Tracy Caulkins

Tracy Caulkins
Personal information
Full name Tracy Anne Caulkins Stockwell
Nationality  United States
Born January 11, 1963 (1963-01-11) (age 49)
Winona, Minnesota
Height 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m)
Weight 132 lb (60 kg)
Sport
Sport Swimming
Stroke(s) Backstroke, breaststroke, butterfly, freestyle, individual medley
Club Nashville Aquatic Club
College team University of Florida

Tracy Anne Caulkins Stockwell, OAM, (born January 11, 1963) is a former American college and international swimmer, a three-time Olympic gold medalist and a former world record-holder.

Caulkins was noted for her versatility and ability in all four major competitive swimming strokes: the butterfly, breaststroke, backstroke and freestyle. Caulkins won forty-eight national championships and set American records in all four strokes over a range of distances as well as in the individual medley (IM) events, which combine all four strokes over the course of a single race. Her versatility brought Caulkins many titles and awards, and as a result she is considered one of the greatest swimmers of all time. By the time she retired from competitive swimming in 1984, Caulkins had set five world records and sixty-three American records (more than any other American swimmer, male or female).[1]

Contents

Early years

Caulkins was born in Winona, Minnesota in 1963.[2] She swam for the Westside Victory Swim club and later the Nashville Aquatic Club (NAC) in Nashville, Tennessee, where she was trained by future University of Texas and U.S. Olympic coach Paul Bergen.[3] For her high school education, she attended the all-girls Harpeth Hall School in Nashville.[4]

Olympic desire

As a 9-year-old, Caulkins had been training as a swimmer for a little over a year when she watched the 1972 Munich Olympics on television, and decided that she wanted to swim in the Olympics and win a gold medal.[5] In a 1997 interview, Caulkins credited her Olympic dream as her inspiration and motivation.[5]

Thirteen-year-old Caulkins competed in her first U.S. national swimming championships in 1976. A year later, she returned to the 1977 U.S. Short-Course Championships to set U.S. records in the 200-yard and 400-yard individual medley events.[6] She set a third U.S. record while finishing second behind Canadian swimmer Robin Corsiglia in the 100-yard breaststroke.[6]

At the age of 15, Caulkins won five gold medals and a silver medal at the 1978 World Championships in West Berlin, West Germany.[7] She won the 200-meter individual medley, the 400-meter individual medley, and the 200-meter butterfly, and was a member of the winning U.S. teams in the 4x100-meter medley relay, and the 4x100-meter freestyle relay.[7] In the process, she set four world records and one American record.[7] Largely as a result of her performance in Berlin, Caulkins won the 1978 James E. Sullivan Award, given by the Amateur Athletic Union in recognition of the most outstanding American amateur athlete of the year.[8] At 15 years old, she was the youngest-ever recipient of the Sullivan Award.[8]

She followed her World Championship success with a series of dominating finishes in U.S. competition. At the 1979 U.S. Short-Course Championships in East Los Angeles, California, she set five U.S. records in the 100-yard breaststroke, 500-yard freestyle, the 400-yard individual medley, the 200-yard individual medley, and the 100-yard freestyle on the first leg of the 4x100-yard relay.[9] She also helped her club team, Nashville Aquatic, win the 400-yard medley relay and place second in the 800-yard freestyle relay.[9] Despite setting the new records, however, she was not at her physical best; she was suffering from the after-effects of a viral infection.[9] Three months later, she won four gold medals and two silvers at the 1979 Pan American Games in San Juan, Puerto Rico.[10]

Following her gold-medal performance at the 1978 World Championship, Caulkins was expected to win multiple medals at the 1980 Summer Olympics in Moscow, Russia.[4][11] However, the United States Olympic team boycotted the 1980 Games at the behest of U.S. President Jimmy Carter, following the Soviet Union's 1979 invasion of Afghanistan. Caulkins' dream of Olympic gold was deferred by war and politics, so she quietly looked ahead to 1984.[4][12]

As an 18-year-old high school senior, she set four American short-course records at the 1981 U.S. Short-Course Championships in Cambridge, Massachusetts.[13] In each of the four events, she bettered her own previously-set American record: the 100-yard breaststroke, 200-yard backstroke, the 200-yard individual medley, and the 400-yard individual medley.[13]

“ She's the greatest swimmer that has ever been so far, men or women. ”

— Randy Reese, University of Florida and U.S. Olympic
Games swim coach, on Tracy Caulkins, [14]

Over the next three years, Caulkins maintained her training regimen while attending the University of Florida in Gainesville, Florida, where she swam for coach Randy Reese's Florida Gators swimming and diving team in National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) competition from 1982 to 1984.[15] With Caulkins leading the way as a freshman, the Gators won the NCAA team championship in 1982; the Gators finished second in 1983 and third in 1984.[15] Individually, in three years as a Gator swimmer, she won sixteen NCAA championships and twelve Southeastern Conference (SEC) individual titles, and received twenty-one All-American honors.[15] She was the SEC's Female Swimmer of the Year in 1983 and 1984, and was recognized as the SEC's Female Athlete of the Year in 1984.[15]

