Keena Rothhammer

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

Keena Rothhammer
Personal information
Full nameKeena Ruth Rothhammer
National teamUnited States
Born (1957-02-26) February 26, 1957
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

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. 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.
  3. Keena Rothhammer. Sports-Reference.com
  4. International Swimming Hall of Fame, Honorees, Keena Rothhammer (USA). Retrieved October 19, 2012.
Records
Preceded by
Shane Gould		 Women's 400-meter freestyle
world record-holder (long course)
August 22, 1973 – June 28, 1974		 Succeeded by
Heather Greenwood
Preceded by
Jo Harshbarger		 Women's 800-meter freestyle
world record-holder (long course)
September 3, 1972 – September 9, 1973		 Succeeded by
Novella Calligaris
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