In honor of Filipino American History month, we salute Victoria Manalo Draves
Vicki Draves was inducted into ISHOF in 1969, as an Honor Diver. The two-time Olympic gold medalist, was a familiar face around ISHOF, although she and her husband Lyle, who was also inducted into ISHOF in later years as a coach, lived in California. VIcki and Lyle attended may Honoree Inductions and ISHOF International Diving Meets. Her twin sister, Connie, lived in Fort Lauderdale and was a Hall of Fame Dame from the beginning years of ISHOF.
Manalo Draves was raised in San Francisco’s working-class district by an English mother and Filipino father at a time when mixed-race marriages ranged from frowned upon to illegal. She dreamed of becoming a ballet dancer, but with her family unable to afford training, she settled on practicing handstands and cartwheels on her own. She learned to swim when she was 10 years old, taking lessons at the nickel baths in the Mission District, and 16 when she began diving.
Prior to the U.S. entry into World War II, prejudice against Asian Americans of any ethnicity made it difficult to train. If she was allowed to practice in any public pools, the operators often drained the pool afterward. The surname Manalo made her Filipino heritage obvious, shutting her out of the Fairmont Hotel Swimming and Diving Club despite her natural talent. The club’s coach, Phil Patterson, saw her potential and formed the Patterson School of Swimming and Diving just for her. On his advice, she reluctantly agreed to use her mother’s maiden name, Taylor, in competitions.
VICTORIA “VICKI” MANALO DRAVES (USA)
1969 Honor Diver
FOR THE RECORD: OLYMPIC GAMES: 1948 gold (springboard; platform); NATIONAL DIVING CHAMPIONSHIPS: 1946, 1947, 1948 gold (platform); 1948 gold (springboard); First woman in Olympic to win both springboard and platform diving crowns in same games.
Victoria Manalo Draves was the first woman in Olympic history to win both springboard and platform diving crowns in the same games. She was the only swimmer or diver to gold medal in two individual events at the 1948 London Olympiad. Her rise to No. 1 in the world was meteoric but far from easy. Vicki was a twin born in San Francisco to an English mother and Filipino father. When Vicki was 16, she and her sisters would take the trolley car to Fleishhacker Pool to swim and admire the divers. Admiration was mutual as one of the boy divers introduced her to Phil Patterson, coach of then national champion Helen Crlenkovich. Vicki learned rapidly under Phil, but her biggest hurdle was not on the diving board. Her diving club on Nob Hill required that she drop her father’s Filipino name and take her mother’s maiden name, Taylor. Finances were another problem and a year later, she joined Charlie Sava’s famed Crystal Plunge team where she worked with Jimmy McHugh. McHugh left coaching and on Sava’s advice, Vicki crossed the bay to dive with Lyle Draves and his star pupil Zoe Ann Olsen at the Athens Club in Oakland.
With a third diver, Gloria Wooden, Draves took his girls to the 1945 Indoor Nationals in Chicago and they placed 1, 2, 3 in the 3 meter springboard.
Wartime duties, another Nob Hill meet argument over Vicki’s Filipino parentage, and Draves returning to Southern California left Vickie once more without a coach. There followed some commuting to Los Angeles, a second and a third at the Outdoor Nationals, and then, on the death of her father, Vicki retired and returned to San Francisco and to her old job as a secretary in the Army Port Surgeon’s office.
When the war ended, Vicki finally moved to Southern California for good. She married her coach and her winning ways began immediately with the national Tower Diving Championship (10 meter platform), in 1946, 1947 and 1948. In 1948, she won her first springboard national title. She made the team but was not first at the Olympic Trials in either springboard or platform. She was the first woman of oriental ancestry to win an Olympic gold medal in diving. The first man was Korean-American Sammy Lee, who, like Vicki, stands 5’1″ when he stretches. The incredible performances of these two Asian-Americans helped heal the scars of an Olympic-canceling World War, and personified the Olympic revival of individual competition regardless of race, creed or national origin.
Every Child a Swimmer: Creating a Generation of Swimmers
Drowning is the leading cause of death for children ages 1–4, yet it is entirely preventable. Every Child a Swimmer (ECAS) is committed to changing that. Our mission is simple but powerful: to ensure that every child, regardless of financial means, has access to life-saving swim lessons and water safety education.
