SUPERSTARS: U.S. swimmers who dominated the world
SHIRLEY BABASHOFF
(B:1/31/57- )
Has earned eight Olympic
medals, which puts her third on
the list of most medals among
U.S. women. In the 1972
Olympics, she earned silver
medals in the 100m free and
200m free and a gold in the
400m free relay. In the 1976
Olympics, she earned silvers in
the 200m, 400m and 800m free
and 400m medley relay, as well
as a gold in the 400m free relay.
She has been a part of 11 world
records, six individual, and 17
American records. At the 1973
World Championships, she won
gold in the 200m free and 400m
free. At the 1975 World
Championships, she won gold in
both the 200m free and 400m
free. She was named the 1974
Sportswoman of the Year.
CATIE BALL
(B:9/30/51- )
Broke the 100m breast world
record five times and the
American record seven times.
She held the 200m breast world
record for seven years (1967-‘74)
and the U.S. record nine years
(1966-‘75). At the 1968 Olympics,
Ball, the world record-holder at
the time, had to withdraw from
the 200m breast when she
contracted a viral infection.
at every backstroke distance, and
she became the 1924 Olympic
champion in the 100m back. She
set 23 world records in her sixyear career. In 1922, she became
the first woman in the world to
break an existing men’s record –
Stubby Kruger’s 440y back by
four seconds. She was engaged to
Ed Sullivan when she was
stricken with cancer. She died at
age 22.
MELISSA BELOTE
(B:10/10/56- )
Won three gold medals in the
1972 Olympics in the 100m and
200m back and as a member of
the 400m medley relay. Apart
from Shane Gould, the 15-yearold Belote was the only woman
swimmer to win more than one
individual title in Munich. In
finals at the Olympic Trials, she
was a little-known outsider, but
beat U.S. record holder Susie
Atwood in the 100m back and
then the 200m back in world
record time. At the 1972
Olympics, she lowered her own
world record mark in the 200m
back and went on to win the
same event at the 1973 World
Championships. In 1976, she
made the Olympic team for the
second time and placed fifth in
the 200m back.
MATT BIONDI
MIKE BARROWMAN
(B:12/04/68- )
Won the gold medal in the 200m
breast in world record time at
the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona.
He broke the world record in
that event six times following
the 1988 Olympics where he
finished sixth. He is the only
three-time recipient of the USS
Swimmer of the Year award
(1989-’91).
SYBIL BAUER
(B:9/18/03-D:1/31/27)
Considered to be the first great
backstroker. Going into the 1924
Olympics, she held world records
(B:10/8/65- )
Earned the most medals of any
Olympian in history with 11,
tying Mark Spitz and shooter
Carl Osburn. Along with
teammate Tom Jager, Biondi
became the first U.S. swimmer to
win gold medals in three
Olympiads and to win the same
Olympic event three times. Both
he and Jager swam on 400m free
relay teams that won gold in
1984, ‘88 and ‘92. He was one of
only six U.S. Olympic male
swimmers to compete on three
Olympic teams. He broke seven
world records and 16 American
records. He earned 15
international individual titles, 17
U.S. National titles and eight
NCAA titles. At one time, he was
the American record-holder in
the 100 and 200 free – both
yards and meters. Currently, he
still holds the 200y free
American record, which has
stood since 1987.
ETHELDA BLEIBTREY
(B:2/27/02-D:5/6/78)
Won three golds in the 1920
Olympics in the 100m and 300m
free and as a member of the
400m free relay. She was the
first American woman to win an
Olympic swimming title and also
the first woman, from any
country, to win three gold
medals. In each of her Olympic
victories in Antwerp, she set a
new world record. She turned
professional in 1922 and had a
successful career as an athlete
and coach. She was often in the
news for incidents related to
swimming, and in 1919, only
public opinion prevented her
from being jailed for swimming
nude. She merely removed her
stockings before going for a
swim at a Manhattan beach, but
in 1919 this was considered
nudity.
MIKE BURTON
(B:7/3/47- )
Became the first person in
history to win back-to-back
Olympic titles in the 1500m free
(1968 and ‘72). He was also the
1968 Olympic champion in the
400m free. He was the first man
to break 16 minutes in the 1650y
free and 8:30 in the 800m free,
and he set seven world records
in the 800m and 1500m free.
USA Swimming’s Fact Pack
SUPERSTARS: U.S. swimmers who dominated the world
RICK CAREY
(B:3/13/63- )
Was the 1984 Olympic champion
in the 100m and 200m back and
the 400m medley relay. In 1982,
he was the World champion in
the 200m back and a silver
medalist in the 100m back. He
set five world and American
records and won 14 U.S. National
titles in backstroke. In 1983, he
went 1:58.93 in the 200m back
and held the U.S. record in the
200m back from 1983-‘92.
TRACY CAULKINS
(B:1/11/63- )
Considered by many to be the
greatest swimmer of all time.
She qualified as a member of the
1980 Olympic team that
boycotted the Games in Moscow.