At the 1982 U.S. Short-Course Championships in Gainesville, the 19-year-old again won national championships in the 200-yard backstroke, 400-yard individual medley, the 200-yard individual medley, and the 100-yard breaststroke.[16] With thirty-nine national championships to date, Caulkins surpassed the legendary Johnny Weissmuller's record total of thirty-six.[16]

Even as she continued to win against fellow Americans in 1982 and 1983, however, she was slumping and falling behind her international competition.[14] She set no new international records, and was increasingly frustrated with her own performances.[14][17] At the 1982 World Championships in Guayaquil, Ecuador, she finished a distant third in both the 200-meter and 400-meter individual medley events against her East German competition, and failed to place in the third event in which she was entered.[14] At the 1983 U.S. Long-Course Championships in Fresno, California, she finished five seconds slower than her own American record in the 400-meter individual medley and finished second behind Mary T. Meagher in the 200-meter butterfly.[17] At the 1983 Pan American Games in Caracas, Venezuela, held later the same month, she likewise won her two signature events in the 200-meter and 400-meter individual medley, but did not approach her own personal bests.[14]

Afterward, Caulkins rededicated herself to coach Randy Reese's rigorous training methods. In an international duel meet held in Austin, Texas in January 1984, she defeated her East German rivals in both individual medley events.[14] At the NCAA championships later that spring, she won four titles in the 200-yard and 400-yard individual medleys, 100-yard breaststroke, and 200-yard butterfly, and was a member of the Gators' winning relay teams in the 4x100-yard and 4x200-yard freestyle events.[15] She set new NCAA records in three events, and a new American record in the 200-yard individual medley.[15]

At the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, California, Caulkins served as the captain if the U.S. women's swim team,[18] and finally realized her childhood dream of winning an Olympic gold medal. On July 29, she won her first gold medal in the 400-meter individual medley, beating Australian Suzie Landells by over nine seconds. On August 3, she won he second in the 200-meter individual medley with an Olympic record time of 2:12.64, besting fellow American Nancy Hogshead by over two and a half seconds. And later that same day, she won her third gold medal by swimming the breaststroke leg as a member of the winning U.S. team in the 400-meter medley relay, together with teammates Theresa Andrews (backstroke), Mary Meagher (butterfly), and Nancy Hogshead (freestyle).[19][20] She also finished fourth in the 100-meter breaststroke, one second behind winner Petra van Staveren.

Caulkins ended her competition swimming career having set five world records and over sixty American records, and having won sixty-three national championship titles.[18]

Life after competition swimming

After the 1984 Olympic Games, the 21-year-old Caulkins decided to forego her senior year of NCAA eligibility at the University of Florida to focus on completing her degree requirements, and retired from competition swimming. She graduated from Florida with her bachelor's degree in broadcasting in 1985, and was inducted into the University of Florida Athletic Hall of Fame as a "Gator Great."[21] Caulkins was inducted into the Florida Sports Hall of Fame in 1983,[22] the International Swimming Hall of Fame in 1990,[1] and the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame in 1996.[23]

She married Mark Stockwell, an Olympic gold medal swimmer from Australia and a fellow University of Florida alumnus, and has lived in Australia since shortly after graduating from the University of Florida. They live in Queensland, Australia with their four children, twins Maddison and William born in 1995, Emily born in 1999, and Annie born in 2003. Caulkins remains involved with a series of physiotherapy clinics in Tennessee that bear her name.

On June 9, 2008, Caulkins (under her married name, Tracy Anne Stockwell) was recognized for "For service to sport as an administrator and proponent of sporting opportunities for women" with the Australian award of the Medal of the Order of Australia.[24]

The gold medals won by Caulkins are represented in stone on the walk of Tennessee history, which is located at the Bicentennial Mall State Park in Nashville, and the Olympic pool at Nashville's Centennial Sportsplex is named after her.

