International Swimming Hall of Fame Honorees By Year (2012)

Gustavo Borges, at 6 feet 8 inches tall, was often mistaken for a basketball player. However, make no mistake, he is one of the greatest sprint swimmers of all time.

Domenico Fioravanti was born in Novara, Italy on the 31st of May, 1977. He started to swim competitively at the age of nine. One year later, following in the footsteps of his older brother, Massimiliano, he began training daily.

When this former high school football coach’s daughter, Allison, began competitive diving in 1973, Eldon Godfrey switched allegiance to a whole new sport, and rose to the highest levels of volunteerism. With his organizational skills and insight, within three short years, he was elected president of the Canadian Amateur Diving Association and two years later the Aquatic Federation of Canada on whose committee he remained for 16 years, serving as Canada’s Chef de Mission for the Third FINA World Championships in Berlin.

Diving is a quiet, precise sport. The actual take-off jump happens within a split second and the meditative moment before the jump determines the dives success or failure.

Every so often, a coach will come along who has the ability to lift his swimmers to new heights, as Laszlo Kiss did establishing Olympic champions.

Frank Kurtz grew up in Kansas City, Missouri, a decidedly independent child who began making legends early. Tired of his step-father's beatings, he ran away from home when he was 12. Like a lot of runaways in the 1920's, he found a job hawking newspapers. In a pattern that would repeat itself throughout his life, his charm, winning personality, and sense of adventure soon brought him the attention of wealthy patrons at the Kansas City Athletic Club (KCAC).

Tian Liang began diving at the age of seven. He was very quick to learn and was hard working. He joined the National Team in 1993 at the age of 13. Nicknamed “child prodigy”, he led a new generation of Chinese divers in the 10 meter platform event. His technical style featured a strong explosive force, vigorous movements and agility in execution.

Dr. Julio Maglione was born in 1935, in Montevideo, Uruguay. After learning to swim, he soon became Uruguay’s National Champion and record holder in the 100 and 200 meter butterfly and 100 and 200 meter breaststroke from 1949 to 1954.

In 1900, water polo became the first team sport in the Olympic Games. During those 25 Olympic Games from 1900 to 2008, only 16 nations have medaled in the sport - a remarkably small number. Of those countries, Spain has medaled the fewest times - only twice - and that was due primarily to the efforts of their two star players, Hall of Fame player Manuel Estiarte, perhaps the game’s greatest player, and their remarkable goalie, Jesus Miguel Rollan.

Ever since Jill learned to swim at the age of four, she loved synchronized swimming and competed in the sport for 20 years. Upon reaching the National Team, she practiced five to seven hours a day, six days per week and became one of the world’s all-time best synchronized swimmers.

In Jozsef Szabo’s competitive swimming days, he became part of a family of swimmers and teammates. Like a family, each member had a role. He was known as the clown, to provide and keep everyone in good spirits and laughs.