Through our learn-to-swim scholarship program, we provide 12–20 professional lessons in small class sizes, ensuring measurable progress with every session. These lessons don’t just teach the basics of swimming, they build confidence, instill lifelong safety skills, and create a ripple effect that protects entire families and communities. In 2024 alone, ECAS awarded more than $587,000 in scholarships, giving 2,135 children the skills to survive and thrive in the water. We also work closely with caregivers to stress the importance of continued swim education, and many of our partner schools provide free swim time to scholarship recipients so they can strengthen their skills in a safe environment.
But our impact doesn’t stop at the pool. ECAS is also driving change through legislation. We have successfully passed water safety education laws in Florida, Georgia, Arkansas, New Mexico, and Arizona—with New York and California currently awaiting gubernatorial signatures. These laws require schools to share vital water safety information with parents and connect families to local swim resources—helping us reach more communities than ever before. Together, we are creating a generation of swimmers, ensuring that children grow up not just near the water, but safe around it.
How You Can Get Involved
Everyone can play a part in saving lives:
Be an Ambassador: Share the ECAS mission with your network.
Host a Fundraiser: From 5Ks and golf outings to movie nights, your creativity fuels our mission.
Spread Awareness: Start the conversation—because you never know when it could save a life.
Sponsor a Child:
Together, we can make sure that until every child can swim, our mission isn’t finished.
Learn more at everychildaswimmer.orgFollow us on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn @Every Child a Swimmer
ISHOF ~ part of FLDT Boosters Club celebration honoring World Champion James Lichtenstein and retirement of FLDT Coach Dave Burgering
On Friday, September 26, 2025, ISHOF was proud to join the FLDT Booster Club in their support of sponsoring a get-together to celebrate the achievements of the Fort Lauderdale High Dive Team, featuring, James Lichtenstein, who recently won his first World Aquatics World Championship in Singapore on the 27-meter tower and his coach, Fort Lauderdale High Dive Coach, Steven LoBue.
The event also was to celebrate the career of long time coach of the Fort Lauderdale Dive Team, Dave Burgering, who was a diver himself, competing at the Hall of of Fame in the mid to late 1970’s, making the 1980 Olympic Team.
There was a great turn out Friday night and over 75 people showed up in support of these great individuals. ISHOF is always proud to support the athletes and coaches of the FLAC.
#ISHOF #EVERYCHILDASWIMMER #FORTLAUDERDALE #FLDT #FLAC #HALLOFFAME #WORLDAQUATICS #USADIVING #HIGHDIVING #
Why Women Have Beaten Men in Marathon Swimming?
Interesting idea……
by Daniela Navarrete for Swimming World Magazine
23 September 2025
Can Women Beat Men in Marathon Swimming?
Swimmers have biological differences that affect their performance according to their sex. Women have lower hemoglobin levels, oxygen supply, and do not develop as much muscular power. Therefore, in sprint events, women are quite far from reaching men. However, ultra-distance swimming is a different story. With time, they have been getting closer and have even beaten the men.
Photo Courtesy:
Ultra-distance swimming, often called marathon swimming, is any event longer than 10km and six hours. This discipline has some rules different from plain open water: athletes cannot stop, use a wetsuit, or have any assistance throughout their race. One of the first recorded marathon swims ever accomplished was when Matthew Webb crossed the English Channel (33km/20 miles) in 1875. It was not until 1926 when American Gertrude Ederle became the first woman to achieve this feat. At just 19 years old, she became the new record holder finishing in 14 hours, 31 minutes, breaking the old time of 16 hours, 33 minutes, set three years earlier by Enrique Tirabocci.
Studies have shown that women were able to achieve equal or even better performance in some of the most popular marathon swims.
The Research
In 2011, exercise researcher for the University of Zurich Beat Knechtle, along with Evelyn Eichenberger, Patrizia Knechtle, Christoph Alexander, Thomas Rosemann and Romuald Lepers, analyzed the English Channel’s best times of successful men and women swims from 1900 to 2010. The studies concluded that women were able to achieve a similar or better performance compared to men.
Steven Munatones from the World Open Water Swimming Association also analyzed results from the English Channel. He found that the average (every successful English Channel Swimmer) female time was 33 minutes faster than the average male time.
In 2014, Knechtle and his colleagues analyzed 30 years of finishing men and women’s times for the 46km Manhattan Island Marathon Swim (28.5 miles/45.9km). Once again, the ladies took the lead. The results demonstrated that the best women per year were 12-14% faster than the best men.
