Happy Birthday to 2024 Honor Contributor, Dale Neuburger….
Dale Neuburger
Country: USA
Honoree Type: Contributor
FOR THE RECORD: FINA/WORLD AQUATICS: Treasurer (2021-present); Vice President (2000-2021); Bureau Liaison to the Technical Swimming Committee (2005- present); Chairman, FINA Technical Swimming Commission (2005-2022); Founding Chairman, FINA Development Program 2009-2022); Competition Director, FINA World Swimming Championships (Indianapolis 2004). INTERNATIONAL OLYMPIC COMMITTEEE: Technical Delegate/Competition Director (Olympic Games Beijing 2008, London 2012, Rio 2016, Tokyo 2021, and Paris 2024; Youth Olympic Games Singapore 2010; Nanjing 2014; Buenos Aires 2018). INTERNATIONAL SWIMMING HALL OF FAME: Chairman of the Board of Directors (2004); Board Member 1996-2004 and 2021- 2022); Paragon Award for Competitive Swimming (2000). PAN AM AQUATICS Honorary Life President (awarded 2024); President (2015-2019). US AQUATIC SPORTS: President (2002-2006); Board Member (2006-present); Recipient, Max Ritter Award (2019). USA SWIMMING: President (1998-2002); Vice President (1994-1998); Board Member 1990-2018); Foundation Board Member (2008-2014). UNITED STATES OLYMPIC & PARALYMPIC COMMITTEE: National Governing Bodies Council President and Executive Committee Member (1996-2000); Board Member 1994-2002); Deputy. Chef de Mission, United States Olympic delegation (Athens 2004); Recipient, President’s Award (2000); Recipient, George Steinbrenner III Award (2023); Organizing Committee leadership, 10 Olympic Trials in the aquatic sports (1984-2004). NCAA: Secretary-Rules Editor (1991); Flying Wedge Award (2000); Event Director for 11 NCAA Swimming & Diving Championships (1983-1991). PAN AMERICAN GAMES: Commissioner of Aquatics (Indianapolis 1987); Technical Delegate (2019 Lima and 2023 Santiago). ACODEPA: First Vice President (2019-2023); Executive Committee Member (2015-2023). FISU: Technical Delegate for five World University Games (Bangkok 2007; Belgrade 2009; Shenzhen (2011); Kazan 2015; Naples (2019). Raised in Buffalo, New York, he was an age group swimmer, team captain at Williston Academy (Massachusetts) and won varsity letters as a swimmer at Princeton University. After graduation from Princeton, Dale Neuburger returned to Buffalo where he coached club and high school swim teams before becoming Assistant Coach of Syracuse University’s Men’s and Women’s Swimming teams – one of the first combined collegiate programs in the country.
In 1979, Neuburger’s career turned to administration when he was selected as Aquatics Director for the Syracuse City School District, including programs and events at Max Newman Pool at , Nottingham High School – the first 50-meter, indoor swimming pool at a public high school in the USA. He was Competition Manager for the four aquatic sports in the 1981 National Sports Festival.
His successes in Syracuse led him to being hired as Assistant Athletic Director of Indiana University, with responsibility to manage three new sports venues being built for the 1982 National Sports Festival and 1987 Pan American Games: the Indianapolis Sports Center, the Indiana University Track Stadium, and the Indiana University Natatorium.
For ten years, he organized and oversaw major competitions including U.S. Olympic Trials, NCAA Championships, and the Pan American Games.
In 1993, Neuburger became President of Indiana Sports Corporation. During his twelve years in that position, he oversaw more than 200 major sports events that brought more than $2 billion of economic impact, including the 2004 FINA World Swimming Championships, the first to be staged in an NBA arena. His major accomplishment was leading the effort to relocate the National Collegiate Athletic Association and the National Federation of High School Associations to Indianapolis.
Neuburger served two terms as President of USA Swimming and two terms as the President of United States Aquatic Sports, the National Federation member of FINA/World Aquatics. At the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games he was elected Vice President of FINA, the international federation governing aquatic sports; he was reelected four more times before being elected Treasurer of World Aquatics in 2021 andre-elected to this position in 2023.
