This past Saturday evening, September 13th, 2025, the International Swimming Hall of Fame (ISHOF) hosted the Masters International Swimming Hall of Fame Honoree Induction Ceremony at the Sonesta Fort Lauderdale Beach Resort, overlooking our beautiful stretch of beaches.
MISHOF’s Class of Honorees included a Class of eight Masters Honorees from around the globe, but only three were able to be present, they included: swimmers, Charlotte Davis (USA) and Diann Uustal (USA), and water polo player, Gary Payne (AUS) . We have posted their Honoree videos below.
Charlotte Davis 2024 Masters Swimmer
Charlotte Davis was inducted into ISHOF in 2014 as an Honor Coach for her beloved synchronized swimming. With older sisters in the sport, she began learning moves and at eight joined a synchronized swimming team, with great success. She performed with the 1970 Santa Clara Aquamaids, who won the highest level of competition that synchro offered. She then formed her own synchro team, growing as a coach, and in 1984 was named the first USA Olympic synchronized swimming coach. Her athletes, Tracy Ruiz and Candy Costie, won solo and duet gold at the 1984 Olympics. Charlotte was named the National Team Coach and served until 2000, coaching and managing at four more Olympic Games.
With her proximity to the pool, she began competitive swimming in 1987. With a first place in her first local competition, she was hooked. Her first National Championships in 1994 and in 2000 became the first Masters swimmer over 50 to break a minute in the 100 free.
Despite her successes, Charlotte cites her diagnoses of breast cancer in April, 2015 as her greatest challenge. After two surgeries she resumed training during her five weeks of radiation therapy. She was able to compete two months later at Long Course Nationals in August where she set four USMS national records and one FINA/World Aquatic record.
Charlotte reflects. I can’t really say that swimming saved my life, but my life has been full because of swimming. After all, I met my husband, a Masters swimmer, in the pool!!
Charlotte Davis Video:
https://vimeo.com/1116870784/5a5fcd34bf
Diann Uustal (USA) 2024 Masters Swimmer
From the time her grandmother introduced Diann to swimming as a child with the admonition, ‘When you get tired you gotta keep kicking,” ’she’s been a lifelong swimmer. As evidenced by her 43 FINA/World Masters records, that’s exactly what she’s done.
A late comer to Masters, beginning with the point system, Diann began her career in the 60+ age group. (She actually swam at the US Masters Nationals in 1979 in Fort Lauderdale in her 30’s). Through four age groups she has consistently been a top performer. She swims five hard days a week and one easy day for joy and for stroke perfection. She’s always thinking in the water, focused her plan while enjoying the execution.
She has been selected as Swimming World Magazine, “World Masters Swimmers of the Year” multiple times and has set 140 USMS national records. She’s competed in Canadian Masters Swimming Championships, USMS Nationals, YMCA Nationals and The FINA/World Masters Swimming Championships.
Watch her video for her encouraging story of this overcomer!
Diann Uustal Video:
https://vimeo.com/1116871884/b2eda37397
Gary Payne (AUS) 2024 Master Water Polo Player
Gary has been the driving force of Masters water polo in Australia for many years, from the first Australian Masters in Perth in 2003 right through to the current day where health concerns have seen him slow down. He has toured the world following his favorite sport and it was refereeing where he excelled, gaining FINA international standard and participating as both an athlete and a referee at numerous FINA Masters.
His involvement playing and refereeing at every level within Australia and mentorship and assessing abilities have seen a host of new officials flow through his hands. He was instrumental in nurturing Masters tournaments in Asia before Covid curtailed those events. His leadership and drive have seen numerous Masters teams from Western Australia become involved in FINA events and the Perth competition is the paramount Masters competition in the country. He has been awarded two Life Memberships in Western Australian among his many accolades and he has been heavily involved in promoting water polo in regional Australia with numerous country national championships. He was involved in the early Australian Masters championships in the 1980 & 90s, winning medals, as well as gold in 2015. His administration skills encompass club, state and national appointments, including the multi-sport Arafura Games (Darwin) between 1997-2005. He was on the organizing committee of the Thai Pacific Masters 2014-18 and the organizing committee of the Princess Chulabhorn Cup in Bangkok, 2016-18. A top-level referee for 36 years, Gary was a vital cog in National League, National Championships, State and club events around Australia. Gary’s immense value to Masters water polo in Australia and Asia is incalculable.