A year later in 2015, Knechtle, Rosemann and Alexander did a similar study in which they analyzed the men and women’s results from the Catalina Channel (21 miles/34km) from 1927 to 2014. They concluded that the fastest women were faster than the fastest men. Additionally, they emphasized that the differences were better appreciated when comparing the annual fastest men and women. The fastest woman averaged 53 minutes faster than the fastest man.
Why is This Happening?
One of the main factors that affect and benefit women on their performance in ultra-distance swimming is their body fat. According to Knechtle, women are better at fat burning over longer distances than men. He averaged that women marathon swimmers have between 30.7 and 31.3% of body fat, while men have between 18.8-20.2%. The higher the fat percentage, the better the buoyancy and insulation against cold water.
Photo Courtesy: ISHOF Archives
American open water swimmer Lynne Cox has proved this to be right. There is a section in her book “Swimming to Antarctica” (2004), were she talks about the time she participated in a research study with Anne Loucks (her former college teammate), Dr. Barbara Drinkwater, and Dr. William McCafferty. They were running studies on body type and athletic performance, and their relationship with the cold. As the research took off, Dr. Drinkwater told Cox:
“You’re different. You have neutral buoyancy. That means your body density is exactly the same as seawater. Your proportion of fat to muscle is perfectly balanced so you don’t float or sink in the water. You’re at one with the water. We’ve never seen anything like this before.”
What About the Pool?
The best men in pool events are still faster than the best women. Yet, according to an analysis made by Quinn Fitzgerald from the World Open Water Swimming Association, “the longer the swims are, the relatively closer the top women are to the top men.”
In a study published in May by Knechtle and his collaborators, all swimming distances and strokes were reviewed. They analyzed both men and women’s results in championships of different levels. The results concluded that in the pool, the longer the race, the less time difference between the sexes. However, in longer distances, such as marathon swims, women extensively narrowed the gap to men. Another interesting finding was that really young (younger than ten) and really old (older than 75) females were faster than men.
Related studies have been made in marathon running and triathlon but none have gotten to the same conclusions found in the aquatic sport.
It would take some years for Sarah Sjostrom to get closer to Cesar Cielo in the 50m freestyle. It would even take some time for Katie Ledecky to swim ahead Gregorio Paltrinieri in the 1500m. Nonetheless, if going for the “extra mile” out in the ocean, lake or river, it is mainly possible that a woman can beat a man.
All research was conducted by the author and does not necessarily reflect the views of Swimming World Magazine nor its staff.
Katie Ledecky Pushing Toward LA28 With Focus on ‘Want Times’ and Avoiding Burnout
Photo Courtesy: Emily Cameron
by Dan D’Addona — Swimming World Managing Editor
26 September 2025
Katie Ledecky Pushing Toward LA28 With Focus on ‘Want Times’
With all of the training, distance and build up to a big meet, one of the biggest issues facing competitive swimmers is a burnout.
Several months of getting in elite shape, followed by a taper, then a performance on the biggest stage takes a lot out of everyone, no matter how fast or how elite they are.
Katie Ledecky, 28, has been dealing with that at issue on the world stage since she was 15. For her, the key is not to focus on winning, but her improvement.
“It goes way back to when I first started swimming. For some reason, I came up with this name for my goals. I would call them ‘want times.’ And I would write out my “want time” before every meet. I just thought it was kind of a special thing when I had the special name for them,” Ledecky told The Athletic.
“I always really loved the fact that swimming is based on time. You can really quantify your progress and see your progress. I would look at them after my meet and I would calculate the time that I beat the ‘want time’ by or how far off I was from that goal. And I would save that piece of paper for the next meet.”
That translates into victories for Ledecky, but with a different focus, she finds different victories within her swims, even gold medals swims like she put together in Paris, winning the 800 free and 1500 free gold medal.
“I understood from a pretty young age that you can’t control what the other swimmers in the race are going to do. So all you can do is set a time goal for yourself and try to reach it. I think that focus has really allowed me, going into the big competitions, to stay focused on my own lane and not get caught up in what other people are doing or how they might take their race,” she said.
It helps her focus on her current swim and place also, rather than her world record swims or victories of the past.
