Cynthia Woodhead

Last updated

Cynthia Woodhead
Cynthia Woodhead 1980 - Restoration.jpg
Woodhead in 1980
Personal information
Full nameCynthia Lee Woodhead
NicknameSippy
National teamUnited States
Born (1964-02-07) February 7, 1964 (age 60)
Riverside, California
Height5 ft 6 in (168 cm)
Weight119 lb (54 kg)
Sport
Sport Swimming
Strokes Freestyle
Club Mission Viejo Nadadores
College team University of Southern California
Medal record
Women's swimming
Representing the United States
Olympic Games
Silver medal icon (S initial).svg 1984 Los Angeles 200 m freestyle
World Championships (LC)
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 1978 Berlin 200 m freestyle
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 1978 Berlin 4×100 m freestyle
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 1978 Berlin 4×100 m medley
Silver medal icon (S initial).svg 1978 Berlin 400 m freestyle
Silver medal icon (S initial).svg 1978 Berlin 800 m freestyle
Pan American Games
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 1979 San Juan 100 m freestyle
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 1979 San Juan 200 m freestyle
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg1979 San Juan 400 m freestyle
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 1979 San Juan 4×100 m freestyle
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 1979 San Juan 4×100 m medley
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 1983 Caracas 200 m freestyle
Silver medal icon (S initial).svg 1983 Caracas 400 m freestyle

Cynthia Lee Woodhead (born February 7, 1964), commonly known by her family nickname "Sippy", is an American former competition swimmer, world champion, Olympic medalist, and former world record-holder. She won three gold medals at the 1978 World Championships, when she was only 14 years old, and set seven world records during her career. [1]

Contents

Career

Woodhead received gold medals in the 200-meter freestyle, 4×100-meter freestyle, and medley relay, and two silver medals at the 1978 World Championships in Berlin when she was only 14 years old. [1]

At the 1979 Pan American Games in San Juan, Puerto Rico, she received five gold medals. She won the 100-, 200-, and 400-meter freestyle, as well as being part of the winning U.S. teams in the 4×100-meter freestyle and 4×100-meter medley relays.

Woodhead had qualified for six events at the 1980 Summer Olympics in Moscow, and was regarded to be among the favorites in the four individual distances, as she was ranked world number one in 100-, 200-, 400-, and 800-meter freestyle. Due to the American boycott of the Moscow Olympics however, she did not get the chance to participate. This was a great disappointment for her, and she has said that the boycott may have triggered her later health problems. [2]

In late 1981 and 1982, she suffered from several health problems—mononucleosis, a broken leg, and pneumonia. [1]

Woodhead competed at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, where she received a silver medal in 200-meter freestyle, finishing behind compatriot Mary Wayte. [3]

She broke the long course 50-meter freestyle world record, April 10, 1980, but the record was further improved by Jill Sterkel the same day. She also broke the long course 200-meter freestyle world record, three times, in 1978 and 1979, her last result remained a world record until 1984. She was also a member of the U.S. team that held the 4×100-meter freestyle relay world record from 1978 to 1980.

Awards

In 1979, Woodhead was named Swimming World 's World Swimmer of the Year and was named USOC Sports Woman of the Year. In 1994, she was inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame. [1] In 2003, she was an inaugural inductee to the City of Riverside Sports Hall of Fame. [4]

See also

Related Research Articles

Jennifer Beth Thompson is an American former competition swimmer and anesthesiologist.

Matthew Nicholas Biondi is an American former competitive swimmer and water polo player. As a swimmer, he is an eleven-time Olympic medalist, and former world record-holder in five events. Biondi competed in the Summer Olympic Games in 1984, 1988 and 1992, winning a total of eleven medals. During his career, he set three individual world records in the 50-meter freestyle and four in the 100-meter freestyle.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Natalie Coughlin</span> American swimmer (born 1982)

Natalie Anne Coughlin Hall is an American former competition swimmer and twelve-time Olympic medalist. While attending the University of California, Berkeley, she became the first woman ever to swim the 100-meter backstroke in less than one minute—ten days before her 20th birthday in 2002. At the 2008 Summer Olympics, she became the first U.S. female athlete in modern Olympic history to win six medals in one Olympiad, and the first woman ever to win a 100-meter backstroke gold in two consecutive Olympics. At the 2012 Summer Olympics, she earned a bronze medal in the 4×100-meter freestyle relay.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tracy Caulkins</span> American swimmer (born 1963)

Tracy Anne Stockwell, OAM,, née Tracy Anne Caulkins, is an American former competition swimmer, three-time Olympic gold medalist, five-time world champion, and former world record-holder in three events.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shirley Babashoff</span> American swimmer

