ISHOF Honoree Dawn Fraser Back In the Pool As The Swimmer Of The Century Faces The Greatest Challenge Of Her Life
HAPPY PLACE: Dawn Fraser is back swimming as she faces the greatest challenge of her life. Photo Courtesy: Swim Australia.
by Ian Hanson – Oceania Correspondent
14 May 2025
Dawn Fraser Back In the Pool As She Faces The Greatest Challenge Of Her Life
Olympic legend Dawn Fraser has revealed that doctors told her “she could die” on the operating table following a fall at her Noosa home last December as she takes to the pool again for her greatest challenge.
The 87-year-old four-time Olympic champion has been fitted with a pacemaker after a feinting episode – the heart that took her to the top of the world – momentarily stopped beating.
Named the Swimmer of the Century, Dawn has appeared on Australian television in an exclusive interview – with vision of the three-time Olympic 100m freestyle gold medallist back in the pool on the Queensland Sunshine Coast – therapy for her post operative hip surgery and heart scare.
Demonstrating that famous stroke that took her to three consecutive Olympic 100m freestyle gold medals in 1956, 1960 and 1964.
“Our Dawn” in her happy place as she turns the clock back, rehabbing from a frightening fall that resulted in four broken ribs and a broken hip – and dealing with the prospect that she may die on the operating table.
“The doctor said I could die. It wasn’t a safe operation…that was the frightening part…that I might die under anesthetic, and I didn’t want to die that way…” Dawn told Ten Eyewitness News, comforted by her daughter Dawn Lorraine and grandson Jackson.
“So I wasn’t going to give in…especially away from my family.”
Dawn surviving the operation but later suffering a feinting episode – subsequently fitted with a pacemaker which is monitored remotely 24 hours a day.
“I started to feel very feint and then I feinted, and they said my heart had stopped for five seconds and I had a very low heart rate,” said Dawn, who also struggled with depression, losing 22 kilos in weight, told she is not to drive anymore and that she must slow down.
“I’m back in water and doing exercises I used to do when I was training, and it kept me going. It is very important for your health and for my family too.”
Dawn knowing that being back in the pool is the best tonic she could have as the Olympic golden girl races the clock again in the fight of her life.
And as frail as she may be, one thing is certain, Dawn Fraser isn’t going to miss next month’s World Championship Swimming Trials in Adelaide.
She is planning on being on pool deck to cheer on the current day champions…also saying that the Brisbane 32 Olympic Games isn’t out of the question.
“I hope so..I’ll be 95 then..” said Dawn.
Every Child a Swimmer Legislation Expands Nationwide: Arizona and New Mexico Become Latest States to Pass Life-Saving Water Safety Bill
Photo: Barry Goldwater Jr. Emma Linquist, Casey McGovern, Representative Matt Gress (Arizona)
Fort Lauderdale, FL — The Every Child a Swimmer program proudly announces the successful passage of its life-saving water safety legislation in Arizona and New Mexico, with each state’s governor officially signing the bills into law. These states join Florida, Georgia, Arkansas, and Washington State in adopting this critical initiative aimed at protecting children from drowning and promoting water safety education.
The Every Child a Swimmer legislation is designed to educate parents and guardians about the importance of teaching children how to swim and practicing water safety measures. By ensuring that families receive this essential information, the legislation empowers communities to prevent drowning tragedies.
“Drowning is a leading cause of accidental death for children, and education is our strongest tool in preventing these heartbreaking losses,” said Casey McGovern, Executive Director of the Every Child a Swimmer program. “We are thrilled to see Arizona and New Mexico take this significant step in prioritizing the safety of their children.”
The legislation requires that parents are provided with water safety information when enrolling their children in schools, raising awareness about the importance of swimming lessons, supervision, and other safety measures.
Every Child a Swimmer Legislation: States Passed
Florida
Georgia
Arkansas
Washington State
Arizona (New)
New Mexico (New)
The Every Child a Swimmer program, a division of the International Swimming Hall of Fame, is on a mission to ensure that every child has access to life-saving water safety education and essential swimming skills. Through its learn-to-swim scholarship program, ECAS provides critical support to underserved communities, guaranteeing that each scholarship recipient learns how to safely exit the water without assistance. In 2024 alone, the program awarded an impressive $632,000 in learn-to-swim scholarships through its network of 300+ trusted swim school partners.
Pictures from left to right:
Representative Sanchez, Casey McGovern, Marco Serna (New Mexico)
Casey McGovern testifying on behalf of HB-2019 Arizona
For more information about the Every Child a Swimmer program and how you can support its mission, please visit www.everychildaswimmer.org or contact Casey McGovern at Casey@everychildaswimmer.org.