Despite this letdown in her
career, she continued to swim
competitively and went on to win
three gold medals in the 1984
Olympics in the 200m IM, 400m
IM and 400m medley relay. She
held world records in the 200m
fly and 400m IM and broke her
record in the 200m IM three
times. She held American records
in the 100m breast from 1977‘81, the 200m breast from 1977‘81, the 200m butterfly in 1978,
the 400m IM from 1977-‘84, and
she still owns the U.S. Open
record for the 200m IM that she
set in 1984 but has held since
1977. She also owned a few short
course U.S. Open records: 100y
free, 500y free, 200y back, 100y
breast, 200y breast, 200y IM and
400y IM. She is the only
swimmer ever, man or woman,
to own American records in
every stroke. In 1990, USA Today
named her Swimmer of the
Decade.
BUSTER CRABBE
(B:2/7/10-D:4/23/83)
Was the only U.S. gold medalist
(400m free) in men’s swimming
at the 1932 Olympics. After the
Games, he was signed by
Paramount, who was looking for
a rival to Johnny Weissmuller’s
Tarzan at MGM. The first of his
175 movies was "King of the
Jungle" in which he played the
role of Kasta, the Lion Man.
Throughout his swimming
career, he set 16 world and 35
national records.
ANN CURTIS
(B:3/6/26- )
Was the premier freestyler of her
era. She won two gold medals at
the 1948 Olympics in the 400m
free and 800m free relay. She
won 34 U.S. National gold
medals, 26 of which were
individual golds, during her
career. Surprisingly, out of all
these career victories, she only
set two world records: in the
440y and 880y free. Out of nine
AAU National meets, she won the
High Point Trophy seven times.
Curtis was one of the best-known
sportswomen of her time and
was the first female recipient of
the Sullivan Award for the top
amateur athlete.
CHARLIE DANIELS
(B:3/24/1885-D:8/9/73)
Was the first great American
swimmer. He won four Olympic
gold medals and 33 U.S. National
championships. He was the first
American to win a swimming
event at the Olympics. He won
the 220y and 440y free at the
1904 Olympics, the 100m free at
the 1906 Olympics and the 100m
free at the 1908 Olympics. He
was named the 1909 North
American Athlete of the Year by
the Helms athletic board. He held
every world freestyle record
from 25 yards to one mile. Not
only is he the man credited with
evolving the American crawl
from the two-beat Australian
crawl, but also he is the man
who gave freestyle speed
swimming.
DONNA deVARONA
(B:4/26/47- )
Won 37 individual U.S. National
championship medals, including
18 golds and three national high
point awards. She held world
records in eight long course
events and American records in
10 short course events. She was
the youngest American on the
1960 Olympic team and won two
gold medals in 1964. She was
considered the "Queen of
Swimming" in her day. In 1964,
she was voted America’s
Outstanding Woman Athlete,
Outstanding American Female
Swimmer and received many
other awards. In 1965, she was
the first woman on network TV
in the sports broadcasting field.
Since 1968, she has covered each
Summer Olympics.
TOM DOLAN
(B:9/15/75- )
Two-time Olympic champion in
the 400m IM (1996 and 2000).
He was also the 1994 and 1998
World champion in the same
event. He held the world record
in the 400m IM from 1994-2002.
He was the first American to
break two minutes in the 200m
IM. In 1998, he became the first
man to win four individual titles
at a U.S. Nationals twice since
Johnny Weissmuller did it in
1923-‘24. In 1995, he became the
first man to break three
American records in different
events since Matt Biondi (1987).
In 1994 and ‘95, he was named
USA Swimming’s Swimmer of the
Year.
GERTRUDE EDERLE
(B:10/23/06- )
In the 1924 Olympics, won a gold
as a member of the 400m free
relay and
two bronzes in the 100m and
400m free. She is bestremembered as the youngest
woman ever to set a world
record in the 880y free. She
broke a total of nine world
records during her career, seven
records of various distances
USA Swimming’s Fact Pack
SUPERSTARS: U.S. swimmers who dominated the world
during one 500m swim at
Brighton Beach in 1922. She held
29 U.S. National and world
records from 1921-’25. Turning
professional in 1925, she became
the first woman to swim the
English Channel. Her time of 14
hours and 34 minutes broke the
men’s record for the crossing.
She went on to become the
female counterpart to Johnny
Weissmuller in a series of Tarzan
movies.
Won two golds in the 1960
Olympics as a member of the
400m and 800m free relays. His
career was riddled with injury
and illness. He swam in the 1960
Olympic Trials only six days
after an appendectomy. A
favorite in the 100m free, he
finished fourth, which put him
on a relay. His quick recovery led
both teams to world records. His
career also included five AAU
titles and a gold medal finish in
the 1958 Pan American Games.
JANET EVANS
(B:8/28/71- )
Considered to be the greatest
female distance swimmer of alltime. A three-time Olympian in
the distance freestyle events, she
was the first woman ever to win
back-to-back Olympic and World
Championship titles in any event
(she did it in the 800m free). She
earned four individual Olympic
gold medals; Mark Spitz is the
only other American to equal
that feat. She also won a silver
medal for a total of five Olympic
medals. Evans earned 45 U.S.
National titles and eight Kiphuth
Awards for high individual
points at a U.S. Nationals, second
in both categories behind Tracy
Caulkins on the all-time lists. She
won the 400m and 800m free 12
times each, the most national
titles in one event by any
swimmer in history. When she
retired following the 1996
Olympics, where she carried in
the torch at Opening Ceremonies,
she owned three world records
and six American records. In
1989, she was recognized as the
top amateur athlete in the
country, earning the Sullivan
Award and the U.S. Olympic
Committee’s Sportswoman of the
Year, following her 1988 Olympic
performance where she won
three gold medals. Throughout
her career, she won 21
international individual titles.