Shirley Frances Babashoff is an American former competition swimmer, Olympic champion, and former world record-holder in multiple events. Babashoff set six world records and earned a total of nine Olympic medals in her career. She won a gold medal in the 400-meter freestyle relay in both the 1972 and 1976 Olympics, and she won the 1975 world championship in both the 200-meter and 400-meter freestyle. During her career, she set 37 national records and for some time held all national freestyle records from the 100-meter to 800-meter event.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Helene Madison</span> American swimmer

Helene Emma Madison was an American competition swimmer, Olympic champion, and former world record-holder.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sharon Stouder</span> American swimmer (1948–2013)

Sharon Marie Stouder, also known by her married name Sharon Stouder Clark, was an American competition swimmer, three-time Olympic champion, and former world record-holder in four events.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mary Wayte</span> American swimmer (born 1965)

Mary Alice Bradburne is an American former competition swimmer, two-time Olympic gold medalist, and television sports commentator. During her international swimming career, Wayte won ten medals in major international championships, including four golds.

Lindsay Dianne Benko, known by her married name Lindsay Mintenko since 2005, is an American former competition swimmer, two-time Olympian, former world record-holder, and a managing director of USA Swimming. She represented the United States women as a Team Captain at the 2000 and 2004 Summer Olympics, taking a gold medal in freestyle relays both years. She held the short-course world record in the 400-meter freestyle at 3:59.53, for nearly three years from January 2003 to December 2005.

Sylvia Eliina Ruuska was an American former competition swimmer, Olympic medalist and former world record-holder in two events.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chris von Saltza</span> American swimmer (born 1944)

Susan Christina von Saltza, also known by her married name Christina Olmstead, is an American former competition swimmer, Olympic champion, and former world record-holder in four events.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Charlie Hickcox</span> American swimmer (1947–2010)

Charles Buchanan Hickcox was an American competition swimmer, three-time Olympic champion, and former world record-holder in six events.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kim Peyton</span> American swimmer (1957–1986)

Kim Marie Peyton, also known by her married name Kim McDonald, was an American swimmer and Olympic gold medalist at the 1976 Summer Olympics. She was inducted into the Oregon Sports Hall of Fame in 1989, three years after her death at age 29 from a brain tumor.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kaye Hall</span> American swimmer (born 1951)

Kaye Marie Hall, later known by her married name Kaye Greff, is an American former competition swimmer, two-time Olympic champion, and former world record-holder in two events.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ellie Daniel</span> American swimmer (born 1950)

Eleanor Suzanne Daniel, is an American former competition swimmer, four-time Olympic medalist, and former world record-holder.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Susan Pedersen (swimmer)</span> American swimmer (born 1953)

Susan "Sue" Jane Pedersen, also known by her married name Susan Pankey, is an American former competition swimmer, four-time Olympic medalist, and former world record-holder in two events.

Lillian Debra Watson, commonly known by her nickname Pokey Watson, and later by her married name Lillian Richardson, is an American former competition swimmer, two-time Olympic champion, and former world record-holder in three events.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Julia Smit</span> American swimmer (born 1987)

Julia Elizabeth Smit is an American competition swimmer, two-time Olympic medalist, and former world record-holder in two events. She has won a total of nine medals in major international competition, six golds, two silvers, and one bronze spanning the Olympics and Pan American Games.

Rachel Komisarz, also known by her married name Rachel Komisarz-Baugh, is an American former competition swimmer, Olympic gold medalist, world record-holder and collegiate swimming coach.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Martha Randall</span> American swimmer (born 1948)

Martha Irene Randall is an American former competition swimmer, Olympic medalist, and former world record-holder.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Cynthia "Sippy" Woodhead (USA)". ISHOF.org. International Swimming Hall of Fame. Archived from the original on April 2, 2015. Retrieved March 1, 2015.
  2. ↑ Sharon Robb: Cynthia "Sippy" Woodhead – USA Swimming – Heroes of the Past (Retrieved September 11, 2008)
  3. ↑ 1984 Summer Olympics – Los Angeles, United States – Swimming" Archived August 27, 2008, at the Wayback Machine – databaseOlympics.com (Retrieved on September 10, 2008)
  4. ↑ "Cynthia Woodhead Brennan | Riverside Sport Hall of Fame". December 21, 2010. Retrieved February 28, 2024.
Records
Preceded by Women's 200-meter freestyle
world record-holder (long course)
August 22, 1978 – May 24, 1984		Succeeded by
Preceded by Women's 50-meter freestyle
world record-holder (long course)
April 10, 1980 – April 10, 1980		Succeeded by
Awards
Preceded by World Swimmer of the Year
1979		Succeeded by
Preceded by
Tracy Caulkins
 USOC Sportswoman of the Year
1979		Succeeded by
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.