| Olympic medal record | ||
|---|---|---|
| Men's swimming | ||
| Competitor for the United States | ||
| Silver | 1936 Berlin | 100 m backstroke |
Albert "Al" Vande Weghe (July 28, 1916 – August 13, 2002) was an American backstroke swimmer who competed in the 1936 Summer Olympics.
He was born in New York City and died in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
In the 1936 Olympics he won a silver medal in the 100 m backstroke event. When he was a senior in high school, Vande Weghe won the silver in Berlin to Adolph Kiefer’s gold and, like Kiefer, never achieved his potential in swimming after he went on to serve in World War II. Like Phelps, who perfected the dolphin kick at the turn, he gained advantage in the turn by inventing the flip turn. Kiefer never went to college, and Vande Weghe swam four years without ever losing a meet and won the NCAA’s. Vande Weghe swam for Princeton University where he majored in Chemical Engineering, graduating in 1940. He is a member of Swimming Hall of Fame.