BRUCE FURNISS
JEFF FARRELL
ROWDY GAINES
(B:2/18/37- )
(B:5/27/57- )
Won two golds in the 1974
Olympics in the 200m free and
800m free relay, both in world
record times. The younger
brother of Steve, he won nine
AAU titles and six NCAA
championships throughout his
career. He emerged as a top
American swimmer after placing
second in the 200m and 400m
free at the 1975 World
Championships. Later that year
in June, he set his first world
record after posting a new best
time twice in one day in the
200m free. In August, he went on
to deprive his brother of the
200m IM world record in an AAU
competition.
STEVE FURNISS
(B: 12/21/52- )
Was the 1976 Olympic bronze
medalist in the 200m IM. Five
years older than his brother
Bruce, he specialized in the IM,
winning the 200m and 400m at
both the 1971 and ‘75 Pan
American Games. In 1974, he tied
David Wilkie’s 200m IM world
record before Bruce took over
the record in 1975. Apart from
being a medalist in the 1972
Olympics, he also swam the 400
IM in the 1972 and ‘76 Games,
placing in finals on both
occasions.
(B:2/17/59- )
Was a member of the 1980
Olympic team that boycotted the
Olympics held in Moscow;
however, he came back to win
three gold medals in the 1984
Olympics in the 100m free and
400m free and medley relays. He
held world and American records
in the 100m and 200m free. In
the 100m free, he held the world
record from 1981-’85; in the
200m free, from 1980-’83. He set
the American record in the 100m
free for the first of three times in
1980 and held it until 1985. He
also set the American record in
the 200m free for the first of two
times in 1980 and held it through
1984. Gaines is currently a
television commentator for
swimming broadcasts on ESPN
and NBC.
BRIAN GOODELL
(B:4/02/59- )
Double gold medalist in the
400m and 1500m free at the
1976 Olympics. He was legendary
for his tireless capacity in longdistance training. At the 1976
Olympic Trials, he broke both of
his world records before
breaking them again at the
Olympics. A high school student
at the time in Mission Viejo, he
went on to attend UCLA. He
made the 1980 Olympic team,
but the boycott prevented the
match-up between Goodell and
Russian great Vladimir Salnikov
in the 1500m free.
NICOLE HAISLETT
(B:12/16/72- )
Was a three-time Olympic
champion in the 200m free and
400m free and medley relays at
the 1992 Games in Barcelona. At
the 1991 World Championships,
she took first in the 100m free
and 400m free and medley
relays. She ended the 18-year
East German reign in the 100m
free at World Championships.
She won four 200y free titles at
NCAAs. She is the only American
under 1:58 in the 200m free and
USA Swimming’s Fact Pack
SUPERSTARS: U.S. swimmers who dominated the world
has been the American recordholder in the event since 1992.
GARY HALL, SR.
(B:8/7/51- )
Set 10 world records in his
career: eight in the IM events,
one in butterfly and one in
backstroke. He won 23 AAU
events, seven NCAA
championships while competing
for Indiana and posted 23
American records. He competed
in three Olympics and medaled in
each. Although his career shows
a forte in the IM events, he
medaled in two butterfly events
at the Olympics. He won silver in
1968 in the 400m IM, silver in
1972 in the 200m fly and bronze
in 1976 in the 100m fly. At his
third Olympic Games in 1976, he
was given the elected honor of
carrying the U.S. flag in the
Opening Ceremonies.
JOHN HENCKEN
(B:5/29/54- )
Was a three-time Olympian, in
1972, ‘76 and ‘80. In 1972, he
won gold in the 200m breast and
bronze in the 100m breast; in
1976, gold in the 100m breast
and silver in the 200m breast; in
1980, gold in the 100m breast.
He was the 1973 World champion
in the 100m breast and silver
medalist in the 200m breast. He
set seven world records in the
100m breast and five in the
200m breast. He held the U.S.
record in the 200m breast for 11
years.
NANCY HOGSHEAD
(B:4/17/62- )
Made the 1980 Olympic team,
but was unable to compete in
Moscow because of the boycott.
She retired in 1981, but then
made a successful comeback in
1983. At the 1978 World
Championships in West Berlin,
she won silver in the 200m fly.
At the 1984 Olympics, she
qualified in five events and won
four medals, more than any other
swimmer. She tied for gold in the
100m free with USA teammate
Carrie Steinseifer, won silver in
the 200m IM and won two more
golds in the 400m free and
medley relays.
ELEANOR HOLM
(B:12/06/13- )
Won 29 U.S. National
championships. In 1927, she won
nine National golds in the
individual medley. She held six
world records in the backstroke,
and her 100y back times held up
for 16 years in the U.S. She was a
member of the 1928 Olympic
team and won a gold medal in
the backstroke at the 1932
Olympics. She was expected to
do well in the 1936 Olympics, but
was disqualified for sipping
champagne with officials on the
boat to Germany while still in
training. She became the
swimming correspondent in
Germany at the Olympics. Later
she went on to marry noted band
leader Billy Rose.
