Douglas Russell

Douglas Russell
Personal information
Full name Douglas Albert Russell
Nickname(s) "Doug"
Nationality  United States
Born February 20, 1946 (1946-02-20) (age 66)
Midland, Texas
Height 1.73 m (5 ft 8 in)
Weight 68 kilograms (150 lb)
Sport
Sport Swimming
Stroke(s) Butterfly, Medley and Backstroke
Club Dick Smith Swim Gym
College team University of Texas at Arlington

Douglas Albert Russell (born February 20, 1946) is an Olympic Champion butterfly swimmer from the United States, who won the first ever gold medal in the men's 100m butterfly - an event which made its debut at the 1968 Summer Olympics (in an upset over Mark Spitz). He also won gold in the 4x100m medley relay.

Early Swimming

Born in Midland, Texas - Russell attended the University of Texas at Arlington (UTA), where he swam in intercollege competition.

He began swimming in high school for Midland, swimming in the new 50m "Alamo" pool built by the city in 1962. It was later renamed in his honor to the "Douglas Russell Swimming Pool"[1] He was an all round swimmer in high school and later at Arlington - swimming competitively in butterfly, backstroke, and individual medley events. Other school swimmers of the era remember him as a tough competitor who was hard to beat but who brought out the best in swimmers around him.[2]

At UTA, Russell swam under coach Don Easterling in the Burford Swim team.[3] Other notable members who joined the team were 1972 Olympic Champion Jerry Heidenreich who came to swim specifically with Russell on the team.[4]

Doug Russell Park, on the southern border of the UTA campus, is named in his honor.

Today

Russell lives in the Austin, Texas area. He is an assistant age group swimming coach for Nitro Swimming.[5]

References

  1. ^ Midland City Dept of Parks Swimming Pools Accessed 07-22-2008
  2. ^ T Paton About the Author Accessed 07-22-2008
  3. ^ International Swimming Hall of Fame 1985 Inductees Accessed 07-22-2008
  4. ^ US Master Swimming April 30, 2002 Jerry Heidenreich Accessed 07-22-2008
  5. ^ [1]