John Naber

Last updated

John Naber
John Naber 2016.jpg
Naber in 2016
Personal information
Full nameJohn Phillips Naber
National teamUnited States
Born (1956-01-20) January 20, 1956 (age 68)
Evanston, Illinois, U.S. [1]
Height6 ft 6 in (1.98 m)
Weight194 lb (88 kg)
Website johnnaber.com
Sport
Sport Swimming
Strokes Backstroke, freestyle
ClubLadera Oaks Swim Club
College team USC
Coach Peter Daland (USC)
Medal record
Representing the Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States
Olympic Games
Olympic rings.svg
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 1976 Montreal 100 m backstroke
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 1976 Montreal 200 m backstroke
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 1976 Montreal 4×200 m freestyle
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 1976 Montreal 4×100 m medley
Silver medal icon (S initial).svg 1976 Montreal 200 m freestyle
World Championships (LC)
Bronze medal icon (B initial).svg 1973 Belgrade 200 m backstroke

John Phillips Naber (born January 20, 1956) is an American former competitive swimmer, five-time Olympic medalist and former world record-holder in multiple events.

Contents

Born in Evanston, Illinois, Naber studied in England and Italy where his father worked as a management consultant. [1] He graduated from Woodside High School in Northern California, [2] [3] then completed his bachelor's degree in psychology in 1977 at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles. While at USC, he led the Trojans to four consecutive NCAA titles (1974–1977).

1976 Olympics

Naber in 1976 John Naber 1976c.jpg
Naber in 1976

At age twenty, Naber won four gold medals at the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal, Quebec. [4] Each of these victories was swum in world-record time; he swept the two backstroke events and was a member of two winning relay teams. [4] He also won a silver medal in the 200-meter freestyle, part of a U.S. sweep for that event. [5]

One of Naber's gold medals was for the first 200-meter backstroke completed in under two minutes; [6] his world record time of 1:59.19 stood for seven years. His world record of 55.49 seconds in the 100-meter backstroke also stood for seven years. [7]

For these accomplishments in Montreal and elsewhere, Naber won the 1977 James E. Sullivan Award, which is presented to the top American amateur athlete of the year. He was inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame as an "Honor Swimmer" in 1982. [8]

After swimming

Naber joined The Walt Disney Company in 1977 as a marketing representative, then became a full-time "roving ambassador" for the swimwear maker Speedo. [9] He later was a sports broadcaster, motivational speaker, and professional writer. [6] He was a member of the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics Organizing Committee. [8]

In May 2014, Naber was inducted into Woodside High School's Community Hall of Fame. [2]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Michael Gross (swimmer)</span> German swimmer

Michael Groß, usually spelled Michael Gross in English, is a former competitive swimmer from Germany. He is 201 centimetres tall, and received the nickname "The Albatross" for his especially long arms that gave him a total span of 2.13 meters. Gross, competing for West Germany, won three Olympic gold medals, two in 1984 and one in 1988 in the freestyle and butterfly events, in addition to two World Championship titles in 1982, two in 1986 and one in 1991.

<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. 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">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.

Neil Scott Walker is an American former competition swimmer, four-time Olympic medalist, and former world record-holder in multiple events.

Richard John Carey is an American former competition swimmer, three-time Olympic champion, and former world record-holder in three events. Carey specialized in the backstroke. At the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, he won three gold medals. He broke nine world records, five individually, and also was a double world champion. He was named as the Swimmer of the Year in 1983 by Swimming World magazine.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John Hencken</span> American swimmer (born 1954)

John Frederick Hencken is an American former competition swimmer for Stanford University, three-time Olympic champion, and former world record-holder primarily in the 100 and 200 meter breaststroke events. Hencken won five Olympic medals during his career in the 1972 Munich, and 1976 Montreal Olympics, including three golds.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Melissa Belote</span> American swimmer (born 1956)