TOM JAGER
(B:10/6/66- )
Was a three-time Olympian who
earned seven medals, including
five gold. He ended his career at
the 1996 Olympic Trials, where
at the age of 31, he attempted to
qualify for his fourth Olympic
team. He was a leader in the
world of swimming for postgraduates. He was the 1988 and
‘92 Olympic team captain and the
1991 World Championship team
captain. When he retired, he was
the world record-holder in the
50m free, a record he set in a
nationally-televised match race
versus his career-long nemesis
and friend Matt Biondi. In the
1988 Seoul Games, Jager was
second to Biondi in the 50m free.
In 1992, Jager was third and
Biondi was second in the
Olympic sprint. He and Biondi
are the only two Americans to
win gold medals in three
Olympiads; both did it in the
400m free relay (in 1984, Jager
swam on the prelim squad and in
1988 and ‘92, he swam on the
championship finals teams). In
1984 and ‘88, he won gold
medals swimming in prelims of
the 400m medley relay. He
earned 11 U.S. National titles and
five NCAA crowns.
LINDA JEZEK
(B:3/10/60- )
Another of many American
swimmers hurt by the 1980
Olympic boycott. She was the
1978 World champion in the
100m and 200m back and 400m
medley relay. She set the
American record seven times in
the 100m back and held the
record for seven years. In 1978,
she went under 2:12 in the 200m
back for a world record and held
the U.S. record for eight years.
She earned 18 U.S. National titles
in backstroke.
DUKE KAHANAMOKU
(B:8/24/1890-D:1/22/68)
Was the first of a long line of
truly great Hawaiian swimmers.
In 1911 in an open water swim,
he bettered the 100y free record
by almost five seconds. He was a
three-time gold and two-time
silver medalist in the 1912, ‘20
and ‘24 Olympics. In 1912, he
won gold in the 100m free and
silver on the 800m free relay; in
1920, gold in the 100m free and
800m free relay; in 1924, silver
in the 100m free. Although
viewed with skepticism by the
AAU, he went on to set numerous
world records. In 1932, after 10
years in Hollywood, he was an
alternate to the U.S. Olympic
water polo team. He also had the
longest name in Olympic history;
his full name is Duke Paoa
Kahinu Makoe Hulikohoa
Kahanamoku.
ADOLPH KEIFER
(B:6/27/18- )
Was a gold medalist in the 100m
back at the 1936 Olympics. He
USA Swimming’s Fact Pack
SUPERSTARS: U.S. swimmers who dominated the world
was the first man to break one
minute in the 100y back.
Between 1935 and ‘44, he set 17
world records, none of which
were broken until four years
after he retired from swimming
in 1946. After his career in
swimming, he went on to serve
in World War II as a Lieutenant
in the U.S. Navy. He conducted a
survey for them of the number of
shipwrecks and documented the
number of GI deaths from
drowning. As a result, he was put
in charge of swimming
instruction for the entire U.S.
Navy. He later formed his own
company involved in the
manufacturing of swimming pool
accessories and other swimrelated items.
CLAUDIA KOLB
(B:12/19/49- )
Was the 1968 Olympic champion
in the 200m and 400m IM. She
won the 200m IM by four
seconds and the 400m IM by
nearly 14 seconds, the most
decisive women’s swimming
victory in 40 years. She set five
world records in the 200m IM
and held the record for six years
(1966-‘72). She held the U.S.
record for eight years. She also
set four world records in the
400m IM.
KRISTY KOWAL
(B:10/9/78- )
Silver medalist in the 200m
breast, breaking the American
record, at the 2000 Olympics.
She was the 1998 World
champion in the 100m breast and
400m medley relay. She also
earned silver in the 200m breast.
She became the first and only
American to win a World title in
the 100m breast, defeating the
fastest field in history at the
time. She was also the first
American in 25 years to medal at
Worlds in the 200m breast. In
2000, she was named NCAA
Woman of the Year. She is
currently the American record-
holder in the 100 and 200 breast
(scm and scy) and 200m breast.
LENNY KRAYZELBURG
(B:9/28/75- )
Was a triple gold medalist at
2000 Olympics, winning the
100m and 200m back, both in
Olympic record time, and leading
off the world record-breaking
400m medley relay. He was the
1998 World champion in the
100m and 200m back. He set the
world record in the 50m, 100m
and 200m back at the 1999 Pan
Pacific Championships. His 200m
back swim at Pan Pacs was the
first time a swimmer went under
1:56 in the 200m back. He swept
both backstrokes at four straight
U.S. nationals (1997-2000).
Currently, he holds the world
record in the 50m and 100m
back (lcm and scm). He was a
two-time USA Swimming
Swimmer of the Year in 1999 and
2000.
LANCE LARSON
(B:7/03/40- )
Was a gold medalist in the 1960
Olympics in the 400m free relay
and a silver medalist in the 100m
free. His silver medal in the
100m free was one of the most
controversial Olympic swim
races ever. He was given a
second-place finish against
Australia’s John Devitt. They
touched almost simultaneously
with all watches in his favor, but
the President of the International
Swimming Federation gave the
win to Devitt. Larson, the first
man to break one minute in the
100m fly, won AAU titles in the
freestyle, butterfly and IM
events, setting five world and 12
U.S. records.
