.
For more information call Meg Keller-Marvin at 570.594.4367
#ISHOF #Aquaticawards #USASwimming #Fortlauderdale #Diving #Waterpolo #Artisticswimming #EverychildAswimmer #swimlessons #Honoreeinduction #WorldAqutics #USA #Spain #Azerbaijan #Marriottharborbeach
Legendary Coach Frank Keefe Dies at 85; Leaves Lasting Legacy At Numerous Stops
by MATTHEW DE GEORGE – SENIOR WRITER
05 May 2023, 12:05pm
Legendary Coach Frank Keefe Dies; Leaves Lasting Legacy At Numerous Stops
Legendary swim coach Frank Keefe, who led Yale for more than 30 years and coached a slew of Olympians, has died. Yale confirmed his passing in a statement on Friday. He was 85.
Keefe leaves a long legacy of coaching. He spent a decade at Suburban Swim Club in Newtown Square, Pennsylvania, a regional powerhouse club that continues to churn out collegians. Among his earliest pupils were Olympic medalists Carl Robie and Tim McKee.
The main part of Keefe’s career was spent at Yale, coaching the men’s team from 1978-2010 and the women’s team from 1980-2010. So respected was his work that the Ivy League women’s swimming championship trophy was named the Frank Keefe Trophy while he was still coaching. He combined to win 485 dual meets with the Bulldogs. He won the men’s Ivy League championship in 1991-92 and led the women’s team to five crowns, including undefeated seasons in 1992-93 and 1996-97.
“We have lost a legend,” said current Yale head swim coach Jim Henry in a university statement. “He was an outstanding teacher, coach, ambassador, father and friend who meant so much to so many. Frank loved his swimmers and loved Yale.”
“Frank dedicated his career to the growth and evolution of competitive swimming,” Yale Director of Athletics Victoria M. “Vicky” Chun said. “We were lucky to have him lead Yale Swimming for over three decades, and his legacy will continue to live on through our program.”
In 2009, Keefe was given the American Swimming Coaches Association Award of Excellence. He also won the 2022 USA Swimming Award.
Though he had long-standing ties to Connecticut as an East Haven native, Keefe’s first forays into coaching came outside of Philadelphia. He swam at Mercersburg Academy in Pennsylvania and at Villanova University, graduating in 1960.
He began coaching at Philadelphia Country Club, which led to working at Monsignor Bonner High School (Robie’s alma mater), Saint Joseph’s Prep and Saint Joseph’s University. Robie would go on to win gold in the 200 butterfly at the 1968 Olympics in Mexico City, an early advertisement of Keefe’s guidance.
Keefe joined Suburban in 1966, a centrally located hub for swimming the greater Philadelphia area founded in 1950 by fellow coaching legend Peter Daland. Keefe produced his first major success at the 1972 Olympics with double silver medalist McKee. He would branch out by 1976 to start Foxcatcher Swim Club, at the John DuPont estate pool that Suburban had access.
By 1978, though, Keefe was drawn back to his roots in Connecticut, becoming the Robert J.H. Kiputh Director of Swimming. (He had already mentored nine Olympians at that point.) He was on the staff of the U.S. Olympic swim team in 1984 (as assistant coach), 1988 (as head manager) and 2000. Keefe was the head coach for the U.S. teams at the 1975 and 1979 Pan American Games and an assistant on the squad at the 1979 World Championships. At Yale, Keefe also founded Omni Swim Club in New Haven, which he directed for 20 years.
After his retirement from Yale in 2010, he remained very active around the pool. He returned to the Philadelphia area with his wife Kathleen, who died in 2014 after 54 years of marriage. He served as a volunteer assistant coach at Villanova, Swarthmore College, La Salle University and Shipley School and as an interim director of aquatics at Wesleyan University in Connecticut, in an echo of the work he did uniting coaches and programs in the Philadelphia area in the 1960s.
Keefe helped create USA Swimming in the late 1970s, separating it from the Amateur Athletic Union and gaining control of sanctioning swimming events in the United States. Keefe was the AAU’s National Time Standards Chairman from 1974-79. He was ASCA’s vice president from 1976-78 and its president from 1978-80. He served on the Olympic International Organizing Committee from 1973-88.
Keefe is a member of the Villanova Athletic Hall of Fame, the Pennsylvania Aquatics Hall of Fame and the American Swim Coaches Association Hall of Fame, the latter enshrinement occurring as part of its fourth class in 2005.
Happy Birthday Brooke Bennett !
Brooke Bennett (USA)
Honor Swimmer (2010)
The information on this page was written the year of their induction.