Media Contact: Casey McGovern Executive Director, Every Child a Swimmer [Phone 954-275-9035] [Email: Casey@everychildaswimmer.org]
First Indian in History to be inducted into ISHOF ~ Sachin Nag, 2025 Pioneer Swimmer
Sachin NAG* (IND) 2025 Honor Pioneer Swimmer
FOR THE RECORD: 1948 OLYMPIC GAMES: participant – 100m freestyle & water polo; 1952 OLYMPIC GAMES: participant water polo – first goal for his country; 1951 Asian Games: gold (100m freestyle; first gold medal for India), bronze (4x100m freestyle relay, 3x100m medley relay)
Sachin Nag is an Indian legend in the record books but was never given his legitimate place to galvanize Indian popular culture in sport. Even after seven decades, his records are unparalleled, but he never got his due, until now.
His career blossomed in 1937, when he was invited to live and train in Calcutta, and within just one year, he was breaking all national records. He even began dreaming of competing in the Olympic Games. He competed in 6K and 10K races in the Hoolghly River and began playing water polo.
Nag competed in the 1948 Olympic Games, finishing a respectable sixth place in the 100-meter freestyle event. He also played for the Indian water polo team and scored four goals in a 7–4 win over Chile.
Nag’s real moment of glory, however, came three years later at the inaugural edition of the Asian Games in New Delhi. On March 8, 1951, Nag won the gold medal in the 100-meter freestyle and in the audience watching him win the first gold medal for India was Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru. According to media reports, Nehru was so overjoyed that he broke protocol, embraced Nag and presented him with the red rose from the breast pocket of his coat.
Besides winning gold in the 100m freestyle, Nag also won bronze medals in the 4×100m freestyle relay and the 3×100m freestyle relay. In addition, he would go on to compete in the 1952 Helsinki Olympic Games, representing India in water polo.
Following his incredible achievements in the pool, Nag would train future generations of Indian swimmers. Sachin Nag passed away on August 19, 1987. Looking at a photograph of the muscular, six-footer, one can only wonder what a swimmer he might have been had he had the coaching and opportunities afforded swimmers in the west or Japan at the time. Sachin Nag, the first Honoree inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame from India.
Join the family of Sachin Nag and the other 11 outstanding Honorees who will be inducted this year at ISHOF’s Diamond Anniversary in Singapore! Buy your tickets NOW for ISHOF’s 60th Anniversary of the Honoree Induction Ceremony in Singapore in conjunction with the World Aquatics World Championships
WHEN: Monday, July 28, 2025, 1:00 PM
WHERE: Park Royal Collection, Marina Bay, Singapore
Tickets are NOW ON SALE ~ purchase them HERE!
Buy your tickets NOW for ISHOF’s 60th Anniversary of the Honoree Induction Ceremony
ISHOF Class of 2025
Anthony Ervin (USA) Honor Swimmer
Ryan Lochte (USA) Honor Swimmer
Federica Pellegrini (ITA) Honor Swimmer
Joseph Schooling (SIN) Honor Swimmer
Ous Mellouli (TUN) Honor Open Water Swimmer
Chen Ruolin (CHN) Honor Diver
Endre “Bandi” Molnar (HUN) Honor Water Polo Player
Andrea Fuentes (ESP) Honor Artistic Swimmer
Gregg Troy (USA) Honor Coach
Captain Husain Al Musallam (KUW) Honor Contributor
Sachin Nag* (IND) Honor Pioneer Swimmer
Guo Jingjing (CHN) Honor Diver (Class of 2016)
*deceased
The International Swimming Hall of Fame (ISHOF) is proud to announce this truly international Class of 2025. This year, ISHOF will induct 12 honorees from nine countries. In addition, ISHOF will be inducting Honorees from four new countries that we have never had Honorees inducted from before, Kuwait, India, Tunisia, and Singapore.
ISHOF Honoree Gary Hall Jr. Gets replacement medals in Lausanne at IOC
We all remember the devastating wildfires that swept across Los Angeles earlier this year, but it really hit close to home when the swimming community learned that Hall of Famer, Gary Hall Jr. barely escaped the blaze of the home he was renting with nothing but the shirt on his back and his dog. He lost everything including his 10 Olympic medals.
Today, Hall, Jr. was in Lausaunne, Switzerland, home of the IOC where he was presented exact replicas of his medals.
A post from his father, ISHOF Hall of Famer, Gary Hall Sr’s organization, The Race Club said:
“Gary Hall Jr.’s medal ceremony in Lausanne, Switzerland, is a testament to resilience. After the LA wildfires claimed his Olympic medals, the IOC created precise replicas. This ceremony symbolizes a bright future ahead.”
We couldn’t agree more!