STEVE LUNDQUIST
(B:2/20/61- )
Was a member of the 1980
Olympic team that boycotted the
Moscow Games. He won two gold
medals in the 1984 Olympics in
the 100m breast and 400m
medley relay. He was the first
swimmer to break two minutes
in the 200y breast. He won every
100y breast event he entered
from 1980-‘83. At age 17, he
broke his first world record, and
throughout his career, he broke
world and American records on
15 occasions. He first broke the
100m breast world record in
1982 and held it until 1989, with
the exception of one month in
1984 when John Moffet held it.
He also held the world record in
the 200m IM in 1978. He set
American records in the 100m
and 200m breast and 200m IM.
HELENE MADISON
(B:5/19/14-D:11/26/70)
One of 11 swimmers in the U.S.
Olympic Hall of Fame. She was
the 1932 Olympic champion in
the 100m free and 400m free
and medley relays. She was the
first woman to swim 100 yards
in one minute flat, and she set
world records in 20 distances,
from 100 yards to one mile. Her
1000y free and one mile records
stood nine years.
ANGEL MARTINO
(B:4/25/67- )
Was the 1996 Olympic champion
in the 400m free and medley
relays and won bronze in the
100m free and 100m fly. She was
the 1992 Olympic champion in
the 400m free relay and won
bronze in the 50m free. At the
1996 World Championships, she
took first in the 100m back and
400m free and medley relays and
won silver in the 50m and 100m
free. She is a former world
record-holder in the 100m back
(scm). She is also a former
American record-holder in the
100 (scm, lcm, scy) free. She has
a total of six Olympic medals,
which is fourth on the all-time
U.S. list.
LEA MAURER
(B:4/1/71- )
USA Swimming’s Fact Pack
SUPERSTARS: U.S. swimmers who dominated the world
Won a gold medal in the 400m
medley relay and bronze in the
100m back at the 1992 Olympics.
Was the 1998 World champion in
the 100m back and 400m medley
relay. She was the American
record-holder in the 100m back
until 2001 and held the mark for
nine years. She first broke the
mark leading off the medley
relay in the 1992 Barcelona
Games. Six years later at age 26,
she reset the mark at the 1998
World Championships.
MARY T. MEAGHER
(B:10/27/64- )
Set her first world record in the
200m fly in 1979 and became
known as "Madame Butterfly"
shortly after. She became the
third woman in swimming
history to make three Olympic
teams. She was on the 1980
Olympic team that boycotted the
Games. In the 1984 Olympics,
she won three gold medals in the
100m and 200m fly and 400m
medley relay. In the 1988
Olympics in Seoul, she won the
bronze in the 200m fly. She won
six NCAA individual awards. She
still owned both the world and
American records she set in 1981
in the 100m and 200m fly, until
Jenny Thompson broke the 100m
fly mark in 1999. Her 200m fly
mark stood as the oldest world
record in the books until it was
broken in 2000. She also held
seven world records and eight
American records. She was a U.S.
Olympic Committee Athlete
Representative and sat on the
U.S. Swimming Board of
Directors. In 1993, she won the
U.S. Swimming/ Phillips 66 20th
Anniversary Award for the most
outstanding performance at a
U.S. Nationals.
DEBBIE MEYER
(B:8/14/52- )
Was the first woman to win
three individual gold medals in a
single
Olympics. Despite her handicap
of having a stomach infection at
the 1968 Games in Mexico City,
she went on to win the 200m,
400m and 800m free. In her
career, she held 24 American
records and 15 world records.
She was named the 1967, ‘68 and
‘69 World Swimmer of the Year
and received the Sullivan Award
for top amateur athlete in 1968.
She was the first woman to swim
the 1500m free under 18
minutes, the 400m free under
4:30, the 500y free under five
minutes and the 1650y free
under 17 minutes.
BETSY MITCHELL
(B:1/16/66- )
Won a gold medal in the 400m
medley relay and silver in the
100m back at the 1984 Olympics.
She was the 1986 World
champion in the 100m back and a
silver medalist in the 200m back.
In 1986, she went under 2:09 in
the 200m back for a world
record, a feat that only a few
women have duplicated. She held
the world mark until 1991 when
backstroke rules were relaxed.
Her time of 2:08.60 is the 10thfastest ever and was the
American record for 16 years.
JIM MONTGOMERY
(B:1/24/55- )
Won three golds in the 100m
free, 400m and 800m free relays
and bronze in the 200m free at
the 1976 Olympics in Montreal.
In the 1973 World
Championships, he gained
stardom after winning two
individual golds and three more
as a member of winning relay
teams. He set two world records
for the 100m free in 1975 and
bettered his world record time in
both prelims and finals at the
Montreal Olympics. Not only
were his records broken, but also
barriers in the event, when he
became the first man to swim the
100m free in under 50 seconds.
PABLO MORALES
(B:12/5/64- )
Finished second in the 100m fly
at the 1984 Olympics, where he
was favored to win. In 1986, he
set the world record in the 100m
fly, which stood until 1995. Then,
in 1988, Morales unexpectedly
did not make the Olympic team,
finishing third in two events. He
retired from swimming to attend
law school at Cornell University.
In the summer of 1991, he
returned to the pool and went on
to win Olympic gold medals in
1992 in the 100m fly and 400m
medley relay. He was named the
1992 U.S. Olympic Committee
Sportsman of the Year.