Dale Neuburger is the longest serving American representative in the history of FINA/World Aquatics. He has served as the Liaison to the FINA/World Aquatics Technical Swimming Committee and was the Technical Delegate for swimming at five Olympic Games – including Paris, 2024. He is also the founding Chairman of the World Aquatics Development Program, the largest grant program in the Olympic family.
Dale Neuburger’s career of service to aquatic sports, from age group to the Olympic level, has exemplified his willingness to give back to the sport which offered him so many opportunities. His wife Heidi, and adult children Eric and Karen, have been his constant and loyal support throughout his career.
“Mighty Mo” Maurine Kornfeld, Masters Honoree turns an AMAZING 104 YEARS OLD today!
Maurine Kornfield was born on November 27, 1921 in Great Falls, Montana. Her story from her 2018 Honore Induction is below. Anyone who meets Maurine instantly falls a little bit in love with her. She is absolutely charming. We met Maurine at her induction in 2018, she was just shy of 100, in Jacksonville. She was thrilled to be honored with induction into the International Masters Swimming Hall of Fame.
1st picture Maurine Kornfeld Induction into ISHOF 2018
Maurine has done countless interviews and articles; She has even done a TED Talk, transcript here: https://www.ted.com/podcasts/how-to-be-a-better-human/lessons-from-102-year-old-swimmer-maurine-kornfeld-transcript
Please read her 2018 MISHOF Induction bio:
MAURINE KORNFELD (USA) ~ 2018 Honor Swimmer
NTERNATIONAL HIGHLIGHTS: World Points-893, Pre-1986 Points-0. Total Points 893. Since 1986, she has competed in 7 age groups (65-69 through 95-99); 28 FINA MASTERS WORLD RECORDS
Maurine Kornfeld grew up in Great Falls, Montana and learned to swim at the Morony Public Natatorium. It wasn’t love at first sight though. The water was cold, and the swim suits were ugly. It was enough to keep her out of the water for over sixty years.
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.
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.
Maurine at 2017 Budapest World Championships
Master swimming has become a major part of Kornfeld’s life. At 97 years old, she wakes up before dawn’s early light, four mornings a week, tackling two freeways to drive to the Rose Bowl Aquatic Center for a Masters workout. She has been competing for 31 years and has raced at four FINA World Championships, winning 14 gold and four silver medals.
“It’s such fun swimming with my teammates,” she says, “they are remarkably tolerant of my snail’s pace and literally swim circles around me!” After practice she “hangs out” with a group of younger swimmers in the hot tub to cool down and settle the problems of the world, she says. Then she’s off for her other major activities, serving as a docent at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, or she is giving tours at the historic Los Angeles Union Station.
Kornfeld’s secret to life: “If you can’t out swim them, outlive them!” And in the process, she’s inspiring the world to live a long and healthy life through Masters swimming.
Let’s all WISH MAURINE KORNFELD A VERY HAPPY BIRTHDAY
Happy Thanksgiving from everyone at the International Swimming Hall of Fame
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Which Harry Potter House does your Team Belong to? WIN A GIFT CARD!
It seems no matter what your age, we all LOVE HARRY POTTER.
If you swam at Hogwarts which house would your swim team be in? GRYFFINDOR, HUFFLEPUFF, RAVENCLAW, or SLYTHERIN?
If YOU had to choose a House for YOUR TEAM, which would it be?
Post your answer (one of the Houses) and the name of your real team in the comments and if we pick your answer, you will win a $25 gift card from ISHOF gift shop. You MUST also LIKE our post.
Winner to be selected December 1, 2025.
Fort Lauderdale Diving Team Members, Hayden Ferenc and West Pocker capture State Diving Titles
The International Swimming Hall of Fame would like to congratulate Fort Lauderdale Diving Team Members, Hayden Ferenc and West Pocker on winning the 3A State Championship Diving titles! 🥇🥇 The meet was held recently in Ocala, and both divers took the titles in the 1-meter diving events. Hayden and Wes are both members of the Fort Lauderdale Diving Team, but competing in the 3A Florida State High School meet, they represented Fort Lauderdale High School, The Flying L’s.