Melissa Louise Belote, also known by her current married name Melissa Belote Ripley, is an American former competition swimmer, three-time Olympic champion, and former world record-holder in two events. She represented the United States at the 1972 and 1976 Olympics.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Roland Matthes</span> German swimmer (1950–2019)

Roland Matthes was a German swimmer and the most successful backstroke swimmer of all time. Between April 1967 and August 1974 he won all backstroke competitions he entered. He won four European championships and three world championships in a row, and swam 19 world and 28 European records in various backstroke, butterfly and medley events. He was trained by Marlies Grohe.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bruce Furniss</span> American swimmer (born 1957)

Bruce MacFarlane Furniss is a former American amateur competition swimmer, Olympic double gold medalist, and ten-time world record-holder in four events. At the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal, Quebec, he won the Men's 200-meter Freestyle and was a member of the winning U.S. team in the Men's 4×200-meter Freestyle Relay, both in world record time. Furniss broke ten world and nineteen American records, and won eleven Amateur Athletic Union and six NCAA titles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Perry McGillivray</span> American swimmer

Perry McGillivray was an American competition swimmer and water polo player who represented the United States at the 1912 Summer Olympics and 1920 Summer Olympics.

<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">George Kojac</span> American swimmer (1910–1996)

George Harold Kojac was an American competition swimmer, two-time Olympic champion, and former world record-holder in two events.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Doug Russell (swimmer)</span> American swimmer (born 1946)

Douglas Albert Russell is an American former competitive swimmer, Olympic champion, and former world record-holder in three different events.

<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.

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">Cathy Carr (swimmer)</span> American Olympian swimmer

Catherine L. Carr, also known by her married name Cathy West, is an American former competition swimmer, Olympic champion, and former world record-holder in two events.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mike Bruner</span> American swimmer (born 1956)

Michael Lee Bruner is an American former competition swimmer, 1976 Montreal two-time Olympic champion, and former world record-holder in two events.

Peter Drake Rocca is an American former competition swimmer, Olympic medalist, and former world record-holder.

References

  1. 1 2 Evans, Hilary; Gjerde, Arild; Heijmans, Jeroen; Mallon, Bill; et al. "John Naber". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on December 29, 2008.
  2. 1 2 "Community Hall of Fame". Woodside High School. John Naber, Inducted 2014. Retrieved August 17, 2017. John Naber graduated as a scholar athlete from Woodside High School in 1973.
  3. ↑ Chapin, Dwight (August 12, 2001). "WHERE ARE THEY NOW? / John Naber / The spirit of '76 / Swimmer won five medals at Montreal Games". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved June 16, 2018.
  4. 1 2 "Naber makes it four golds; U.S. string ends". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). Associated Press. July 25, 1976. p. 1B.
  5. ↑ "World marks still falling for U.S. men". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). Associated Press. July 20, 1976. p. 5C.
  6. 1 2 Cousineau, Phil (2003). The Olympic Odyssey: Rekindling the True Spirit of the Great Games . Quest Books. p.  161. ISBN   0835608336.
  7. ↑ "Britannica Library" . eb.com.
  8. 1 2 "John Naber (USA) – Honor Swimmer profile at International Swimming Hall of Fame". Archived from the original on April 11, 2015. Retrieved April 11, 2015.
  9. ↑ Draper, Dick (November 22, 1977). "Swim Suit Salesman: Naber Succumbs – He's a Pro" (Clipping). The Times . San Mateo, California. p. 17. Retrieved August 17, 2017– via Newspapers.com.


Records
Preceded by Men's 100-meter backstroke
world record-holder (long course)
July 18, 1976 – August 6, 1983		Succeeded by
Preceded by
Roland Matthes
 Men's 200-meter backstroke
world record-holder (long course)
June 19, 1976 – August 3, 1983		Succeeded by
Rick Carey
Awards
Preceded by Swimming World
World Swimmer of the Year
1976		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.