JOHN NABER
(B:1/20/56- )
Won four golds and a silver
medal in the 1976 Olympics. His
Olympic golds in the 100m and
200m back were in world record
times. He also won silver in the
200m free and was on two gold
medal-winning relays, both in
world record times. In 1976 he
was named Male Swimmer of the
Year and also Southern
California Athlete of the Year. At
the 1977 Pan American Games,
he won golds in the 100m and
200m back and 500m free. He
received the 1977 Sullivan Award
and the Trophy of the
International Committee for Fair
Play, the first time an American
swimmer was honored. He was
the first man to swim the 200m
back under two minutes, the
200y back under 1:50, the 100y
back under 50 seconds and the
100m back under 56 seconds. He
was a member of the 1984 Los
Angeles Olympic Games
Organizing Committee. He now
works as a commentator for ABC
Sports.
ANITA NALL
(B:7/21/76- )
Was a 1992 Olympic bronze
medalist in the 200m breast. At
the 1992 Olympic Trials, she
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SUPERSTARS: U.S. swimmers who dominated the world
broke the world record in the
200m breast twice, becoming the
first American in 24 years to own
the mark and the first woman to
swim it under 2:26. She broke
the U.S. record four times and
held the mark from 1991-2000.
same meet, he won gold in the
400m free relay. He shared in
the 1995 USA Swimming
Performance of the Year honors
for setting the world record in
the 400m free relay at the Pan
Pacific Championships.
ERIC NAMESNIK
KRISTINE QUANCEJULIAN
(B:8/7/70- )
Was the 1992 and ‘96 Olympic
silver medalist in the 400m IM.
At the 1994 World
Championships, he took third in
the 400m IM. He also won silver
in the 200m and 400m IM at the
1991 World Championships. He
set four American records,
becoming the first American
under 4:15 in the 400 IM, a
record he held for nearly four
years. He is one of only three
American swimmers under 4:14.
SANDRA NIELSON
(B:3/20/56- )
Was the 1972 Olympic champion
in the 100m free and 400m free
and medley relays. She also won
gold at the 1971 Pan American
Games in the 100m free and
400m free relay and won silver
in the 400m medley relay. She
owned three world records in
relays and four American records
in the 100m free and three
relays. She set world records in
the 50m and 100m free for
women aged 40-44 while
competing at the U.S. Open in
San Antonio in December 1996.
JON OLSON
(B:4/25/69- )
Was the 1992 Olympic champion
in the 400m free and medley
relays (setting world records in
both events) and earned bronze
in the 800m free relay. He also
won two gold medals at the 1996
Olympics, swimming in the
400m free relay and prelims of
the 800m free relay. He earned
gold in the 400m free relay and
prelims of the 400m medley
relay at the 1994 World
Championships. In 1998 at the
(B:4/1/75- )
Earned gold in prelims of the
400m medley relay at the 1996
Olympics. She was the former
American record-holder in the
200m breast and a five-time
Kiphuth Award winner. She
joined Janet Evans (‘91), Sippy
Woodhead (‘78), Tracy Caulkins
(‘78) and Shirley Babashoff (‘75)
as the only women to qualify for
World Championships in four
individual events (she did it in
1998). In 1993, she was third in
the world in the 400m IM. In
1994, she was fourth in the
world in the 200m breast. In
1997, she was third in the world
in the 200m IM.
DICK ROTH
(B:9/26/47- )
Won a gold medal in the 1964
Olympics in the 400m IM. The
night before the finals of this
race, Roth was stricken by an
attack of appendicitis, but
refused an operation. He went on
to swim finals and won the gold.
At the start of the race in the
100m fly leg, he fell far behind
his competitors, and did not gain
the lead until the final 100m free
leg. Throughout his career, he
won six outdoor AAU titles
before retiring at the age of 19.
KEENA ROTHHAMMER
(B:2/26/57- )
Won gold in the 1972 Olympics in
the 800m free and bronze in the
200m free. She was best known
for her unpredictable
performances and versatile
ability. As the third-ranked
contender in the 800m free at
the 1972 Olympics, she ended up
winning the event and set a new
world record. On the other hand,
as the top-ranked U.S. qualifier
for the 400m free, she only
finished sixth. She went on to the
1973 World Championships as
the reigning Olympic gold
medalist in the 800m free, but
failed to medal. Then, in the
200m free as the second-place
U.S. qualifier, she won. Finally,
in the 400m free as the world
record-holder, she lost to
teammate Heather Greenwood.
Since the end of her career at
Southern California University,
she has done commentary for
swimming competitions on CBS.
JEFF ROUSE
(B:2/6/70- )
Three-time Olympic gold
medalist. At his first Olympics in
1992, he won gold in the 400m
medley relay and earned a silver
medal in the 100m back. Then, in
1996, he was the Olympic
champion in the 100m back and
400m medley relay. He was the
1991 World champion in the
100m back and 400m medley
relay. At the 1994 World
Championships, he was a silver
medalist in the 100m back and a
member of the 400m medley
relay that took first. He was
ranked No. 1 in the world for
eight years in the 100m back and
held the world record in the
100m back from 1991-1999. At
one point, Rouse owned eight of
the top 14 swims ever in the
100m back. In 2001 at the age of
31, he came out of a five-year
retirement to attempt to become
the oldest U.S. Olympic medalist.