Congratulation to all the Fort Lauderdale swimmers and divers on their performances at the State High School Meet. 💦
#FtLauderdaleDivingTeam #CityofFortLauderdale #USASwimming #CityofFortLauderdaleParksandRecreation #Flying L’s Athletics #ISHOF #EveryChildASwimmer #WorldAquatics #USADiving
Fab Five: The Athletes Who Captured World Titles in Singapore and Swept the World Cup Tour
by Elisabeth Grigoriadou, Swimming World Magazine
Fab Five: The Athletes Who Captured World Titles in Singapore and Swept the World Cup Tour
The 2025 season has given the world of swimming incredible races, times and duels from which a handful of swimmers managed to record undefeated runs between the World Championships last summer in Singapore, and the recent World Cup circuit in North America. Here are the five athletes who claimed a gold medal in an individual event at the World Champs, and then swept the discipline at all stops of the World Cup Tour.
Hubert Kos
The Hungarian star and reigning Olympic champion in the 200 backstroke is part of Bob Bowman’s elite training group at the University of Texas. After claiming the world title in the 200 backstroke again, after initially winning in 2023, Kos went undefeated in all three backstroke events at the World Cup, and set short-course world records in the 100 and 200 distances.
Mollie O’Callaghan
After winning the world title for the first time in Fukuoka in 2023, the Australian followed with an Olympic crown in the 200 freestyle and another world championship in Singapore. But the 21-year-old wasn’t quite sure how fast she could perform in the short-course pool. Well, she provided an impressive answer, as she set two world records during the World Cup and swept the event’s three stops
Gretchen Walsh
The 2025 season has gotten better and better for Walsh with each passing month. In long course, she broke two world records before the World Championships, and then she won her first ever world titles in the 50 and 100 butterfly in Singapore. Afterward, she turned her focus to her short-course excellence and the results were as everyone expected. Walsh was dominant at the World Cup, with sweeps arriving easily in both butterfly events.
Kaylee McKeown
The Australian superstar, who has won back-to-back Olympic crowns in both backstroke events, captured the 200 backstroke title at the Singapore World Champs. At the World Cup, the two stops featured spectacular duels with American Regan Smith, and McKeown staying unbeaten with world records at the last two legs.
Kate Douglass
The American backed up her Olympic gold medal in the 200 breaststroke with a world championship in the event in Singapore, and she blasted the competition at all three World Cup meets. While Douglass was unbeaten in the 200 breaststroke between the World Champs and World Cup, her world-record efforts in the 100 freestyle actually highlighted the North American racing she logged.
All Future Hall of Fames?!?
Brian Goodell vs. Vladimir Salnikov: ‘The Duel We Missed’ Receiving Academy Award Consideration
by John Lohn – Editor-in-Chief
21 November 2025
Brian Goodell vs. Vladimir Salnikov: ‘The Duel We Missed’ Documentary Receiving Academy Award Consideration
Documentary films, at their core, take a deep dive into a specific topic. They are detailed. They offer emotion. They introduce engaging characters and storylines. They take the viewer behind a curtain, often revealing elements of a tale that were never before presented, or might have gone overlooked.
“The Duel We Missed” checks those boxes.
Under consideration by The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for a potential Oscar nomination in the documentary category, “The Duel We Missed” thoroughly and emotionally examines a tantalizing showdown that never materialized in the sport of swimming. In the late 1970s and early 1980s, the United States’ Brian Goodell and the Soviet Union’s Vladimir Salnikov were the premier distance-freestyle swimmers in the world, and a clash between the men was expected at the 1980 Olympic Games in Moscow.