Endre “Bandi” MOLNAR of Hungary ~ ISHOF 2025 Honor Water Polo Player
Endre “Bandi” Molnar began playing with the second division team of Budapesti Építők and in 1960, he moved to Budapesti Spartacus, a first division team, where he remained until the end of his career. Molnar played in a total of one hundred and eighty-nine games for the Hungarian National Team between 1966 and 1980. During this time Hungary won four Olympic medals, three at the World Championships and two at the European Championships.
His first Olympic medal came in 1968, at the Mexico City Games, where Molnar and his teammates came away with bronze. In Munich, 1972, they bettered their record by winning the silver medal. Then in Montreal in 1976, they went undefeated in the round-robin tournament to win the gold. 1980 would be Molnar’s fourth and final Olympic Games in Moscow where the Hungarian Team won bronze, being outmatched by only the Soviets on their home stage and the Yugoslavians.
In addition to his four Olympic medals, Molnar won the gold medal at the first edition of the FINA World Championships in Belgrade, Yugoslavia in 1973, beating out the Soviets. With Endre Molnar in goal, the Hungarians were also two-time European Champions.
Endre Molnar is one of only a handful of individuals who has won four medals in Olympic water polo competition. He was named Hungarian Water Polo Player of the Year six times and is considered one of the best, if not the best goalkeeper in the history of the sport. In 2000, he was selected for the Hungarian Water Polo Team of the 20th Century, became a member of the board of Hungarian water polo in 2008, and received the Officer’s Cross of the Hungarian Order of Merit in 2020.
Join Endre “Bandi” Molnar and the other 11 outstanding Honorees who will be inducted this year at ISHOF’s Diamond Anniversary in Singapore! Buy your tickets NOW for ISHOF’s 60th Anniversary of the Honoree Induction Ceremony in Singapore in conjunction with the World Aquatics World Championships
WHEN: Monday, July 28, 2025, 1:00 PM
WHERE: Park Royal Collection, Marina Bay, Singapore
Tickets are NOW ON SALE ~ purchase them HERE!
Buy your tickets NOW for ISHOF’s 60th Anniversary of the Honoree Induction Ceremony
ISHOF Class of 2025
Anthony Ervin (USA) Honor Swimmer
Ryan Lochte (USA) Honor Swimmer
Federica Pellegrini (ITA) Honor Swimmer
Joseph Schooling (SIN) Honor Swimmer
Ous Mellouli (TUN) Honor Open Water Swimmer
Chen Ruolin (CHN) Honor Diver
Endre “Bandi” Molnar (HUN) Honor Water Polo Player
Andrea Fuentes (ESP) Honor Artistic Swimmer
Gregg Troy (USA) Honor Coach
Captain Husain Al Musallam (KUW) Honor Contributor
Sachin Nag* (IND) Honor Pioneer Swimmer
Guo Jingjing (CHN) Honor Diver (Class of 2016)
*deceased
The International Swimming Hall of Fame (ISHOF) is proud to announce this truly international Class of 2025. This year, ISHOF will induct 12 honorees from nine countries. In addition, ISHOF will be inducting Honorees from four new countries that we have never had Honorees inducted from before, Kuwait, India, Tunisia, and Singapore.
Pro Swim Series Fort Lauderdale: Stacked Field Includes Ledecky, Marchand, Dressel, McIntosh, Douglass, Walsh Sisters (PSYCH SHEETS)
Leon Marchand of France prepares before competing in the Men’s 400m Individual Medley final during the Paris 2024 Olympic Games at La Defense Arena in Paris (France), July 28, 2024.
by Dan D’Addona — Swimming World Managing Editor
24 April 2025
Pro Swim Series Fort Lauderdale: Stacked Field Includes Ledecky, Marchand, Dressel, McIntosh, Douglass, Walsh Sisters (PSYCH SHEETS)
The 2025 TYR Pro Swim Series will make a stop in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, with a meet from April 30-May 3.
The psych sheet has been released for the meet, which is loaded with swimming stars, including Katie Ledecky, Leon Marchand, Summer McIntosh, Caeleb Dressel, Kate Douglass, Lilly King, Hubert Kos, Simone Manuel, Kylie Masse, Penny Oleksiak, Michael Andrew, Shaine Casas, Katie Grimes, Katharine Berkoff, Claire Curzan, Bella Sims, Ilya Kharun and the Walsh sisters.
World record-holder Katie Ledecky headlines the meet and will be joined in the women’s distance events by NCAA champion Jillian Cox.
Ledecky will have a showdown with Canadian Olympic champion Summer McIntosh in the 400 free.
The men’s distance events will feature Olympians Bobby Finke, Aaron Shackell, David Johnston, Kieran Smith and Luke Hobson.
The women’s 100 free might be the most stacked event with 13 Olympians on the list, led by Kate Douglass, Gretchen Walsh and Simone Manuel. They will be joined in the 50 free by Kasia Wasick.