FOR THE RECORD: 1996 OLYMPIC GAMES: gold (800m freestyle); 2000 OLYMPIC GAMES: gold (400m, 800m freestyle); 1994 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS: bronze (800m freestyle); 1998 WORLD CHAMPI-ONSHIPS: gold (800m freestyle), silver (400m freestyle, 4x200m freestyle relay); 2000 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS (25m): silver (800m freestyle); 1995 PAN AMERICAN GAMES: gold (400m freestyle), silver (800m free-style); 1995 Pan PacificChampionships: gold (400m, 1500m freestyle); 1997 PAN PACIFIC CHAMPIONSHIPS: gold (800m, 1500m freestyle), silver (400m freestyle); 1999 PAN PACIFIC CHAMPIONSHIPS: gold (400m, 800m freestyle); 13 U.S. NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS: 2-400m freestyle, 2-500y freestyle, 3-800m freestyle, 2-1000y freestyle, 2-1500m freestyle, 2-1650y freestyle.
Growing up in Plant City, Florida on a farm surrounded by a menagerie of animals, Brooke loved the water and swam a length of the family pool at the age of two. By age six she was a local swim club champ.
Swimming for the Brandon Blue Wave, she took to the distance freestyle events and at age fourteen, she won the bronze medal in the 800 meter freestyle at the 1994 Rome World Championships. A bit cocky and eager to win, she used the 1995 PanAmerican Games gold-medal win in the 400m freestyle as a stepping stone to win the 1996 Olym-pic 800 meter freestyle gold medal which she repeated in 2000 win the 1996 Olym-pic 800 meter freestyle gold medal which she repeated in 2000 at the Sydney Games. Following in the footsteps of her rival but friend, Janet Evans, it was only the second back-to-back 800m freestyle win in Olympic history just as Janet had done in 1988 and 1992. With a time of 8:19.67, she broke Janet’s 12 year old Olympic record in the process.
Brooke Bennett had become one of the world’s greatest female distance swimmers. She also won the 400m freestyle gold medal in Sydney and the 800m freestyle gold at the 1998 World Championships. Three of her 13 U.S. National Championships were in the 800m freestyle. All totaled she had three Olympic gold medals from two Olympic Games; a gold, silver and bronze medals from two World Champion-ships; gold and silver medals from one Pan American Games and a silver medal from one World Championships short course.
She was the 1995 USOC Sports Woman of the Year for Swimming. Serious operations on both her shoulders in 2001 limited her participation in ensuing years.
Caeleb Dressel, Katie Ledecky, Summer McIntosh, Bobby Finke Lead Loaded Field for Atlanta Classic (Psych Sheet)
Caeleb Dressel — Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick
by SWIMMING WORLD EDITORIAL STAFF
04 May 2023, 05:47pm
Caeleb Dressel, Katie Ledecky, Summer McIntosh, Bobby Finke Lead Loaded Field for Atlanta Classic (Psych Sheet)
This year’s edition of the Atlanta Classic will feature as strong a field as any non-championship meet on U.S. soil outside of TYR Pro Swim Series. For the first time in almost 11 months, Caeleb Dressel is scheduled to compete, and he will be joined by the entire squad of U.S. Olympians also training at the University of Florida, including Katie Ledecky, Bobby Finke, Kieran Smith, Emma Weyant, Natalie Hinds and Jake Mitchell.
Also in attendance will be Canadian stars Josh Liendo (also a Florida trainee) and Summer McIntosh. McIntosh will be racing for the first time since setting world records in the 400 freestyle and 400 IM last month.
Click here to view the full psych sheet.
Over the course of the three-day meet (running Friday through Sunday), Dressel is entered in the 200 free, 100 butterfly, 200 fly, 50 free, 200 IM and 100 free, although it’s unclear if he will end up racing all of those events. In the fly and sprint free events, Dressel will face off with fellow Gator Liendo, the World Championships bronze medalist in the 100 free and 100 fly plus the NCAA champion in the 100-yard free.
On the women’s side, Ledecky is set to swim the 200 free, 400 free and 800 free, while McIntosh is set for several off-events. Instead of mid-distance free, IM and 200 fly, McIntosh has the 100 and 200 breaststroke, 100 and 200 backstroke, 50 free and 100 fly. Her absence from the 400 IM denies a chance to race against Weyant, the Olympic silver medalist and Worlds bronze medalist in the race.
Finke is entered in the 200 free, 400 IM, 200 fly, 400 free, 800 free and 1500 free, and Smith has the 200 free, 400 IM, 100 back, 400 free, 200 IM and 100 free. Also listed on the psych sheet are college standouts from throughout the southeast, with the Georgia Bulldogs joining their Florida rivals.
While the Canadian standouts have already secured their qualification spots for this summer’s World Championships, the Americans are targeting U.S. Nationals in late June, a five-day event in Indianapolis.
Today we celebrate the birthdate of Kim Welshons, Synchronized Swimmer
Kim Welshons (USA)
Honor Synchronized / Artistic Swimmer (1988)
The information on this page was written the year of their induction.
FOR THE RECORD: PAN AMERICAN GAMES: 1963 gold (team); AAU SENIOR NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS: 13 (solo, duet, team and figures); AAU JUNIOR NATIONALS: 3; INTERNATIONAL SYNCHRONIZED SWIMMING TITLES: 14 (solo, duet, team, figures); All American Team Member 5 times.
