Passages: Swimming World’s 2021 In Memoriam; Their Influence Will Be Missed

Photo Courtesy: Swimming World Archives

The year brought a lot of exciting finishes in the pool, but it also brought the passing of many influential people in the aquatic sports world, whether swimming, diving, artistic swimming or water polo.

Here is a look back on who the swimming community bid farewell to in 2021 — they will be missed.

Clink on the name of each honoree to learn more about them.

Ted Erickson, 93
Ted Erikson was the first man to swim across Lake Michigan. He was inducted into the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame in 1978.

Frank Elm, 92
Frank Elm was the head coach for the 1980 Olympic team and was a two-time Olympic assistant. He also was a longtime successful coach at Rutgers.

Amman Jalmaani, 72
Amman Jalmaani was a three-time Olympic swimmer from the Philippines. He swam the breaststroke in the 1964 Olympics at age 15.

David Jenkins, 31
David Jenkins was Swim England Diving Coach.

Donald N. Miller, 78
Donald N. Miller was the founding coach of Shippensburg University Swimming in Pennsylvania.

Deryk Snelling, 87
Deryk Snelling was a longtime legendary swimming coach in Canada.

Dawn Bean, 94
Dawn Bean was one of the pioneers of synchronized swimming.

Joy Cushman, 98
Joy Chushman was one of the pioneers of synchronized swimming.

George Wendt, 73
George Wendt was the Chicago Masters Swim Club president and died from a heart attack during the Big Shoulders Open Water Swim Classic in Lake Michigan.

Rich McGeagh, 77
Rich McGeagh was an NCAA champion swimmer and made the U.S. Olympic team in 1964.

Bill Wadley, 65

Photo Courtesy: Ohio State University Athletics

Bill Wadley was a swimming coach at Ohio State and the ASCA Ceo. He died after battle with pancreatic cancer.

Clifford Barry, 75
Clifford Larry was a Canadian Olympian and more recently the coach of Victor Davis.

Curtis Robinette, 41
Longtime Mercyhurst University Water Polo Coach Curtis Robinette died after a battle with cancer.

Bob Chen
Bob Chen was the Rio Salado Swim Club coach and the Chandler High School Swimming Coach.

Herman Willemse, 87
Herman Willemse was a 2008 Honor Open Water Swimmer from the Netherlands.

Coak Matthews, 66
Coak Matthews as the Henderson State swimming coach.

Chad Hundeby, 50
Chad Hundeby was an ISHOF Honor Open water swimmer. He died of a heart attack.

Tim Welsh, 76
Tim Welsh was a longtime Notre Dame swimming coach, who led the Fighting Irish for 30 years. He died after a battle with cancer.

Lim Heng Chek, 85
Lim Heng Chek was the first Olympic swimmer in the history of Malaysia.

Georgy Prokopenko, 84
Georgy Prokopenko was an Olympic silver medalist for the former Soviet Union. He participated in the 1960 and 1964 games.

Ray Riordon, 87
Robert “Ray” Riordon was the founder of the swimming program at Towson University.

Nort Thornton, 87

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Former Cal coach Nort Thornton produced several Olympic champions and earned a spot in the Hall of Fame.

Suzanne Zimmerman, 95
Suzanne Zimmerman was a silver medalist in the 100 backstroke at the 1948 Olympics.

Chase Smith, 19
Indiana swimmer Chase Smith died after a battle with cancer.

Larry Rogers, 74
Larry Rogers was a longtime championship coach at Bellarmine Prep Swim and also coached water polo.

Dick McDonough, 78
Dick McDonough was an NCAA champion at Villanova and a world hchampion relay record holder.

Clara Lamore Walker, 94
Clara Lamore Walker was an Olympian in 1948 and a Masters Swimming Hall of Fame honoree.

Photo Courtesy: ISHOF Archives

Ursula Happe, 94
Ursula Happe won an Olympic gold medal at the 1956 Games from Germany.

Ivo Trumbic, 86
Ivo Trumbic was an Olympic gold medalist in water polo from Croatia.

Janis Hape Dowd
Janis Hape Dowd was an Olympian in the 200 breaststroke in 1976. He died after a battle with cancer.

Jorge Gonzalez, 75
Jorge Gonzalez was one of the top and pioneering water polo players from Puerto Rico.

Jack Cayco, 96
Jack Cayco was an Olympian from the Philippines in 1958. He also won gold medals in the Asian Games.

Bumpy Jones, 87
Burwell “Bumpy” Jones was a Hall of Fame honor masters swimmer in 2005.

Harry Hauck, 91
Haryy Hauck was a pioneering water polo figure who brought the sport to Puerto Rico.

Srdjan Filipovic, 49
Srdjan Filipovic was the swimming coach for the Oman national team from Serbia.

Bert Bell, 75
Bert Bell was a titan in the Caribbean swimming community, coaching many athletes from the Bahamas in multiple sports.

Dawn Fraser Harry Gallagher nd Jon Henricks

Photo Courtesy:

Harry Gallagher, 96
Harry Gallagher was the legendary swimming coach of Dawn Fraser, one of the top female swimmers in history.

Ryder Wade, 18
Ryder Wade was a Concordia University water polo player. He died in a motorcycle crash.

Ethan Anderson, 20
Ethan Anderson was a University of Delaware swimmer.

Ted Haartz, 92
Frederick “Ted” Haart was a U.S. Masters swimming pioneer.

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