The Week That Was: Ryan Wochomurka Ushers in New Era For Auburn Swimming & Diving

Photo Courtesy: carlos@altasky.com

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Ryan Wochomurka, who helped win three NCAA titles for the Auburn Tigers as a swimmer from 2003 – 2005, was named the new head coach for the men’s and women’s programs after Gary Taylor stepped down from the position.

Two legends of the sport, Olympic gold medalist John Konrads, and hall of fame coach Nort Thornton passed away this past week.

Read the five biggest stories of the week in The Week That Was sponsored by Suitmate.

The Week That Was #1: Gary Taylor Out, Ryan Wochomurka in as Auburn Head Coach

Oct. 3 - Tulane vs Houston NCAA Women's Swimming & Diving (Joe Buvid / For Houston Athletics)

Ryan Wochomurka; Photo Courtesy: Joe Buvid/Courtesy of Houston Athletics

By Matthew de George

Auburn Friday announced the hiring of Ryan Wochomurka as the school’s new head swimming and diving coach, tasking the alumnus with leading the Tigers back to glory.

Wochomurka was a 21-time All-American at Auburn from 2002-05, winning three national championships with the Tigers. The U.S. national teamer has proven himself a strong head coach in six seasons at the University of Houston, leading the Cougars to five consecutive American Athletic Conference women’s titles.

“My family and I are honored and humbled for the opportunity to serve as the head coach at Auburn University,” Wochomurka said in a university statement. “I am very thankful to Mr. Allen Greene, President Gogue, the Board of Trustees, and our proud alumni for the opportunity to lead our Auburn men and women in the pool. It is hard to truly encapsulate into words the impact that Auburn Swimming and Diving has had on my life, and we will strive tirelessly to the very best of our ability to provide the same incredible Auburn experience to our current student-athletes that has shaped the lives of so many that have come before. The rich history and tradition of this program is second to none, and we have an incredible opportunity to stand on the shoulders of giants as we look to the future. ‘I believe in Auburn and love it.’ WAR EAGLE!”

Wochomurka was named the AAC women’s swimming coach of the year each of those years, from 2017-21. His final award at this year’s championships included producing the co-AAC swimmers of the year (Mykenzie Leehy and Ioanna Sacha) and the freshman of the year (Laura Garcia-Marin). Three Houston swimmers and one diver represented the school at the NCAA Championships. Houston scored nine points at NCAAs, the most for the program since 2011 and the most among non-power conference schools in 2021, finishing in 30th place

#2: Passages: 1960 Olympic Gold Medalist John Konrads Dies at 78

Photo Courtesy: Swimming NSW

By Ian Hanson

Olympic gold medal-winning swimmer John Konrads has been described as “Mr Unbeatable” as Australian swimming remembers one of its greatest ever champions, following his death on the Sunshine Coast yesterday.

Konrads, the 1960 Olympic champion in the 1500m freestyle, and a prolific world record holder, passed away in Noosa Hospital after a long illness. He was 78.

Along with sister Ilsa Konrads, herself a star-studded teenage world beater, Olympian and Commonwealth Games gold medallist, together they became known as the “Konrads kids” after legendary coach Don Talbot discovered them at Revesby Primary School in 1952.

Gary Winram, a team mate of Konrads from the 1956 Melbourne Olympics, where Konrads at just 13 was selected as an emergency (for experience) and from the 1958 Commonwealth Games in Cardiff, described the Latvian-born migrant boy as one of the greatest competitors he ever raced against.

Konrads left his mark on Cardiff, winning three gold medals and Winram experienced first hand just how powerful he was.

At just 16 years of age, Konrads would beat a 21-year-old Winram in the 440 yards and 1650 yards freestyle, where Konrads broke the Games record by over a minute in the heat and by another ten seconds in the final.

The Week That Was #3: Passages: Hall of Fame Coach Nort Thornton Dies at 87

Photo Courtesy: Cal Athletics

By Andy Ross

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. The good news is that he passed peacefully. We are in the process of grieving and planning. I will continue to update this group. Thank you all for your thoughts and prayers truly inspiring!! Go Bears (and Go Owls from those of you from the Foothill days)

Thornton coached at Cal Berkeley from 1974 to his official retirement in 2007 where he won two national titles in back to back years in 1979 and 1980. He also served as a coach for the United States’ 1992 Olympic team which was littered with current and former Cal swimmers Matt Biondi, Scott Jaffe, Ron Karnaugh, Sean Killion, Roque Santos and Joel Thomas.

Thornton also coached many individual Olympic medalists in his career including backstroker Peter Rocca (USA); freestylers: Pelle Holmertz, Bengt Baron, Par Arvidsson, and Thomas Lejdstrom, (Sweden); and Graham Smith of Canada. Later in his Cal career after his Hall of Fame induction, he coached Anthony Ervin to shared gold in the 50 freestyle in 2000, and nearly repeated that feat with Croatia’s Duje Draganja grabbing silver in 2004.

#4: Andre Calvelo de Souza Provisionally Suspended at Brazil Trials After Positive Doping Test

By Matthew de George

The Brazilian Confederation of Aquatic Sports (CBDA) Friday announced an adverse analytical finding in a swimmer who qualified for the Olympics, leading to a provisional suspension of their results at the ongoing Brazilian Olympic Trials. While CBDA didn’t release the name of the swimmer, reports out of Brazil and evidence from Trials Saturday indicate that the swimmer is 100 freestyle champion Andre Calvelo de Souza.

The positive came in an out-of-competition test, on March 18, 2021. The CBDA said in its statement that it was notified by the Brazilian Doping Control Authority on Friday. The name of the swimmer was not released, and the CBDA emphasized that the process is confidential and requires testing of a B sample. But Globo reported Saturday that the swimmer is de Souza, the the men’s 100 free winner. (As of Saturday morning, the results on the CBDA’s site were updated with de Souza’s name still at the top but with Pedro Spajari also having a first place next to his name and the other six swimmers all elevated a spot.)

The CBDA statement includes a note that the ninth-place swimmer in the suspended athlete’s event will be offered a time trial to try to qualify. Should de Souza’s suspension hold, Brazil would have to fill his spot on the 400 free relay. That would come down to Felipe Souza, who finished fifth in 48.87, and ninth-place Gabriel Santos, who went 49.22 in prelims. (The prelims results are also updated to show Santos in eighth place.)

The Week That Was #5: Eddie Reese to Receive ISHOF Lifetime Achievement Award

Photo Courtesy: Peter H. Bick

By Meg Keller-Marvin

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 award has only been given out four other times in ISHOF’s history. The ISHOF Lifetime Achievement Award recognizes the lifetime dedication and achievements in the swimming/aquatics community. ISHOF felt that Coach Reese was the perfect selection for our award in 2021, particularly after his recent announcement of his retirement last month, the timing is perfect.

The ISHOF Lifetime Achievement Award will be presented to Coach Reese on Friday, October 8, 2021, during the occasion of the 2021 Honoree Induction and Awards Ceremony Weekend in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, home of ISHOF. It will be an added bonus that one of Reese’s most prolific swimmers, Brendan Hansen, will be inducted into ISHOF as an Honor Swimmer, this same weekend as well.

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