“There have been moments where it’s challenging. Especially when I went on the streak. At a certain point, you do start thinking about trying to keep up that record, and you start thinking about medals at certain points. But I think I always come back to those times instead,” Ledecky said.
“I really love the training. That always brings me back to that focus. It’s not just about trying to improve times in competitions. It’s about trying to improve times in practice as well. And I think once you start doing that and seeing improvement in training, you gain confidence that you can do some of that in meets as well.”
That includes LA 2028.
“I think balance is really important. Not getting too consumed in swimming and maintaining all of your other interests and your other passions as well,” she said. “I think when you get to a certain level, you might have this initial thought that you have to go all in and only focus on that. But it’s really important to maintain good balance.”
The most recognized face in the sport, Ledecky has made sure to support the younger generation, just like older swimmers did for her.
“I was in the London [2012] Olympic Village with people like Dana Vollmer and Rebecca Soni and Missy Franklin. They just always looked out for me and kept one eye on me the whole time. That just meant the world to me, that they were going about their process and getting ready for their races, but they wanted to make sure that I felt like I belonged at that level,” Ledecky said.
“I think it’s always been important for me to return that, now that I’m one of the veterans on the team. I want to always keep one eye on the rookies and make sure that they feel like they belong, make sure they feel comfortable, make sure that they feel ready for their races and make sure they feel really supported.”
Read the entire article here:
https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6617689/2025/09/13/katie-ledecky-olympics-goals-mentorship-lessons/
October Featured Honoree: Tsuyoshi Yamanaka (JPN) and his Memorabilia
Photo of Tsuyoshi Yamanaka doing his handprints at his induction in 1983
Each month ISHOF will feature an Honoree and some of their aquatic memorabilia, that they have so graciously either given or loaned to us. Since we are closed, and everything is in storage, we wanted to still be able to highlight some of the amazing artifacts that ISHOF has and to be able to share these items with you.
We continue in October 2025, with 1983 ISHOF Honoree, Tsuyoshi Yamanaka (JPN) Honor Swimmer. Tsuyoshi, donated many fabulous things to ISHOF, and we want to share some of them with you now. Also below is his ISHOF Honoree bio that was written the year he was inducted.
1964 Japan Olympic Team Blazer
Tsuyoshi Yamanaka Diploma
ISHOF Honoree Rebecca Adlington ‘Cautiously Overjoyed’ As She Announces Pregnancy
by Liz Byrnes – Europe Correspondent
24 September 2025
Double Olympic champion Rebecca Adlington is “cautiously overjoyed” as she reveals news of her pregnancy following two miscarriages.
Adlington shares son Albie, two, with husband Andy Parsons and daughter Summer, 10, with ex-husband and former swimmer Harry Needs and described her pregnancy as a “small miracle” in a social media post.
Adlington lost a baby at 12 weeks in 2022 and suffered a second miscarriage at 20 weeks a year later after which she gave birth to her daughter Harper two days after being told there was no heartbeat.
The 36-year-old posted a picture of her scan to social media with a post that read: “We want to share that we are expecting a child. It has been an emotional and physical rollercoaster navigating these past 19 months of trying, but this pregnancy has been a small miracle.
“We questioned whether we wanted to share this news but we want to continue to be open and honest about our journey and be mindful of the struggles that others have had and continue to have.
“We are taking each day as it comes and are incredibly grateful for the care we are receiving from the NHS (Rainbow Team) and are feeling overwhelmingly supported by them.
“While we are cautiously overjoyed, we carry awareness of the quiet struggles many face, and we send love to those hearts too. We know so many people are still waiting for this kind of news.”
Adlington was the gold medalist in the 400 freestyle and 800 freestyle at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing.
Seoul Anniversary: When the Backstroke Went Rogue – How Underwater Power Changed the Event
Daichi Suzuki at the 1988 Seoul Olympics after winning gold in the 100-meter backstroke Photo Courtesy: Daichi Suzuki
by John Lohn – Editor-in-Chief
24 September 2025
On Sept. 24, 1988, the final of the men’s 100 backstroke at the Olympic Games in Seoul unfolded. The event featured underwater power never seen before.
Call it a game of hide and seek, an approach that left the coaches and officials on the deck guessing as much as the spectators who occupied the venue’s seats. When would they surface? Who would come up first? What kind of advantage would be created? How much late-race damage would the strategy inflict?
