| Mike Swain | |
|---|---|
Mike Swain Coaches at a national event. |
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| Born | Michael Lee Swain December 21, 1960 Elizabeth, New Jersey |
| Residence | Campbell, California |
| Nationality | |
| Height | 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m) |
| Weight | 156 lb (71 kg; 11.1 st) |
| Style | Judo |
| Rank | 5th degree black belt (Godan) in Judo |
| Website | http://mikeswain.com/ |
| Medal record | ||
|---|---|---|
| Competitor for United States | ||
| Men's Judo | ||
| World Championships | ||
| Gold | 1987 Essen | Lightweight |
| Olympic Games | ||
| Bronze | 1988 Seoul | Lightweight |
| Pan American Games | ||
| Bronze | 1983 Caracas | Lightweight |
| Gold | 1987 Indianapolis | Lightweight |
Michael ("Mike") Lee Swain (born December 21, 1960 in Elizabeth, New Jersey) is one of the most successful American judokas. He competed in three consecutive Summer Olympics, starting in 1984.
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Swain became the first American male to win the Judo World Championships when he took the gold medal in 1987. He competed in four Olympics, winning a bronze medal in 1988, and a number of World Championships.
In addition to these well-known competitions, he participated in a number of tournaments that are less-known outside of the judo world, but very prestigious within it, such as the Kano Cup in 1986. Just in major international competitions, his record includes six gold medals, eleven silver medals, and nine bronze medals. As a competitor, Swain was known for his elegant classic Japanese style, having travelled to Japan as a young man to study. Later in his career, he coached the US men's team in the 1996 Olympics.
He is an alumnus of the San José State University judo program, training under Yosh Uchida. He is currently a coach for the Spartans, and handles much of the head coaching duties for the semi-retired Uchida. In 2005, Swain and the SJSU Judo Executive Committee established The Swain Scholarship, the first judo athletic scholarship at a major American university.
Swain is the owner of Swain Sports in Campbell, California.
Swain is married to Chie Swain, who represented Brazil in the 1992 Olympics at 61 kg.