John Naber
 Naber in 2016 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Full name | John Phillips Naber | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| National team | United States | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | January 20, 1956 Evanston, Illinois, U.S.[1] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 194 lb (88 kg) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Website | johnnaber | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sport | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sport | Swimming | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Strokes | Backstroke, freestyle | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Club | Ladera Oaks Swim Club | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| College team | Southern California | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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John Phillips Naber (born January 20, 1956) is an American former competition swimmer, five-time Olympic medalist, and former world record-holder in multiple events.
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] and 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[]
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 in 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[]
- List of multiple Olympic gold medalists
- List of multiple Olympic gold medalists at a single Games
- List of Olympic medalists in swimming (men)
- List of University of Southern California people
- List of World Aquatics Championships medalists in swimming (men)
- World record progression 100 metres backstroke
- World record progression 200 metres backstroke
- World record progression 4 × 100 metres medley relay
- World record progression 4 × 200 metres freestyle relay
References[]
- ^ Jump up to: a b 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.
- ^ Jump up to: a b "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.
- ^ 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.
- ^ Jump up to: a b "Naber makes it four golds; U.S. string ends". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). Associated Press. July 25, 1976. p. 1B.
- ^ "World marks still falling for U.S. men". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). Associated Press. July 20, 1976. p. 5C.
- ^ Jump up to: a b Cousineau, Phil (2003). The Olympic Odyssey: Rekindling the True Spirit of the Great Games. Quest Books. p. 161. ISBN 0835608336.
- ^ "Britannica Library". eb.com.
- ^ Jump up to: a b John Naber (USA) – Honor Swimmer profile at International Swimming Hall of Fame
- ^ 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.
External links[]
Media related to John Naber at Wikimedia Commons- Official website
- John Naber at the International Olympic Committee
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| show Olympic champions in men's 4 × 100 m medley relay |
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- 1956 births
- Living people
- American male backstroke swimmers
- American male freestyle swimmers
- World record setters in swimming
- James E. Sullivan Award recipients
- Medalists at the 1976 Summer Olympics
- Olympic gold medalists for the United States in swimming
- Olympic silver medalists for the United States in swimming
- Sportspeople from Evanston, Illinois
- Swimmers at the 1976 Summer Olympics
- Swimming commentators
- USC Trojans men's swimmers
- World Aquatics Championships medalists in swimming