Daichi Suzuki and David Berkoff at the 1988 Seoul Olympics Photo Courtesy: Daichi Suzuki
It was at the 1988 Olympic Games in Seoul where Japan’s Daichi Suzuki, in a battle with American David Berkoff and the Soviet Union’s Igor Polyansky, raced to the gold medal in the 100-meter backstroke while submerged for nearly half of the race, including the opening 30 meters.
How that moment arrived is a tale in itself.
Ahead of His Time
When Jesse Vassallo’s career is measured, it is always viewed from a what-if standpoint. Although not alone in the robbery he experienced—with politicians serving as the thieves—Vassallo was among the most impacted individuals by the United States boycott of the 1980 Olympic Games in Moscow. As a triple medalist at the 1978 World Championships, with gold medals earned in the 200 meter backstroke and 400 IM, Vassallo was expected to go to Moscow and shine on his sport’s biggest stage.
Instead, Vassallo was victimized by the decision of President Jimmy Carter to use America’s Olympic athletes as political pawns. In protest of the Soviet Union’s invasion of Afghanistan, Carter somehow thought not sending an Olympic team to Moscow would send a message. And in a way, a message was sent: Carter basically suggested that the athletes’ years of dedication and hard work were meaningless.
Photo Courtesy: Chris Georges
For Vassallo, who was at the peak of his career, the boycott robbed him of the opportunity to put forth the greatest performances of his career. Exacerbating the situation was the fact that his world-record time in the 400 IM would have won gold by more than two seconds, and his best time in the 200 back would have won the silver medal. Instead? Nothing.
As much as Vassallo is remembered for being denied the possibility of Olympic glory, he is also remembered as an innovator. In a sport frequented by giants, Vassallo was an anomaly, an athlete who could hold his own on the global stage despite standing only 5-feet-9-inches. The main negative of being on the small side—and in lanes next to more powerful swimmers—was being tossed around in his opposition’s wake. So, Vassallo got an idea.
“I decided to do the underwaters coming off the starts, and it worked pretty well,” Vassallo said in the documentary, How the Dolphin Kick Changed Swimming Forever. “After that, I continued to develop it and use it in my turns and stuff like that. I might be the one that originated and started this, but (others) really took it through to the Olympic level.”
The decision by Vassallo to utilize his underwater talent as an answer to a problem might have been innocent in its development. Ultimately, it eventually changed the sport.
A Game-Changing Innovation
The flirtation with an extended underwater approach may have proven beneficial for Vassallo, but it didn’t immediately catch on as a mainstream methodology. Still, there were a handful of athletes who dabbled with the tactic. Among them was Japan’s Suzuki, who raced underwater for the first 25 meters of the preliminaries of the 100 backstroke at the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles. Suzuki, though, failed to advance to the final, which consequently left his willingness to try a unique strategy temporarily lost on the rest of the world.
Daichi Suzuki launching into the 100-meter backstroke at the 1988 Seoul Olympics Photo Courtesy: Daichi Suzuki
While Suzuki did not benefit from his unorthodox style at the Los Angeles Games, Berkoff recognized the potential of extended time spent underwater. A solid backstroker when he started his Harvard University career under Coach Joe Bernal in 1985, Berkoff spent more and more time experimenting with the dolphin kick, learning that he was faster underwater than on top of it. With the new approach fueling him, Berkoff saw his performances quicken, to the point where he set an NCAA record in the 100-yard backstroke in 1987.
In the long-course pool, Berkoff honed his skill to a point in which he could remain underwater for 35 to 40 meters. Although oxygen debt certainly played a role for those racing underwater for lengthy periods, the advantage it provided offset the down-the-stretch struggles that arose. For Berkoff, the strategy led to a pair of world records at the 1988 United States Olympic Trials, where he became the first man in history to break the 55-second barrier in the 100 meter backstroke. After going 54.95 in prelims, Berkoff came back with an effort of 54.91 in the final, and he immediately became the man to beat for gold in Seoul, with the “Berkoff Blastoff” becoming his calling card.
“When I first did it my freshman year, a lot of coaches ridiculed it,” Berkoff said as a collegiate athlete. “They said, ‘You’re going to die the last lap.’ But I’ve expanded it every year. I don’t think it’s for everybody, but it’s going to change the whole idea of backstroke sprinting.”
