Several swimmers are candidates for the US Olympic Hall of Fame this year. Fans are part of the process and can vote here: halloffamevoting.teamusa.org/
Team swimmer nominees:
1976 Women's Swimming 4x100m Relay Team
Career Highlights:
The U.S. women’s 4x100m freestyle relay claimed the lone gold medal for the American women at the 1976 Olympic Games. Led by the all-star quartet of Sterkel, Peyton, Boglioli and Babashoff, the American women destroyed the then-world-record of 3:48.80 by almost four seconds, to claim Olympic gold. The U.S. Team finished .68 seconds ahead of the reigning world-record-holding East Germany, who entered the race having won every gold medal but one in those Games.
Team Roster:
Shirley Babashoff
Wendy Bogliolo
Kim Peyton
Jill Sterkel
Jennifer Hooker
Individual swimmer nominees:
Gary Hall Jr.
Career Highlights:
2004 Olympic gold medalist
2000 two-time Olympic gold medalist
2000 set World Record in 50-meter freestyle
2000 Olympic silver medalist
1996 two-time Olympic gold medalist
1996 two-time Olympic silver medalist
Jenny Thompson
Career Highlights:
1992 and 2004 three-time Olympic silver medalist
1991, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2003 and 2004 18-time World champion
1999-2002 broke four World Records
1992, 1996 and 2000 eight-time Olympic gold medalist
2000 Olympic bronze medalist
1993 and 1998 USA Swimming Swimmer of the Year awardee
I have to comment about this. First, I do not believe that Gary Hall Jr. ever set a World Record in an individual event in 2000. In fact I remember reading something about the 2005 Long Course Nationals that he swam in and he set his first FINA World Record as a Masters Swimmer in the 50 fly and he was very happy about that because up until that time he had not set an individual event World Record and didn't end up setting one until he swam his last race in 2008.
He came close but was late by about 2.5 months because the :21.76 would have broken Tom Jager's WR of :21.81 but Alexander Popov went :21.64 on June 1, 2000 but he got credit for the American Record and I believe that is the only American Record he ever had because his best 100 Free time was :48.73 from 2000 and that was short of Matt Biondi' mark of :48.42
Jenny Thompson actually broke 11 World Records in her career in individual events so this is kind of short changing her as regards to that. The two that everyone remembers are the 100 Free LCM that was set at the Olympic Trials in 1992 at :54.48 and lasted 2.5 years and the 100 Fly LCM when she took down the 18 year record of Mary T of :57.93 at :57.88 in 1999. She set 9 World Records in SCM in World Cup competition with 3 in the 50 Fly, 4 in the 100 Fly, and two in the 100 IM.
These statements do not take away from the fact that both of these swimmers are very deserving to be in the US Olympic Hall of Fame.
I have to comment about this. First, I do not believe that Gary Hall Jr. ever set a World Record in an individual event in 2000. In fact I remember reading something about the 2005 Long Course Nationals that he swam in and he set his first FINA World Record as a Masters Swimmer in the 50 fly and he was very happy about that because up until that time he had not set an individual event World Record and didn't end up setting one until he swam his last race in 2008.
He came close but was late by about 2.5 months because the :21.76 would have broken Tom Jager's WR of :21.81 but Alexander Popov went :21.64 on June 1, 2000 but he got credit for the American Record and I believe that is the only American Record he ever had because his best 100 Free time was :48.73 from 2000 and that was short of Matt Biondi' mark of :48.42
Jenny Thompson actually broke 11 World Records in her career in individual events so this is kind of short changing her as regards to that. The two that everyone remembers are the 100 Free LCM that was set at the Olympic Trials in 1992 at :54.48 and lasted 2.5 years and the 100 Fly LCM when she took down the 18 year record of Mary T of :57.93 at :57.88 in 1999. She set 9 World Records in SCM in World Cup competition with 3 in the 50 Fly, 4 in the 100 Fly, and two in the 100 IM.
These statements do not take away from the fact that both of these swimmers are very deserving to be in the US Olympic Hall of Fame.