However, due to political interference, a duel between Goodell and Salnikov – with both men at the peak of their powers – was left to the imagination. “The Duel We Missed” delves deeply into the careers of Goodell and Salnikov, and their shared chase to become the first athlete in history to swim the 1500-meter freestyle in under 15 minutes. The documentary, produced by Bravo Films and directed by Ilnur Rafikov and Edward Staroselsky, also examines several complementary storylines – the political influence and boycotts of the 1980 and 1984 Olympics, athlete mentality, training of the era and the respect developed among individuals with like-minded goals.
At the 1976 Olympic Games in Montreal, where the United States men won all but one gold medal in the 13 events contested, Goodell stormed to victory in the 400 and 1500 freestyle events, world records established in both. In the 1500 freestyle, Goodell was timed in 15:02.40, not far off the 15-minute barrier that was a target. Salnikov, a rising 16-year-old at the time, was fifth in the Montreal final, and while he finished off the podium, his prodigious talent suggested big things to come, including a rivalry with Goodell.
However, in the years ahead, multiple factors prevented Goodell and Salnikov from meeting while the men were at the top of their prowess. Goodell missed the 1978 World Championships, where Salnikov won gold medals in the 400 freestyle and 1500 freestyle, the longer event not far off Goodell’s world record. And as the 1980 Olympics neared, a hammer dropped on a potential duel in Moscow when U.S. President Jimmy Carter announced the United States would boycott the Games due to the Soviet Union’s invasion of Afghanistan.
Through the use of current-day interviews, highlighted by Goodell and Salnikov, “The Duel We Missed” takes both a wide-ranging and topic-specific look at the era. The feelings of Goodell and Salnikov were repeatedly shared, and their status in the sport was examined, including through the lens of Hall of Fame coach Mark Schubert, who was the mentor of Goodell. Also weighing in were Olympians John Naber and Rowdy Gaines, each sharing a perspective. Naber won three gold medals during his Team USA days and transitioned into a broadcasting career, which allowed him to interact with Salnikov and hear the Soviet star state that he was not a “true champion” without competing in a fully attended Olympic Games.
As for Gaines, now known as the Voice of Swimming for his work with NBC Sports, he provided personal stories about how the boycott impacted his life and career. Ultimately, Gaines returned to training after a brief retirement and won three gold medals at the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles, and he spoke about seeing his dream through. Yet, Gaines also poignantly discussed the heartache of the Olympic hopefuls who did not get their chance on the biggest stage in sports.
Vladimir Salnikov. Photo Courtesy: Dutch National Archives
The documentary, which was perfectly organized, spanned 1976-1988, as it examined Salnikov dealing with the Soviet Union’s retaliatory boycott of the 1984 Games and his triumphant return to win gold in the 1500 freestyle at the 1988 Games in Seoul. The film also provided footage of Salnikov cracking the 15-minute barrier for the first time, an accomplishment that will live on as a distinguished achievement in the sport.
Among other standout moments from the documentary:
Footage and interviews from a Soviet Union trip to the United States which allowed for training under Schubert’s guidance. The memories shared from this time were genuine and both illustrated respect among athletes, and how the Soviet Union learned about the intensity of Schubert’s workouts in Mission Viejo, California.
Schubert, in this current era, telling Goodell that he wished he had not retired following the boycott, and Goodell stating that he had a few reservations about his decision as the 1984 Games neared.
The playing of the Soviet national anthem following Salnikov’s victory at the 1988 Olympics, one of the final times the anthem was played before the breakup of the USSR. More, the story of Salnikov being lauded by his fellow athletes in the dining hall in Seoul on the night of his 1500 freestyle victory elicited goosebumps, and emphasized the appreciation Olympians share for each other.
The illustrations and graphics used during the documentary were sensational, providing the feel of a comic book and celebrating the individuals and moments featured.
The emotion expressed throughout the 90-minute documentary was tremendous. Tears flowed. Words were sometimes difficult to find. Admiration was constantly evident.
A phone call late in the film between Goodell, Schubert and Salnikov was a wonderful touch, and further emphasized the respect that permeated the film and the careers of all three men.