SUMMER SANDERS
(B:10/13/72- )
Earned four medals at the 1992
Olympics, the most by a U.S.
female swimmer since Shirley
Babashoff in 1976. She was the
1992 Olympic champion in the
200m fly and 400m medley
relay, a silver medalist in the
200m IM and a bronze medalist
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SUPERSTARS: U.S. swimmers who dominated the world
in the 400m IM. In 1991, she was
the World champion in the 200m
fly and also earned silver in the
200m IM and bronze in the
400m IM. She is the current
American record-holder in the
200m and 400m IM, both since
1992, and the fourth-fastest
American ever in the 200m fly.
MARK SPITZ
(B:2/10/50- )
Won nine golds, one silver and
one bronze in the 1968 and ‘72
Olympics. In 1972, he became the
first man to win seven golds in
one Olympics, all in world record
times. He won five golds in the
1967 Pan American Games. He
also set 26 world, 24 National
AAU Championships and 25
American records. He held eight
NCAA titles and was a four-time
NCAA champion in the 100y fly.
He won the Sullivan Award in
1971 and was named the 1972
Swimmer of the Year. In 1991, he
staged an unsuccessful
comeback.
DON SCHOLLANDER
(B:4/30/46- )
Was a five-time Olympic gold
medalist. In 1964, he won the
100m and 400m free and was on
the winning 400m and 800m
free relays. In the 1968
Olympics, he won gold on the
800m free relay and silver in the
200m free. He was the first to
win four gold medals at one
Olympics, and he would have
won a fifth had the 200m free
been an Olympic event in 1964.
In the 200m free, he set nine
world records between 1963 and
1968 and was the first man to
break two minutes for that
distance. Throughout his career,
he also notched eight world
records for the 400m free and
swam on eight world recordbreaking relay teams. He won 16
AAU titles and two golds in the
1967 Pan American Games.
TIM SHAW
(B:11/8/57- )
Won the 200m, 400m and 1500m
free at the 1975 World
Championships. To this day, he is
the only American to win the
1500m free at Worlds. At the
1975 World Trials at age 15,
Shaw broke the world record in
the 400m, 800m and 1500m
free. He is also a 1976 Olympic
silver medalist in the 400m free.
JILL STERKEL
(B:5/27/61- )
Best-known as the first woman
in history to be on four Olympic
swimming teams (1976, ‘80, ‘84
and ‘88). She retired after the
1984 Olympics, but returned to
competition in 1987. She
qualified for the team after Angel
Meyers tested positive for
steroid use at the Olympic Trials.
In the 1988 Olympics, she went
on to tie for the bronze medal in
the 50m free. Her time made her
the sixth-fastest female in the
50m free and the second-fastest
American at that time. Her
career highlights also feature 15
U.S. National titles, 16 NCAA
titles, five gold medals at the
1981 World University Games,
five AIAW titles in 1980 and ‘81
and four Short Course National
titles. Her college achievements
earned her the Broderick Cup
Award for the top female
collegiate athlete. Sterkel is
currently the co-head women’s
swimming coach at the
University of Texas.
where he broke the world record
and beat the 1988 Olympic
champion, the legendary Michael
Gross of West Germany, earning
Stewart the Phillips Performance
Award for the year. In 1992, he
continued his worldwide
dominance of the event by
becoming the Olympic champion
in the 200m fly. He also earned a
gold medal swimming prelims of
the 400m medley relay and a
bronze in the 800m free relay.
Stewart won the 200m fly 12
times, the most National titles in
one event by any American man.
In total, he won 14 U.S. National
titles. Stewart, a gifted man, left
swimming in 1996 after finishing
third in the 200m fly at the
Olympic Trials. He pursues
writing screenplays and plays
and is a member of the Screen
Actors’ Guild.
MEL STEWART
(B:11/18/68- )
During his career, was the best
interview in the entire Olympic
Movement. His gift for gab and a
quick one-liner came in handy as
Stewart visited the post-race
winner’s press conference on
numerous occasions. He was a
two-time Olympian, finishing
fifth in the 200m fly in 1988.
That defeat spurred him on to
the 1991 World Championships,
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ASHLEY TAPPIN
(B:12/18/74- )
Earned two gold medals
swimming in the prelims of the
400m free and 400m medley
relays at the 2000 Olympics. She
also won gold in the 400m free
relay prelims at the 1992
Olympics. At the 1991 World
Championships, she won gold in
the 400m free relay prelims. In
1998, she held a world ranking of
fifth in the 50m free, sixth in the
100m free and fifth in the 50m
fly.
JENNY THOMPSON
(B:2/26/73- )
Owns the most career Olympic
gold medals for a U.S. female
with eight. She has 10 Olympic
medals, one more than Dara
Torres, on the all-time U.S. list.
At the 2000 Olympics in Sydney,
she won three golds swimming
on the 400m free and medley
relays and on the 800m free
relay, in addition to a bronze
medal in the 100m free. She was
the 1998 World champion in the
100m free, 100m fly and 400m
free and medley relays. She has
competed in seven Pan Pacific
Championships, earning 25 total
gold medals. She has won the
50m free at Pan Pacs five times.