Seoul Showdown
Once the 1988 Olympic Games in Seoul rolled around, extended underwaters were the norm, as footage of the 100 backstroke final shows five of the eight finalists surfacing beyond 25, and in some cases, 35 meters. But make no mistake. The final was undoubtedly a battle between Berkoff, Suzuki and Polyansky.
Following a world-record swim of 54.51 in the preliminaries, Berkoff reaffirmed his status as the favorite in the final. At the midway point, Berkoff was in control, the gold medal within reach off the strength of 35 meters underwater. But Suzuki and Polyansky were within striking distance, also having spent the majority of the first lap submerged.
Daichi Suzuki with his gold medal on the podium at the 1988 Olympics Photo Courtesy: Daichi Suzuki
With each stroke, Suzuki and Polyansky closed the gap between themselves and Berkoff, with Suzuki pulling ahead in the final strokes to prevail in 55.05. The silver went to Berkoff (55.18), just ahead of Polyansky (55.20). Given his prelim performance, Berkoff’s setback was a surprise, the upset nature of sports revealing itself.
When Suzuki touched the wall ahead of Berkoff, thus completing his comeback triumph, he became the first Japanese Olympic champion in the pool since 1972. It was in Munich that Nobutaka Taguchi (100 breaststroke) and Mayumi Aoki (100 butterfly) stood atop the podium at a meet best known for the exploits of Mark Spitz and Shane Gould.
Suzuki has since gone on to hold several prominent roles in the sporting world, from president of the Japanese Swimming Federation to commissioner of the Japan Sports Agency. However, the future Hall of Famer still remembers the intensity of the moment in Seoul, and how he dealt with the pressure of an Olympic final.
“Just before starting the race, I transformed into a warrior,” Suzuki said in an Olympic Channel documentary. “In my mind, all I desired in that moment was to be No. 1. I was in the third lane. As you know, there is a short presentation (before the race), and you greet the public by waving. As I walked, I noticed that my legs were shaking, and I realized how nervous I was. Next to me, there was David Berkoff in the fourth lane. I saw his face, and he looked more nervous than me. It made me think I wasn’t the only one feeling nervous, so maybe I had a chance to win.”
Indeed, that was the outcome.
Suzuki may have captured the gold medal in the biggest backstroke showdown in Seoul, but Berkoff and Polyansky each earned a moment of their own on the top of the podium. While Berkoff led off the United States’ world-record-setting 400 medley relay in the second-fastest time ever (54.56), Polyansky captured the gold medal in the 200 backstroke.
Changing the Rules
Photo Courtesy: Swimming World Archive
Not pleased that the backstroke had become more of an underwater race than one that measured the athletes on their prowess in the discipline, FINA instituted a rule shortly after Seoul that limited backstrokers to 10 meters underwater off the start and turns. The decision, as soon as it was enacted, was a punishment for athletes like Berkoff, who had been revolutionary not just from an athletic standpoint, but from a creative perspective.
“I’m very upset by what FINA did,” said Berkoff of the ruling. “It’s completely ludicrous. It doesn’t really affect me because I decided a year ago that I would retire. But for future swimmers, the kids who started doing this, it’s a shame. I ruffled (FINA’s) feathers. They smacked me on the head. They said, ‘Things are not going to be as easy as you want, David.’ I did something to their game. I thought of it before they did.
“It was frustrating to put four years of your life on the line in Seoul, and after you’re so successful there, to turn around and say you can’t do that anymore is discouraging. That took a lot of trial-and-error and hard work. Their knee-jerk reaction was a slap in the face and an insult. That pushed me over the edge as far as getting out of the sport.”
In 1991, FINA changed the rule to 15 meters, and after three years of retirement, Berkoff returned to the sport and qualified for the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona. In his second Olympiad, Berkoff didn’t just capture a bronze medal in the 100 back, but proved he was more than an underwater performer and someone who found a loophole to reign among the best in an event. Rather, Berkoff was a phenomenal backstroker, both underwater and on top of it.
A Chapter to Remember
While Jesse Vassallo gently pioneered the extended underwater technique in the late 1970s and early 1980s, David Berkoff took the approach to its greatest heights in the late 1980s. Meanwhile, Daichi Suzuki also recognized the technique as highly beneficial, and used its adoption to become an Olympic champion.