“The Duel We Missed” is an extraordinary film, exactly what a special documentary should be. Years of work, research and interviews went into making this film and bringing the story of Goodell and Salnikov to viewers. Swim fans, especially those with an understanding of the rich history of the sport, will appreciate it. But casual viewers will also find themselves engaged, enraptured by a story that has emotion, intensity, goal-chasing and more.
Sadly, a showdown between Brian Goodell and Vladimir Salnikov in their prime was missed. But “The Duel We Missed” pays beautiful homage to the athletes and the era, and what might have been.
Dive into Purpose: A Roundtable on Strategic Philanthropy ~
Tuesday night, November 18, 2025, ISHOF Executive Committee member, Matt McKean of Fiduciary Trust International, hosted “Dive Into Purpose: A Roundtable on Strategic Philanthropy“, at the Fort Lauderdale Aquatic Center, home to the International Swimming Hall of Fame.
Featured Speakers included Matt McKean, Moderator and Wealth Director, Fiduciary Trust International; Abby Axelrod-Wunderman, CAP, Philanthropic Director, Family Office Services, Foundations & Endowments, Fiduciary Trust International; Lauren Ferguson, Executive Director, the Dan Marino Foundation; Nicklaus Children’s Hospital; Jennifer O’Flannery Anderson, Ph.D., President & CEO, Community Foundation of Broward; Casey McGovern, Executive Director, Every Child A Swimmer; and Stacey Hoaglund, President, Autism Society Florida.
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The evening focused on meaningful conversations about community impact, strategic partnerships, and expanding access to life-saving resources for children and families. Hearing these organizations share their commitment to creating safer, healthier futures reminds us why all of these missions matter.
Thank you to the partners and fellow advocates for an inspiring night. A special thank you to Fiduciary Trust International and Mr. Matt McKean, who worked so hard to make this evening possible. Our goal at ECAS is to ensure every child has the opportunity to learn to swim safely.
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#ISHOF EveryChildASwimmer #WaterSafety #CommunityImpact #DrowningPrevention #StrategicPlanning #FiduciaryTrustInternational #DanMarinoFoundation #AutismSocietyFlorida #CommunityFoundationofBroward #NicklaudChildrensHospital #World Aquatics #CityofFortLauderdale
November is Child Safety Protection Month~ What better way to protect than “Every Child A Swimmer!”
With November being Child Safety Protection Month, one of the best ways to protect our children, is making sure they are water safe, and that means knowing how to swim! The International Swimming Hall of Fame (ISHOF)’s spiritual mission is “Every Child A Swimmer”, where we are fighting to ensure that every child has access to swim lessons, no matter their economic status.
“Imagine a world without drowning, by Raising Awareness for water safety, advocating for legislation for water safety, and providing financial resources for swimming lessons for families that cannot afford them.“
To learn more about Every Child A Swimmer Program, Click here: https://everychildaswimmer.org/about/
or if you would like to donate to ECAS Program, Click here: https://everychildaswimmer.org/donate/
Celebrating the birth of Honoree Mercedes Gleitze – 125 Years with the film, Vindication Swim!
Today we honor the pioneering swimmer who, in 1927, became the first British woman to conquer the English Channel. When another swimmer’s fraudulent crossing cast doubt on her achievement, Mercedes returned for a perilous “vindication swim” to reclaim her legacy.
Her courage didn’t stop there. She went on to swim oceans, lakes, and rivers around the world, becoming the first person to accomplish many historic feats. From the Strait of Gibraltar to the treacherous stretch between Robben Island and Cape Town. In recognition of her extraordinary achievements, Mercedes was inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame in 2014 as an Honor Pioneer Open Water Swimmer.
A true story of endurance, determination, and grit, her life is brought to the screen in the acclaimed film Vindication Swim, releasing today on digital and DVD across North America. Written and directed by award-winning filmmaker Elliott Hasler, the film was shot in the English Channel itself over three years, with lead actress Kirsten Callaghan performing all the swimming, capturing the very spirit that made Mercedes a legend.
Dive into history with Vindication Swim and celebrate a true icon of the sport!