The men’s 100 free is similar, led by Olympians Chris Guiliano, Caeleb Dressel, Hunter Armstrong and Shaine Casas. Dylan Carter and Michael Andrew will add depth to the 50.
The women’s 100 breaststroke will feature Olympians Lilly King, Emma Weber, Douglass and Alex Walsh, while Andrew will lead the men’s event along with international athletes Evgenii Somov and Denis Petrashov. The 50 breaststroke fields will be similar.
The women’s 50 backstroke, now an Olympic event, will feature Regan Smith, Katharine Berkoff, Claire Curzan, Rhyan White and Bella Sims – all U.S. Olympians. If that wasn’t enough, Canadian Olympians Kylie Masse and Taylor Ruck are in the field, too. Armstrong, Hugo Gonzalez, Hubert Kos and Casas lead the men’s event.
Smith and Alex Shackell will lead the 200 butterfly, the two Paris Olympians in the event, while Canada’s Ilya Kharun and U.S. Olympian Carson Foster lead the men’s event.
The women’s 200 free will feature Penny Oleksiak, Claire Weinstein, Ledecky, Sims, Gemmell, Shackell, Manuel, Katie Grimes, Leah Hayes and more.
Hobson, leads the 200 free in a field that has Guiliano, Smith, Foster, Aaron Shackell and Marchand.
Gretchen Walsh, Smith and Douglass will square off in the 50 butterfly. The men’s race will feature Dressel, Kharun, Casas and Andrew. Walsh and Dressel lead the 100 butterfly as well.
The 200 backstroke will see a Smith, White, Curzan, McIntosh and Grimes showdown, while Kos and Gonzalez lead the men’s field.
Marchand leads the field in the men’s 400 IM, 200 IM and 200 breaststroke – by a lot.
Grimes, Emma Weyant and Leah Hayes will square off in the 400 IM.
The women’s 100 backstroke is always stacked. Smith, Katharine Berkoff, Masse, Curzan, White, Ruck and Sims will make sure that trend continues, while Kos, Armstrong and Gonzalez do the same for the men.
Douglass and Alex Walsh will again square off in the 200 breaststroke, while Walsh, Smith and Hayes will do the same in the 200 IM.
The International Swimming Hall of Fame announces the 2025 ISHOF Specialty Awards
The International Swimming Hall of Fame (ISHOF) is proud to announce this year’s recipients of the ISHOF Specialty Awards. The ISHOF Specialty Awards are presented annually to individuals for outstanding contributions to aquatics. This year’s awards will be presented on Saturday evening, September 13th in conjunction with the ISHOF Aquatic Awards, presented by AquaCal and MISHOF Honoree Induction Ceremonies in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, USA. Ticket information will be forthcoming shortly or call 570 594-4367.
This year’s 2025 ISHOF Specialty Award Recipients:
Barry Goldwater, Jr. (USA) – 2025 Every Child A Swimmer Award
Ludmilla Rosengren (SWE) – 2025 Virginia Hunt Newman Award
Anita Mitchell (USA) – 2025 Buck Dawson Author’s Award: “God Took My Arms but He Gave Me THIS GIFT ~ The Story of Abbas Karimi, PLY”
Terri Mitchell (USA) – 2025 John K. Williams, Jr. International Adapted Aquatics Award
Cynthia Potter (USA) – 2025 Al Schoenfield Media Award
Barry Goldwater, Jr. — 2025 Every Child A Swimmer Award
The Awards and Recognition Committee of the International Swimming Hall of Fame is pleased to announce the recipient of the 2025 Every Child A Swimmer Award is Barry Goldwater, Jr. The Every Child A Swimmer Award is presented to someone for their long and exceptional leadership, insight, and dedication to the water safety of children and the cause of making “Every Child A Swimmer”.
Barry M. Goldwater, Jr. is a distinguished American leader whose influence spans public service, business, and civic advocacy. The son of legendary Arizona Senator and 1964 Republican presidential nominee Barry Goldwater, Barry Jr. has carved out his own legacy over decades of service and leadership.
Among his most recent and impactful civic achievements, Barry Goldwater, Jr. played a key advisory role in the passage of Arizona’s “Every Child a Swimmer” legislation—a critical child safety law that ensures swimming instruction is accessible to all young students across the state. This initiative aligns with Barry’s lifelong dedication to protecting families and promoting public well-being.
Known for his charisma, tenacity, and deep understanding of both business and government, Barry remains an influential figure across the U.S., continuing to shape policy, advise leaders, and inspire community impact.