Innovations in the sport will always be remembered. Goggles, starting blocks, lane lines and interval training have all influenced athletes’ abilities to get faster through the years. In the backstroke, it is critical to remember an era, although brief, that witnessed a handful of athletes take an outside-the-box approach toward improvement.
Sydney 25th Anniversary: When ISHOF Honoree Pieter van den Hoogenband Took the 100 Freestyle Into Sub-48 Territory
by John Lohn – Editor-in-Chief
20 September 2025
Twenty-five years since the Olympic Games too place in Sydney, we celebrate the greatness of Pieter van den Hoogenband. The Dutchman produced a Hall of Fame career that featured seven Olympic medals, including three gold, and landed him enshrinement into the International Swimming Hall of Fame as a member of the Class of 2013.
Sometimes, the topics of our World Record Flashback series are easy to select, as there is a predominant performance from an athlete to highlight. At times, the decision-making process is difficult, given the multiple squares of greatness on the Bingo card of success. See Michael Phelps and Katie Ledecky as examples.
In the case of Pieter van den Hoogenband, the Dutch standout offered two options for this series. As the Olympic movement ventured into the 2000s, with Sydney serving as host, van den Hoogenband was nothing short of phenomenal during his trip Down Under, as he unassumingly became an Olympic champion.
If we chose the 200-meter freestyle as the focal point of this piece, it would have made sense. After all, over four laps is where van den Hoogenband upset Australian Ian Thorpe, the hometown favorite and poster boy of the Sydney Games. But that triumph has received its due through the years, so it seemed fitting to recognize the occasion when van den Hoogenband cracked the 48-second barrier in the 100 freestyle.
The 100 freestyle has long been considered the Blue-Ribbon event of the sport, dating back to the early days of the 20th century, when Charlie Daniels and Duke Kahanamoku etched their names in the history books. They were followed by the dominance of the legendary Johnny Weissmuller, with greats such as Don Schollander, Michael Wenden, Mark Spitz, Matt Biondi and Alexander Popov eventually claiming Olympic glory over the two-lap discipline.
As experts analyzed the Sydney Games and the podium challengers across the schedule, van den Hoogenband was certainly accorded medal-contender status in the 100 freestyle. As an 18-year-old at the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta, “Hoogie” announced his presence on the global stage. Behind a pair of fourth-place outings in the 100 freestyle and 200 freestyle, van den Hoogenband just missed the podium, but established the framework for the stellar career that would follow.
In the years between Atlanta and Sydney, VDH became a multi-time European champion, his skill molded by coach Jacco Verhaeren. It was a matter of time before that excellence extended from the continental level to worldwide dominance.
While he wasn’t the overwhelming favorite for gold in the 100 free upon his arrival in Sydney, that label changed when van den Hoogenband set a world record (1:45.35) in the semifinals of the 200 freestyle. He then equaled that global standard to upend Thorpe in the final and became the man to beat for the two-lap event. VDH’s defeat of Thorpe was a shock moment, since the Aussie teen was widely expected to sweep the 200 free and 400 free. Indeed, Thorpe delivered in the longer distance, but the Dutch star had a surprise prepared for the 200 free.
Van den Hoogenband still faced a gauntlet in the 100 freestyle, specifically the tandem of Russia’s Alexander Popov and Australian Michael Klim. Popov was the two-time defending champion, having claimed Olympic crowns in 1992 and 1996. More, he entered the week as the world-record holder at 48.21.
Meanwhile, Klim was riding a wave of momentum and had the full support of the Australian crowd. On the opening night of action, his leadoff leg of 48.18 propelled Australia to gold in the 400 freestyle relay, a title which handed the United States its first Olympic loss in the event. Klim’s time also broke Popov’s world mark and enhanced the plot of the 100 freestyle
One night after toppling Thorpe in the 200 freestyle, van den Hoogenband eased through his preliminary heat of the 100 freestyle in 48.64. That effort was the lone sub-49 marker of the opening round and good for the top seed entering the semifinals, where van den Hoogenband figured to do just enough to assure a center lane for the final. Yet, as was the case in the semifinals of the 200 free, the Flying Dutchman opted to press the pace – at a level never before seen.
Unlike many of his rivals, van den Hoogenband did not boast a hulking physique. A 6-3, 175-pounder, he possessed a wiry frame, with a concave chest that paid dividends in the water. Van den Hoogenband and the Dutch coaching staff often noted that his build resembled the hull of a catamaran and created less drag.
