ISHOF

Michael Klim has been called the best relay swimmer ever.  He is a three-time Olympian, multi-time world champion and 21-time world record holder.  1998 was Klim's year in the sun. In January, the FINA World Aquatics Championships were held in Perth, Western Australia, and in front of a boisterous h...

Two-time Olympian and double backstroke silver medalist Peter Rocca has joined ISHOF's One in a Thousand campaign, designed to help the Hall of Fame prosper during the COVID pandemic. "Here you have the history of swimming being kept in its purest form and looking at a global standpoint, why wouldn'...

Black Swimmer Commentary by Bruce Wigo, Historian for the International Swimming Hall of Fame Just last week, Swimmingworld.com ran an updated version of an heroic black swimmer war story of a 23 year-old black navy crew member who worked as a mess hand on the U.S.S. Gregory during a sea battle off ...

Brendan Hansen is a six-time Olympic medalist, and also a former world record-holder in both the 100 and 200m breaststroke events (long course). [caption id="attachment_409856" align="aligncenter" width="702"] Brendan Hansen post-race Photo Courtesy: Brendan Hansen[/caption] He has won a total of 25...

Hall of Fame coach Nort Thornton passed away Thursday morning in California, at the age of 87, after being hospitalized in March with a heart condition. His son, Marc, wrote in a public Facebook group: Hello “Nort’s” extended family. I am sad to notify you that Dad passed away at 8 AM this morning. ...

Daichi Suzuki stunned the world when he beat the USA’s David Berkoff at the 1988 Olympic Games in the 100-meter backstroke. [caption id="attachment_406441" align="aligncenter" width="825"] Daichi Suzuki after he beat David Berkoff in the 100-meter backstroke at the 1988 Seoul Olympics Photo Courtesy...

The International Swimming Hall of Fame (ISHOF) is proud to announce that it has selected Coach Eddie Reese as this year’s recipient of the ISHOF Lifetime Achievement Award for 2021. The ISHOF Lifetime Achievement Award is an award not given every year, but only when someone is deemed worthy. The aw...

Bob Steele, who is known as one of swimming's great motivational speakers, has joined the One in a Thousand Campaign, designed to help the Hall of Fame prosper during the COVID pandemic. "The Hall of Fame has been a favorite since the 50's when Buck Dawson was there. When I was a swimmer, we trained...

Rebecca Soni is an American breaststroke specialist who is a six-time Olympic medalist. She is a former world record holder in the 100m breaststroke (short and long course) and the 200m breaststroke (short and long course). Soni was the first woman to swim the 200m breaststroke in under 2 minutes an...

At age 16, Miss Marilyn Bell was inspired when she learned that American star swimmer, ISHOF Honoree, Florence Chadwick, was being offered a $10,000 purse to complete a swim across Lake Ontario. Bell wanted the honor to go to a Canadian swimmer. Three swimmers showed up for the attempt with waves of...

International Swimming Hall of Fame Announces 2021 Induction Class and Annual Ceremony The International Swimming Hall of Fame (ISHOF) is proud to announce its prestigious Class of 2021.   This year ISHOF will induct thirteen honorees from seven countries; five swimmers, two coaches, one diver, one ...

Richard A. “Dick” McDonough, Villanova’s only NCAA champion and an American record holder and relay world record holder, died on March 31 in Savannah, Ga. He was 78. McDonough was a standout in high school at Seton Hall Prep, graduating in 1960. He won state titles and claimed gold at the Eastern In...

Passages: 1956 Olympic Gold Medalist Ursula Happe Dies at Age 94 ISHOF Honor Swimmer and 1956 Olympic gold medalist Ursula Happe of Germany passed away March 26, 2021 at the age of 94. In the decade of the 1950s, Germany had one female standout in international swimming. She was not only a great swi...

The Florida House of Representatives’ subcommittee on Early Learning and Elementary Education recently voted 18-0 to support the International Swimming Hall of Fame’s (ISHOF) Every Child A Swimmer House Bill HB1119 (Formally known as the Edna Mae McGovern Act).  A version of the Bill (SB 358) now mo...

The International Swimming Hall of Fame Board of Directors voted to expand its honorees to include Paralympic athletes effective with the class of 2022 and have redefined the eligibility requirements for all athletes. At its March 9th, 2021 monthly meeting, the board agreed to expand its current eig...

The International Swimming Hall of Fame (ISHOF) is inviting the entire aquatics community back to Fort Lauderdale, Florida on October 8-9, 2021 to celebrate the belated induction of its Class of 2020 Honorees, Paragon Award winners, and ISHOF recognitions. “We have secured an agreement with the City...

Marathon Swimming: Where Women Have Outperformed the Men Today, March 8, we celebrate International Women's Day. As a tribute to the women who have contributed to, grown and defined excellence in the sport, Swimming World will run several features throughout the day which celebrate some of the great...

1972 Olympic bronze medalist in water polo Jim Ferguson has joined the ISHOF's One in a Thousand Club, designed to help the Hall of Fame prosper during the financial difficulties of the COVID-19 pandemic. Ferguson, who is based out of northern California, got his start in his swimming when his famil...

Australian Olympic gold medalist diver Matthew Mitcham discussed his battle with a “crippling” drug and alcohol addiction in an interview with the BBC. The 32-year-old Australian won a gold medal in the 10-meter platform diving at the Beijing Olympics in 2008. Not only was he the first Australian ma...

Anne Berry has joined the One in a Thousand campaign, designed to help the Hall of Fame prosper during the financial difficulties of the COVID-19 pandemic. Berry, who is based out of the DC metro area, has been a long-time donor of ISHOF and utilized the Henning Library to do her Masters thesis on A...