In 1992, she became the first
American in nearly 60 years to
hold the world record in the
100m free. In 1999, she broke
Mary T. Meagher’s fabled world
mark in the 100m fly. She owns
25 U.S. National titles. Currently,
she holds the world record in the
50m and 100m fly. In 2002,
despite being in her second year
of medical school at Columbia
University, Thompson continued
training and competing.
KAREN MOE
(THORNTON)
(B:1/22/52- )
Won the gold medal in the 1972
Munich Olympics in the 200m fly
in a world record time of 2:18.15.
She also swam the 100m back in
the 1972 Games, finishing fourth.
She made another Olympic
appearance in 1976, finishing
fourth in the 200m fly in
Montreal in a new American
record. Thornton was the head
coach of the women’s swim team
at the University of California at
Berkeley and has since moved up
to an administrative position
with the University.
DARA TORRES
(B:4/15/67- )
Is the only American to swim in
four Olympics. At the 1996
Olympics, she was a gold
medalist on both world recordbreaking relays (400m free and
medley relays) as well as a
bronze medalist in the 50m
(American record) and 100m free
and the 100m fly. She tied track’s
Marion Jones for most medals in
the U.S. delegation at the ‘96
Atlanta Games. She is the
American record-holder in the
50m free and 100m fly and a
former world record-holder in
the 50m free. She owns the
fastest American and secondfastest 100m free relay split in
history. She came out of
retirement in July of 1999, after
seven years away from the sport.
In 1994, Torres became the first
athlete to appear with the
supermodels in Sports
Illustrated’s swimsuit issue.
MIKE TROY
(B:10/03/40- )
Won two golds in the 1960
Olympics in the 200m fly and
800m free relay. As a member of
the Indianapolis Aquatic Club at
the 1959 Pan American Games,
he signed to attend Indiana
University. At the Pan American
Games, he was a silver medalist
in the 200m fly and went on to
win the gold at the 1960
Olympics. At both meets, he was
also on the winning 800m free
relay teams. He was a recordbreaker his entire career in
freestyle and butterfly events,
winning two AAU outdoor titles.
He also served as a Navy Seal
during the Vietnam War.
AMY VAN DYKEN
(B:2/15/73- )
At the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta,
became the first American
woman to win four gold medals
at one Olympics, winter or
summer, defeating China’s top
swimmers in their best events
(50m free, 100m fly and 400m
free and medley relays). She also
swam on the 400m medley relay
that set the world record at the
2000 Olympics. She was the
1998 World champion in the 50m
and 400m free and medley
relays. She has set four American
records in the 50m free. In 1996,
she was named the Associated
Press Female Athlete of the Year.
CHRIS VON SALTZA
(B:1/03/44- )
Was a five-time gold medal
winner at the 1959 Pan American
Games. She went on to further
her career achievements by
winning three golds and a silver
in the 1960 Olympics. Her 400m
free win at the 1960 Games was
not unexpected because, at the
Olympic Trials, she set a new
world record of 4:44.5 to become
the first woman to break the
five-minute barrier. Besides her
claim to fame as a five-time
Olympic medalist, she was more
properly known as the Baroness
Von Saltza. Her grandfather,
Count Philip, came to America at
the turn of the century. Until this
day, she is still recognized by her
title name in the "Who’s Who of
Swedish Nobility".
USA Swimming’s Fact Pack
SUPERSTARS: U.S. swimmers who dominated the world
DAVE WHARTON
(B:5/19/69- )
Was a 1988 Olympic silver
medalist in the 400m IM. He
held world records in both the
200m and 400m IM. He held the
400m IM world mark for five
days and set five American
records in the same event, a
standard he held for four years.
He is one of six American
swimmers under 4:16 in the
400m IM. In 1989, he went
2:00.11 in the 200m IM, which
remains the third-fastest
American performance.
Was the 1984 Olympic silver
medalist in the 200m free. At the
1978 World Championships, she
won the 200m free and earned a
silver medal in the 400m and
800m free. She broke East
Germany’s Kornelia Ender’s
world record in the 200m free
and became the first woman
under 1:59. She held the world
mark for nearly six years. She
also held the American record in
the event from 1978-‘92. In 1978,
she went 4:07.15 in the 400m
free and sub-8:30 in the 800m
free.
MARY WAYTE
(B:3/25/65- )
Was the 1984 Olympic champion
in the 200m free and 400m free
relay. At the 1988 Olympics, she
was a silver medalist in the
400m medley relay and a bronze
medalist in the 400m free relay.
She finished fourth in the 200m
free.
JOHNNY WEISSMULLER
(B:6/02/04-D:1/84)
Won five gold medals at two
Olympics. At the 1924 Games, he
won the 100m and 400m free
and was on the winning 800m
free relay. At the 1928 Games, he
won the 100m free and was on
the winning 800m free relay.
Throughout his career, he set 51
world records and won 52
National championship gold
medals. He is the winner of 36
individual U.S. National titles.
He never lost a race in his 10
years of amateur swimming at
distances from 50 yards to a half
mile. His record in the 100y free
stood for 17 years. He also
played on two U.S. Olympic
water polo teams, of which the
1924 team won the bronze. After
his career, he was best- known
for his role as Tarzan on the
silver screen.
SIPPY WOODHEAD
(B:2/7/64- )
USA Swimming’s Fact Pack