Racing in the second semifinal at the Sydney Aquatic Centre, van den Hoogenband turned in an opening lap of 23.16 and came home in 24.68. Today, sub-25 closing performances are the norm, with Kyle Chalmers and David Popovici having been 24-low. But van den Hoogenband was ahead of his time with his closing speed, and his competition paid the price.
Via his world record of 47.84, van den Hoogenband sliced .34 off what Klim managed a few days earlier in relay duty. Forever, VDH would go down in history as a barrier breaker, joining Jim Montgomery (sub-50 in 1976) and Matt Biondi (sub-49 in 1985) in swimming lore.
In the final, van den Hoogenband could not match his speed from the semifinals, but still comfortably prevailed. His time of 48.30 was nearly a half-second adrift of his newly minted world record, but well ahead of Popov’s mark of 48.69 for the silver medal, and the 48.73 of American Gary Hall Jr. for the bronze. Locked out of the medals was Klim, who could not replicate his relay heroics in the 100 freestyle and finished fourth in 48.74.
Van den Hoogenband was minimalistic in the assessment of his work.
“I won two gold medals and broke two world records,” he said. “At this moment, I am the best.”
For good measure, van den Hoogenband capped his trip to Sydney with a bronze medal in the 50 freestyle. Clocking 22.03, the Dutchman finished just behind the American tandem of Anthony Ervin and Hal Jr., who shared the gold medal in 21.98. For “Hoogie,” that additional piece of hardware was a surprise, as he touched the wall ahead of sprint specialists such as Popov, Bart Kizierowski and Mark Foster.
Four years later, when the Olympic Games returned to their birthplace of Athens, van den Hoogenband repeated as champion of the 100 freestyle and earned silver in the 200 freestyle, with Thorpe exacting revenge from Sydney. More, his world record endured for more than seven years and remains a superb time in the present day.
“At the end of the day (we had one major goal): To break 48 seconds for the 100 freestyle,” Verhaeren said. “We didn’t say we wanted to win, or we want to do this and that. Of course, the likelihood when you do that is winning. But we wanted to be the first athlete to break 48 seconds and we’d go from there.”
The job was done.
Seoul Anniversary: ISHOF Honoree Janet Evans and Her Super Show in the 400 Freestyle; A Back Half to Behold (Video)
by John Lohn – Editor-in-Chief
22 September 2025
On September 22, 1988, Janet Evans delivered a performance that was well ahead of its time. Racing at the 1988 Olympic Games in Seoul, Evans claimed victory in the 400-meter freestyle with a finish that was awe-inspiring.
When Janet Evans stepped onto the blocks for the final of the 400 freestyle at the 1988 Olympic Games in Seoul, the American star already had a gold medal in her grasp. A few days earlier, the 17-year-old bested the field in the 400 individual medley, an event that was the weakest of her three entries. As a result, Evans had to feel good heading into freestyle action, which was her strength.
As the world-record holder, Evans was the favorite in the 400 freestyle, but she was expected to be challenged by East Germany’s Heike Friedrich and Anke Mohring. Although they may not have tested positive for doping, it was widely understood that Evans wasn’t just racing against Friedrich and Mohring, but also against the systematic-doping program of East Germany.
Friedrich was riding the momentum of a title the previous night in the 200 freestyle and through the first half of the race, she was with Evans, who made the turn in 2:02.14. Evans turned at the 300-meter mark with a slight advantage, but she blew away Friedrich in the last 100 meters and clocked a world record of 4:03.85, with Friedrich earning the silver medal in 4:05.94. Mohring picked up the bronze in 4:06.64.
Evans produced a split of 1:00.40 for the last two laps and covered the back half of her race in 2:01.71 for an impressive negative split. Her world record endured for more than 17 years and wasn’t wiped out until France’s Laure Manaudou posted a time of 4:03.03 at the 2006 French Championships. Add in the 800 freestyle and the 1500 freestyle, and Evans owned three world records that lasted at least 17 years, a statistic that speaks to her ahead-of-her-era talent.
“I wasn’t worrying about my time,” Evans said. “When I saw 4:03, I was really surprised. I knew I was going to have to bring it home really hard that last 100, but I felt really good. I felt really easy. I didn’t think I was going that fast.”
Evans’ time would have won every men’s 400 freestyle in Olympic competition through the 1968 Games in Mexico City.