About G. Harold Martin: Back in 1908, G. Harold Martin almost drowned in the Ohio River. Over the next two decades drowned two more times. From these experiences evolved a mission to make “Every Child A Swimmer.” His civic involvement led to the building of Fort Lauderdale’s first municipal pool in 1927. Kiwanian sponsored free swim lessons at the pool, and eventually influenced the decision by ISHOF to be in Fort Lauderdale. An active Kiwanian his entire adult life, he was instrumental in making the Key Club an integral club within Kiwanis International and the adoption of Every Child A Swimmer as a Kiwanian project.
Ludmilla Rosengren (SWE)— 2025 Virginia Hunt Newman International Award
The Awards and Recognition Committee of the International Swimming Hall of Fame is pleased to announce that Ludmilla Rosengren will be the 2025 recipient of the Virginia Hunt Newman International Award.
Dr Ludmilla Rosengren entered the world of infant swimming purely by chance in 1989 when her eldest daughter was two years old and began her swimming lessons. From the very start, she became actively involved and saw opportunities to develop the program. Shortly thereafter, alongside her medical studies, she founded her infant swimming school: Linnéas Simskola.
After completing her medical degree, Rosengren realised that she needed to hire instructors for the school to grow and maintain its quality. In 1997, she took another major step by launching a training program for infant swimming instructors and founded the Swedish Babyswim Association (Svenska Babysimförbundet).
She has also emphasised how crucial it is for parents to be properly prepared and informed, given that the child’s sense of security is entirely dependent on how secure the parents feel. For this reason, she wrote Babysimboken (The Baby Swim Book), which is not only included in beginner courses at her swimming school but is also used by many others and serves as course material for instructor training programs. The book is also available in English.
Since its inception in 1993, Linnéas Simskola has operated in six different cities and 18 different pools. In 2016, Ludmilla built her own swimming facility in Uppsala, where all instruction is now centralized.
About Virginia Hunt Newman: Newman was a swimming instructor of infants, and is best known for developing the non-forceful, non-traumatic method of teaching infants to swim. Her methods and distraction from normal fears associated with learning to swim and rewards for trying and performing skills, have been accepted by thousands of swim instructors world-wide.
Anita Mitchell ~ 2025 Buck Dawson Author’s Award
The Awards and Recognition Committee of the International Swimming Hall of Fame is pleased to announce the recipient of the 2025 Buck Dawson Author’s Award is Anita Mitchell for her book, “God Took My Arms but He Gave Me THIS GIFT ~ The Story of Abbas Karimi, PLY.
This award is presented by ISHOF in the name of William F. “Buck” Dawson, ISHOF’s founding Executive Director, to an author of work that promotes, educates or entertains individuals about aquatics. He was always spreading the word, and always willing to talk and teach swimming and swimming history to anyone who would listen. He wrote hundreds of articles and was the author of eight books, ranging in subjects from bathing beauties to war, but especially swimming.
Anita Mitchell earned her BA in Communications from Michigan State University in 1972. She taught English in the Broward County School System from 1974-1980. She eventually went back to school and earned her master’s degree in journalism from Florida International University., where she went on to get a job as a freelance writer for the Miami Herald. She was hired in 1989 by WSVN-Channel 7, where she worked for almost thirty years as a Field Producer and writer.
She began swimming for Swim Fort Lauderdale Masters Team in 2004 and still swims there today, which is where she met Abbas Karimi, whom the book is based on. Masters Coach Marty Hendrick is the one who put Anita and Abbas together to write this book.
The Book: God Took My Arms but He Gave Me THIS GIFT, ~ The Story of Abbas Karimi, PLY. by Anita Mitchell
It is the unlikely story of how an armless Afghan boy became a world champion swimmer.
The road to the Olympics and Paralympics comes from unlikely places and often reveals the best of humanity. The future looked bleak for Abbas when he was born armless. With so many other problems in Kabul, Afghanistan, people with disabilities there are a low priority. After years of being bullied he sought refuge and peace in the water where he learned to swim and began to compete.
If 15-year-old Abbas wanted to excel with his unusual skill as a swimmer, he knew that he had to leave his large and close family. How he left, how he traveled through Iran, how he petitioned the UNHCR to come to the United States, how he made the Tokyo refugee Paralympic team, how he became a US citizen and what complications ensued in his life is a beacon of triumph and a salute to the human spirit.
Abbas is a role model not only for people with disabilities, but for anyone with a lofty goal where detours are placed along the way. He always had a champion’s mindset, whether it was in how he played marbles, performed martial arts or eventually excelled to world class levels in Paralympic swimming. Today, Abbas is training with Swim Fort Lauderdale Masters Swim Team, training under Marty Hendrick, for the 2028 Los Angeles Paralympic Games.
About Buck Dawson: Dawson was a veteran of WWII who served as assistant and publicist for Generals Gavin and Ridgeway in the 82nd Airborne. From the time he was chosen to lead ISHOF in 1962, until his death in 2008, Buck traveled the world armed with Hall of Fame brochures, books, and bumper stickers.