Gary Payne Video:
https://vimeo.com/1116872279/40032da93b
Tony Goodwin (AUS) 2024 Masters Swimmer
Unfortunately, the other Masters Honorees could not be with us. We met up with Tony Goodwin, Masters Swimmer (AUS) in Singapore and presented him with his award, read about it here: https://ishof.org/2024-mishof-masters-swimmer-tony-goodwin-swims-at-masters-worlds-and-receives-his-honoree-induction-award-in-singapore/
Other Honorees inducted included:
Hiroshi Matsumoto (JPN) 2024 Masters Swimmer
Hiroshi Matsumoto, is a Masters swimmer from the Minami Alps, in Japan, about 100 miles from Tokyo. He began swimming as a child in a local lake, swimming through his school years and recreationally as an adult until he joined a Masters program, at age 59. Early in his 60’s, he began setting records. In 2002, he was diagnosed with prostate cancer which required his prostate gland removed. A week after surgery he was swimming. “I feel alive when I swim!” Matsumoto has broken 28 FINA Masters World Records and has accumulated 933 World Points. He has competed in six Masters age groups beginning with the 60-64 and is currently in the 85-89 age group, He has been in the Top Ten 27 years and swims the freestyle and fly.
Joyce Corner* (CAN) Masters Artistic/Synchronized Swimmer:
In 1969, Joyce Corner responded to an ad looking for coaches for a new synchronized swimming program that was beginning in Mississauga. After she was hired, she was given just one lane for the program while also sharing the pool with a Red Cross Leader’s Course. Over the years, enthusiasm for the group grew. She found another pool with more space and started a new club, the New Wave Synchro Masters where she was both coach and swimmer.
Joyce has been involved in synchronized swimming in many different areas. She has been on the Canadian synchro committee for countless years and represented Canada in Masters FINA meets when present. She was the Canadian representative to the FINA Masters committee which helped develop the requirements when FINA transitioned from a figure competition to a technical program.
She was a FINA rated “A” international judge and she has judged Pan Am Games 1983; 1987, World Aquatics Championships 1982; 1986, Seoul Olympic Games 1988 as well as many other events in Canada and around the world. She has been honored with many awards: Civic Sports Award 1977, ‘84, ‘89; Peterborough Sports Woman of the Year 1981, Ontario Special Achievement Award, CASSA Board of Directors Honor Award, Ontario ASSA Recognition for Outstanding Volunteer Service Award, and Masters Delegate to the World Championships in Australia in 1981. JOyce Corner passed away in 2022.
Both Matsumoto and the family of Joyce Corner have expressed interested in attending next year’s Masters Induction Ceremony.
We also inducted Masters Contributor, Barbara McNamee (USA) for her decades of contributions in Artistic Swimming,
Barbara Mcnamee (USA) – Masters Artistic Swimming Contributor
Barbara McNamee has been involved with Masters artistic (synchronized) swimming since its inception in the United States. She competed in all the early U.S. Masters National Championships, beginning with the first test meet in 1975 and continuing until 1982, when she retired as a Masters swimmer after winning all three events she entered. In 1984, Barbara won the May McEwan Award, a U.S. award is given annually to someone who has made outstanding contributions to and best exemplifies the spirit of Masters synchro. To this day, Barbara has continued to attend almost all U.S. Masters meets, as a judge, official or coach and sometimes all three at once. She has been one of the most tireless supporters of the Masters synchro program in the U.S. and served for many years on the Masters committee. She has served as an official at every FINA World Masters since 2004, including three times as Chief Referee and once as Chief Recorder. She has served as the rules liaison for many years.
She has now served for over 40 years with synchro in administrative duties for national and local associations. She has served as a board member for United States Synchronized Swimming, the AAU, and the USOC. She is a national and internationally rated judge and was the U.S. judge for the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona. As a coach for over twenty years, she developed athletes from novice to national team levels. In 1988, she was elected as president of USSS and served until 1992, followed by vice president Olympic/International from 1992-1997. In 1996, she was the assistant competition manager for synchro at the Olympic Games in Atlanta.
Rolf Sperling (GER) 2024 Masters Diver
Born in 1940, Dr. Rolf Sperling was a member of three Olympic Teams for Germany. He competed in the 1960 Olympic Games in Rome (5th on Platform), 1964 in Tokyo, (7th on Platform, 14th on 3M), and in Mexico City, in the 1968 Games.
He has competed in nine Fina Masters World Championships, and has won 22 medals, 14 gold, seven silver, and one bronze. Rolf has set eight World Records. His crowning Masters achievements came 14 years apart in the FINA World Masters in 1990 in Brazil and 2004 in Italy, where he won all three events and recorded World Records in each.
86, Seoul Olympic Games 1988 as well as many other events in Canada and around the world. She has been honored with many awards: Civic Sports Award 1977, ‘84, ‘89; Peterborough Sports Woman of the Year 1981, Ontario Special Achievement Award, CASSA Board of Directors Honor Award, Ontario ASSA Recognition for Outstanding Volunteer Service Award, and Masters Delegate to the World Championships in Australia in 1981.
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