Olympians Lead Fight Against Cancer

BOSTON, June 29. OLYMPIC Swimmers Janel Jorgensen, Carlton Bruner, Tim McKee, and Eric Wunderlich will all jump into Boston Harbor on Friday, July 14, to make waves in the fight against cancer at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. They will brave the cold water and join dozens of other swimmers for the 11th annual Swim Across America event in Boston. It is a 22-mile relay swim in Boston Harbor.

There will be one-mile and half-mile swims at Nantasket Beach in Hull on Saturday, July 15, and a rollicking fun party plus auction at the Sports Club/LA Observation Deck in Boston to kick everything off on Thursday, July 13, from 6-10 p.m. Organizers hope to raise $300,000 to support the David B. Perini, Jr. Quality of Life Program at Dana-Farber. For more information, to swim with the Olympians, or to get party tickets, email Kitty Tetreault at kitty@swimacrossamerica.org or visit www.swimacrossamerica.org.

Olympian Bios

Janel Jorgensen has been part of the Swim Across America (SAA) family for 17 years. She was recently named the Executive Director of the organization. The Back Bay resident was on the 1988 Olympic Team, winning a silver medal in the 400-meter medley relay. Prior to that, Jorgensen won 17 NCAA titles while at Stanford University – the most of any female swimmer at Stanford – earning the 1993 graduate a spot in the Stanford University Hall of Fame. Among her many awards, Jorgensen also won a gold medal at the Pan American Games in 1987.

Carlton Bruner was in the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, placing 13th in the 1,500-meter freestyle. He placed third in both the 1993 and 1995 Pan Pacific Swimming Championships 1,500-meter freestyle and first in the 1995 Pan American Games in the same event. In 1994, Bruner was considered one of the top ten in the world for both the 800-meter and 1,500-meter freestyle. This will be his second Boston Swim Across America event.

Tim McKee was a member of the 1972 and 1976 U.S. Olympic swim teams. He is known as the "ironman of the 1970s" for his extensive swimming exploits. In the 1972 Games, he won the silver medal in both the 200-meter and the 400-meter individual medleys. Four years later, he won the silver again in the 400-meter individual medley. McKee also appears in the Guinness Book of World Records for coming in second in the "closest race in sports history," during the 1972 Olympic 400-meter individual medley. McKee has participated in more than 13 Swim Across America events, including six Boston Harbor Swims.

Eric Wunderlich competed in the 1996 Olympics, where he finished in seventh place in the 200-meter breaststroke event. This will be Erik¹s fifth Boston Swim Across America event.

Name*

Email*

Welcome to our community. We invite you to join our discussion. Our community guidelines are simple: be respectful and constructive, keep on topic, and support your fellow commenters. Commenting signifies that you agree to our Terms of Use