Terri Mitchell (USA) — 2025 John K. Williams, Jr. Adapted Aquatics Award
The Adapted Aquatics Committee of the International Swimming Hall of Fame is pleased to announce that Terri Mitchell will receive the 2025 John K. Williams, Jr. International Adapted Aquatics Award. The annual award, honoring individuals or organizations who have made significant and substantial contributions to the field of adaptive aquatics.
Terri Mitchell loves water, where she has spent much of her time during her career as an Aquatic Specialist. She has extensive experience teaching aquatic fitness classes and providing aquatic rehabilitation. She has written and published articles and taught workshops focused on Bridging the Gap to manage the transition from rehabilitation to fitness and wellness.
She is also a retired Licensed Physical Therapist Assistant (PTA) of 30 years with an Aquatic Specialty, having provided orthopedic and neurological patients with techniques and guidance for improved functional outcomes. She finished her PTA career in the out-patient setting working in the pool with orthopedic and neurologically involved patients.
Terri was a Trainer with the Aquatic Therapy and Rehab Institute for 25 years, teaching various aquatic therapy techniques to Physical Therapists, Therapeutic Recreation Specialists, Occupational Therapists and Adapted Aquatics Professionals. Terri is adept at specialty aquatic programs including Ai Chi, AquaStretch, PNF, PiYoChi, Ortho Aquatics, Intervals, and more. She co-authored a manual and video on bringing PNF (Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation) to the Pool, a technique for treating patients with neurological deficits.
Cynthia Potter — 2025 Al Schoenfield Media Award
The Awards and Recognition Committee of the International Swimming Hall of Fame is pleased to announce the recipient of the 2025 Al Schoenfield Media Award will be Cynthia Potter for outstanding contributions to the promotion of aquatic sports through journalism. This award is presented by ISHOF in memory of Al Schoenfield.
A four-time member of the USA Olympic Diving Team (1968, 1972, 1976, 1980) with 20 gold medals in world competition and a 28-time National Champion making her (still) the winningest U.S. female diver in the sport (1968-1977), gave Cynthia Potter a leg up in her next career.
Potter began her broadcasting career at ABC in 1983, her first show was covering the US National Championships for the ABC Wide World of Sports with Frank Gifford, in Bartlesville, Oklahoma, along with 1964 Olympic gold medalist Ken Sitzberger, covering the men. Since then Potter has been the face of diving coming into our homes during all major events.
With the exclusion of the 1988 Games, Cynthia has covered every Olympic Games from 1984 in Los Angeles through this last Games in Paris, 2024 and most of them working with last year’s 2024 Al Schoenfield recipient, Peter Diamond.
Potter has worked for just about every broadcasting company there is, including, Turner, ESPN, ABC, CBS, and NBC. She also began covering the NCAA’s starting in the 1980’s too, and she just finished covering the 2025 NCAA’s in Federal Way, Washington.
She has covered World Championships all over the world, as well as World Cups, Grand Prix’s, Goodwill Games, University Games, and many other events and she has worked with many different people. Early in her career, she was lucky enough to work with leaders in the industry, people from other sports. In addition to Frank Gifford, she worked with Jack Whitaker – Main play by play people from other sports, people who already knew the television business, when she did not ~ she was just starting and out and learning, and they gave her all the help she needed.
About Al Schoenfield: He was the Editor and Publisher of Swimming World Magazine (1960-1977) and served on various international committees of swimming, including the FINA Technical Swimming Committee (1980-1984). Schoenfield’s life was a commitment to swimming, and he participated in its administrative structure and spread its stories through his magazines and promotions. Al died in 2005, but his legacy will forever endure to all who have benefited from his lifetime of service to swimming.
Additional Awards During the evening of September 13th, 2025
2025 ISHOF Aquatic Awards presented by AquaCal
2025 ISHOF Aquatic Awards presented by AquaCal Recipients:
Competitive Swimming: Craig Hunter (GBR)
Water Polo: Bret Beecher Bernard (USA)
Competitive Diving: Mitch A. Geller (CAN)
Synchronized Swimming: Ana Maria Lobo (BRA)
Aquatic Safety: Lisa Zarda (USA)
Recreational Swimming: Mick and Sue Nelson (USA)
About ISHOF
The International Swimming Hall of Fame (ISHOF) museum opened its doors to the public in December of 1968 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. That same year, the Fédération Internationale de Natation (FINA) – the governing body for Olympic aquatic sports – designated the ISHOF museum as the “Official Repository for Aquatic History”. Today, ISHOF’s vision is to be the global focal point for recording and sharing the history of aquatics, promoting swimming as an essential life-skill, and developing educational programs and events related to water sports.
