Keena Rothhammer

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Keena Rothhammer
Keena Rothhammer.jpg
Personal information
Full nameKeena Ruth Rothhammer
National teamUnited States
Born (1957-02-26) February 26, 1957 (age 64)
Little Rock, Arkansas
Height5 ft 9 in (1.75 m)
Weight146 lb (66 kg)
Sport
SportSwimming
StrokesFreestyle
ClubSanta Clara Swim Club
Rothhammer (right) at 1972 Olympics

Keena Ruth Rothhammer (born February 26, 1957) is an American former competition swimmer, Olympic champion, and former world record-holder in two events.

Rothhammer was born in Little Rock, Arkansas, and is Jewish.[1]

Swimming career[]

As a teenager, she grew up in Santa Clara, California[2] and trained with the Santa Clara Swim Club in Santa Clara under the coach George Haines, who was noted for leading U.S. Olympic swimmers during the 1960s and 1970s.

As a 15-year-old, Rothhammer represented the United States at the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich, Germany. She won the gold medal in the women's 800-meter freestyle and set a new world record in the event twice, on successive days.[1] She also won the bronze medal in the women's 200-meter freestyle at the 1972 Olympics. At the 1973 World Aquatics Championships, she won the 200-meter freestyle and finished second in the 400-meter freestyle.[3] The same year, she was named North American Athlete of the Year.[1]

She was inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame as an "Honor Swimmer" in 1991.[4]

See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ a b c Taylor, Paul (2004). Jews and the Olympic Games: The Clash Between Sport and Politics : with a Complete Review of Jewish Olympic Medallists. Sussex Academic Press. ISBN 9781903900871.
  2. ^ "Shane Gould Sets Medley Mark". The New York Times. 6 April 1973.
  3. ^ Keena Rothhammer. Sports-Reference.com
  4. ^ International Swimming Hall of Fame, Honorees, Keena Rothhammer (USA). Retrieved October 19, 2012.

External links[]

Records
Preceded by Women's 400-meter freestyle
world record-holder (long course)

August 22, 1973 – June 28, 1974
Succeeded by
Preceded by Women's 800-meter freestyle
world record-holder (long course)

September 3, 1972 – September 9, 1973
Succeeded by
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