At a time when synchronized swimming had not yet received Olympic and World Championship recognition, Kim Welshons was the most honored swimmer of the sport. The titles she received including a Pan American Games gold medal, fourteen international and thirteen national titles, are indeed indicative of world Championship status. Kim was instrumental in advancing international awareness and participation within the competitive arena of synchronized swimming.
In Brazil, as a member of the U.S. synchronized swimming team in 1963, at the age of 12, Kim became, and currently remains, the youngest person to ever receive a gold medal in the Pan American Games. Other competitive travels took her to a 1970 win in Copenhagen as well as to 40 states, Canada, Mexico, Europe, Japan, South America, Yugoslavia and Puerto Rico.
In 1966, at the request of President and Mrs. Lyndon B. Johnson, Kim delivered a command performance in Mexico City at a reception held in honor of the Mexican President and Mrs. Diaz Ordaz. Later that same year, Mrs. Johnson again requested Kim to display her talents for President Johnson, California governor and Mrs. Edmund G. Brown and a host of other celebrities at the Hearst Castle in San Simeon, California. On New Year’s 1971, Kim was featured in the Pasadena Tournament of Roses Parade as the World Synchronized Swimming Champion.
Although Kim retired in 1970, she has continued to contribute to synchronized swimming and to the scientific advancement and media recognition of all amateur sports She coached the Mexican National Team for two years, served as technical spokesperson and provided color commentary for the major television networks for eight years and has published numerous articles on the sport. Not only was Kim a multi-champion as a member of the Santa Clara Aquamaids, but she was an outstanding international representative for synchronized swimming and U.S. women in sports.
Throwback Thursday! ISHOF’s first Honoree Ceremonies ~ 1965 ~ How many Honorees can you name?
MISHOF Honoree Maurine Kornfeld Embraces Joy of Swimming at 101 – Still Setting Records
by DAN D’ADDONA — SWIMMING WORLD MANAGING EDITOR
01 May 2023,
Maurine Kornfeld got into swimming because she enjoyed the water.
She joined Masters Swimming in her 60s and is still going strong – four decades later.
Kornfeld, now 101, broke the Masters World Record in the 50 freestyle for the 100-104 age group during the weekend at the 2023 United States Masters Swimming (USMS) Spring Championships in Irvine, California.
Upon setting the record, she had this to say:
“I just love swimming. If it is not fun, why bother?” Kornfeld said.
That was the extent of talking about her own exploits. For years, Kornfeld has broken records, but quietly tried to deflect the attention she receives as she continues to swim well.
“It’s truly amazing,” Rose Bowl Aquatics coach Michael Tulin said. “Every time she gets in the water, she creates a buzz. When the announcers give her the credit she is due. Everyone pays attention and watches. It’s truly amazing. It is always remarkable. Every time she gets in the water, she creates a buzz. When the announcers give her the credit she is due. Everyone pays attention and watches. Having her on our team has been absolutely wonderful. She has done a lot for the spirit of the team.”
After retiring from her career as a social worker, Kornfeld started swimming with the Masters team at the Glendale, California YMCA, where she learned the ropes and some of the vocabulary. She not only took to Masters, but also took all the Red Cross courses for Water Safety Instructor, Advanced Lifesaving and Adapted Aquatics. She made her Masters debut in the 65 – 69 age group, and set her first Masters World Record at the age of 90. She now swims for Rose Bowl Aquatics.
At the 2017 FINA Masters World Championships in Budapest, Kornfeld was the oldest female swimmer at the meet and amazed the city when she set a new World Record in the 95-99 age group in the 800m freestyle.
Kornfeld, who grew up in Great Falls, Montana, was an International Swimming Hall of Fame (ISHOF) Masters Honoree in 2018.
This week, Kornfeld broke the 100-104 record in the 50 free, getting to the wall in 1:27.45. Kornfeld also went a 3:30.70 in the 100 backstroke to win.
“Obviously we are all inspired. We all want to grow up and be like her,” teammate Cheryl Simmons said. “Everyone wanted a photo with her and I felt like her body guard. It is also a pleasure to spend time with her and see how positive she is. She always deflects the focus off of her. Everyone thinks they are her special friend. She knows everyone and everyone’s kids names and asks about them, makes them feel special. She makes everyone feel like this.”
That caring, soft-spoken kindness is part of her legacy.
https://www.youtube.com/embed/-NQTHVBBhR8
“Aside from the physicality of what she can do, mentally, she is so strong and so powerful. She has a great memory and is a joy to be around,” Tulin said. “It is hard to articulate. She is just soft spoken and so gracious about everything she does. She is always fun to be around.”
But don’t be fooled. She is competitive.
“She tries to make it sound like she is there just for fun. She is not just doing it. She is competitive and trying to get better,” Simmons said. “She has that competitive drive. Even at 101 she has questions and looking to get better and stronger. She always wants to improve – like all of us.”