Spanish Artistic Swimmer Andrea Fuentes to be inducted as part of ISHOF’s Diamond Anniversary Celebration in Singapore
Andrea FUENTES (ESP)
FOR THE RECORD: 2012 OLYMPIC GAMES: silver (duet), bronze (team); 2008 OLYMPIC GAMES: silver (duet, team); 2004 OLYMPIC GAMES: diploma, 4th (team); 2011 FINA World Championships: silver (solo free event) bronze (solo tech, duet free, duet tech, team free and team tech) ; 2009 FINA World Championships: gold (combo) silver (duet free, duet tech, team free, team tech); 2007 FINA World Championships: silver (team free), bronze (team tech); 2005 FINA World Championships: bronze (team, combo); 2003 FINA World Championships: silver (combo) 4th (team); 2001 FINA World Championships: 5th place (team)
In 1999, at 16 years old, Andrea Fuentes had just joined the Spanish National team. The team was ranked tenth in the world, but by using a series of innovative new lifts, throws and hybrids, they slowly rose to the World Championship podium, tying for silver in the new event of the team free combination in 2003, and fourth in team. The next year, Spain took fourth in team again, at the Olympic Games in Athens.
Following the 2005 World Championships, Andrea was tapped as a potential duet partner for then Spanish star Gemma Mengual. At the World Cup in 2006 she took silver in duet with Mengual, swimming the technical routine.
Andrea had her most successful Olympic Games in Beijing, winning the silver medal in both duet and team, coming within a single point of the gold. In 2009, at the Roma World Championships, she swam away with one gold and four silver medals.
With Mengual taking a break, Andrea began training with a new partner, Ona Carbonell and with her, won her third Olympic silver medal in London, 2012, in duet, along with a bronze in team.
After her retirement as an athlete in 2013, Andrea married Spanish Olympic gymnast Victor Cano. Together, the pair began giving private lessons, coaching, and clinics around the world.
In 2018, Andrea was asked to lead USA Artistic Swimming from a ranking of 12th in the world, back to the Olympic podium. In 2024, Andrea guided the US team to the silver medal in Paris, returning the USA to the podium for the first time in 20 years. After the Paris Games, she returned home to Spain with her husband and two children, as Head Coach of the Spanish National Team.
Join Andrea Fuentes and the other 11 outstanding Honorees who will be inducted this year at ISHOF’s Diamond Anniversary in Singapore! Buy your tickets NOW for ISHOF’s 60th Anniversary of the Honoree Induction Ceremony in Singapore in conjunction with the World Aquatics World Championships
WHEN: Monday, July 28, 2025, 1:00 PM
WHERE: Park Royal Collection, Marina Bay, Singapore
Tickets are NOW ON SALE ~ purchase them HERE!
Buy your tickets NOW for ISHOF’s 60th Anniversary of the Honoree Induction Ceremony
ISHOF Class of 2025
Anthony Ervin (USA) Honor Swimmer
Ryan Lochte (USA) Honor Swimmer
Federica Pellegrini (ITA) Honor Swimmer
Joseph Schooling (SIN) Honor Swimmer
Ous Mellouli (TUN) Honor Open Water Swimmer
Chen Ruolin (CHN) Honor Diver
Endre “Bandi” Molnar (HUN) Honor Water Polo Player
Andrea Fuentes (ESP) Honor Artistic Swimmer
Gregg Troy (USA) Honor Coach
Captain Husain Al Musallam (KUW) Honor Contributor
Sachin Nag* (IND) Honor Pioneer Swimmer
Guo Jingjing (CHN) Honor Diver (Class of 2016)
*deceased
The International Swimming Hall of Fame (ISHOF) is proud to announce this truly international Class of 2025. This year, ISHOF will induct 12 honorees from nine countries. In addition, ISHOF will be inducting Honorees from four new countries that we have never had Honorees inducted from before, Kuwait, India, Tunisia, and Singapore.
USA Water Polo Announces ‘Women of the Water: An Olympic Journey’; Six-Part Series to Premiere April 28
By: John Lohn, Editor in Chief, Swimming World
April 2025
USA Water Polo Announces ‘Women of the Water: An Olympic Journey’; Six-Part Series to Premiere April 28
A year after “Path to Paris” chronicled USA Water Polo’s men’s national team’s quest to qualify for the 2024 Olympic Games, USA Water Polo is excited to announce its second original content series coming this spring.
The new six-part series, called “Women of the Water: An Olympic Journey,” will offer an inside look at the greatest women’s water polo team in the history of the sport on its road to the Paris Olympics. Tickets are on sale now for a special premiere on Monday, April 28, at the Lido Theater in Newport Beach, California.
The premiere will include the first look at all six episodes of the series as well as a panel discussion with members of the 2024 U.S. Olympic women’s water polo team. Click here to secure your spot at this exclusive experience.
“There has always been so much more to this process than chasing gold medals,” said Adam Krikorian, head coach of the U.S. women’s national team. “For years I’ve wanted people to hear the stories, see the personalities, and learn the lessons that make our journey so special.”
The U.S. women entered the summer of 2024 as the defending three-time Olympic champions, an unprecedented run of excellence. While the team ultimately placed fourth in Paris, viewers will discover the profound dedication these athletes had to the game, their incredible determination to navigate the journey, and the unbreakable bonds formed in the face of adversity.
“Coming up just short of our goal was disappointing,” Krikorian said, referring to the result in Paris, “but it doesn’t take away from the accomplishments [these players] did achieve, the relationships they built, or the impact they’ve had on our communities. This team and these women – along with those that came before them – are truly legends of our sport.”
The series was shot during a 10-month span, beginning in early 2024, when an Olympic berth was already secured, but expectations were building. As the team plotted its path to Paris, “Women of the Water” also delved into the stories of key figures around the program who made a major impact. This first-of-its-kind look at a water polo program that had a firm grip on No. 1 for the better part of a decade was assembled thanks to the creative vision of Executive Producer & Director Suzi Mellano and Producer Greg Mescall with collaboration from Associate Producer Sherie Smith.
“Creating ‘Women of the Water’ was such a fulfilling experience,” said Mellano. “Having the opportunity to be surrounded by such impressive, strong, talented women was beyond inspiring. The year-long process it took for me to shoot and edit this series was challenging but extremely rewarding. Being able to share the voices of these women and the impact they have on women’s sports, is something I will cherish for the rest of my career. I hold the growth of women’s sports close to my heart and I am honored to have played a small role in that progress.”
“Suzi did a masterful job telling the story of this team – one that, frankly, can’t be told enough,” Mescall added. “They are champions in and out of the water, regardless of the results in Paris. A special thanks to the athletes and staff for taking the time to facilitate this production, sitting for interviews, and allowing cameras into their lives. For those that love water polo, this will only cement your passion for the game and love for this team. For those not as familiar, by the end not only will you enjoy the sport, you’ll have developed a respect and appreciation for these athletes that goes far beyond their abilities in a cap and suit.”
Broad distribution for the series will be announced in the near future. Be sure to follow USA Water Polo’s social channels for updates and more information about “Women of the Water: An Olympic Journey.”About USA Water PoloUSA Water Polo, Inc., is the national governing body for water polo in America, overseeing our United States Olympic program as well as 20 championship events annually, such as Junior Olympics and Masters National Championships. With nearly 50,000 members, USAWP also is the sanctioning authority for more than 500 member clubs and more than 400 tournaments nationwide. USAWP is committed to the development of the sport throughout the U.S., fostering grass-roots expansion while providing a national system of affiliated clubs, certified coaches, and officials. For more information, visit www.usawaterpolo.org
Flashback Friday to February 24, 1977 When President Gerald R Ford Was Inducted as an Honorary Member of ISHOF
President Ford was an Honorary Director of the International Swimming Hall of Fame (ISHOF) Board of Directors and was a special guest at ISHOF in February, 1977, the year after he left the Presidency.
“You are honored here for your splendid example of swimming for health, exercise and pleasure in the historic tradition of other ‘Wet – Heads of State’ who were accomplished swimmers: John F. Kennedy, John Quincy Adams, Franklin Roosevelt, Winston Churchill, Pierre Trudeau, Julius Caesar, Alexander the Great, Mao Tse Tung, Charlemagne, King Gustav VII, King Louis XI and Prince Albert,” said 1977 ISHOF Executive Director Buck Dawson to President Ford at the meeting.
Just as he took the plunge into politics at an early age, so too did President Gerald Ford take the plunge into the swimming pool. Just as in his many years in politics, he also made swimming a life-long exercise for health benefits
As vice president, Ford swam daily in his Arlington, Va., home pool, and when he rose to the Presidency he was a regular swimmer in the newly-constructed pool on the White House grounds. (The original indoor pool built by FDR, had been removed in the late 1960’s.) The Swimming Hall of Fame contributed the first $1,000 to the fund generated by private donations to rebuild the White House pool in 1975. Widely-admired for his interest in physical fitness and sports, President Ford carried his swming regimen into his life as Citizen Ford.
Some of the things Ford did while he was at the Hall of Fame was sign the ISHOF guest book. He was also given a Picture of the Hall of Fame complex, which was presented by Bob Hoffman. He was also given a lifetime gold pass representnavie of his honerary memebrship into the Hall of Fame by Hall President Dave Roberts. He also watched the 100′ dive by Rick White, captain of the US Acapulco High Diving Team.