See also

Biography portal
Olympics portal
Swimming portal

References

  1. ^ a b International Swimming Hall of Fame, Honorees, Tracy Caulkins (USA). Retrieved April 12, 2010.
  2. ^ Sports-Reference.com, Olympic Sports, Tracy Caulkins. Retrieved July 12, 2010.
  3. ^ Phil Whitten, "Straight Talk: A Chat with Coach Paul Bergen," Swimming Technique (July–September 2004). Retrieved April 17, 2010.
  4. ^ a b c E. M. Swift, "Tracy Caulkins: I Could Be Over The Hill In 1984'," Sports Illustrated (July 21, 1980). Retrieved July 25, 2011.
  5. ^ a b Julian M. Pleasants, Gator Tales: An Oral History of the University of Florida, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, p. 276 (2006).
  6. ^ a b Jerry Kirshenbaum, "They're Bracing for Berlin," Sports Illustrated (August 29, 1977). Retrieved July 26, 2011.
  7. ^ a b c Jerry Kirshenbaum, "Uncle Sam's Girls Play It Again," Sports Illustrated (September 4, 1978). Retrieved July 25, 2011.
  8. ^ a b AAU Sullivan Memorial Award, Past Winners, Tracy Caulkins. Retrieved July 25, 2011.
  9. ^ a b c Joe Jares, "Caulkins Gave 'em Five," Sports Illustrated (April 23, 1979). Retrieved July 24, 2011.
  10. ^ Joe Marshall, "Feeling Right at Home in San Juan," Sports Illustrated (July 16, 1979). Retrieved July 26, 2011.
  11. ^ For a comparison of Caulkins' qualifying times at the 1980 U.S. Olympic Trials and the winning times from the 1980 Olympic finals, see Joe Marshall, "All That Glitter Was Not Gold," Sports Illustrated (August 16, 1980). Retrieved July 26, 2011.
  12. ^ Glenn Miller, "Beyond the pool length with Tracy Caulkins," The Evening Independent, p. 1C (December 8, 1981). Retrieved July 25, 2011.
  13. ^ a b Demmie Stathoplos, "She Pooled Her Talents," Sports Illustrated (April 20, 1981). Retrieved July 25, 2011.
  14. ^ a b c d e f Steve Goldstein, "Legend reborn: Caulkins' NCAA performance gives East Germans message," Boca Raton News, p. 4C (March 22, 1984). Retrieved July 26, 2011.
  15. ^ a b c d e f UF Swimming & Diving 2009–2010 Media Guide, Gator History & Records, University Athletic Association, Gainesville, Florida, pp. 88–89, 90, 93, 97–98, 103–105, 115 (2009). Retrieved June 4, 2011.
  16. ^ a b Craig Neff, "Some Old and Some New," Sports Illustrated (April 19, 1982). Retrieved July 26, 2011.
  17. ^ a b Demmie Stathoplos, "A Pool Party With Records," Sports Illustrated (August 15, 1983). Retrieved July 27, 2011.
  18. ^ a b Maragaret D. Binnicker, "Tracy Caulkins Stockwell," Tennessee Encyclopedia of History and Culture, Tennessee Historical Society, Nashville, Tennessee (2011).
  19. ^ Craig Neff, "Four Finals, Two Records and Five Gold Medals," Sports Illustrated (August 6, 1984). Retrieved July 25, 2011.
  20. ^ databaseOlympics.com, Athletes, Tracy Caulkins. Retrieved July 12, 2010.
  21. ^ F Club, Hall of Fame, Gator Greats. Retrieved July 21, 2011.
  22. ^ Florida Sports Hall of Fame, Inductees, Tracy Caulkins (1988). Retrieved July 21, 2011.
  23. ^ Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame, Inductees. Retrieved July 25, 2011.
  24. ^ Australian Government, Honours, Tracy Anne Stockwell. Retrieved April 12, 2010.

Bibliography

Records
Preceded by
Ulrike Tauber		 Women's 200 metre individual medley
world record holder (long course)
August 2, 1978 – May 24, 1980		 Succeeded by
Petra Schneider
Preceded by
Ulrike Tauber		 Women's 400 metre individual medley
world record holder (long course)
August 23, 1978 – March 30, 1980		 Succeeded by
Petra Schneider
Awards
Preceded by
Rosemarie Ackermann		 United Press International
Athlete of the Year
1978		 Succeeded by
Marita Koch
Preceded by
Incumbent		 Swimming World
American Swimmer of the Year
1980–1982		 Succeeded by
Tiffany Cohen
Preceded by
Tiffany Cohen		 Swimming World
American Swimmer of the Year
1984		 Succeeded by
Mary T. Meagher
Preceded by
John E. Frank
Beth Heiden
Terrell L. Hoage
Stefan G. Humphries
Steve Young		 NCAA Top Five Award
Class of 1985
Gregg Carr
Tracy Caulkins
Doug Flutie
Mark J. Traynowicz
Susan E. Walsh		 Succeeded by
Todays Top VI Award
James A. Dombrowski
Edward D. Eyestone
Timothy J. Green
Susan K. Harbour
Kathryn L. Hayes
Lauri A. Young
Men's Team

Steve Barnicoat • Bill Barrett • Craig Beardsley • Mike Bottom • Mike Bruner • Rick Carey • Chris Cavanaugh • Jeff Float • Billy Forrester • Rowdy Gaines • Brian Goodell • Matt Gribble • John Hencken • Bob Jackson • Kris Kirchner • David Larson • Steve Lundquist • Glenn Mills • John Moffet • Ron Neugent • William Paulus • Peter Rocca • Brian Roney • John Simons • Dave Sims • Dave Thornton • Jesse Vassallo
Women's Team

Terri Baxter • Lisa Buese • Linda Burton • Kim Carlisle • Tracy Caulkins • Stephanie Elkins • Nancy Hogshead • Linda Jezek • Libby Kinkead • Karin LaBerge • Kim Linehan • Marybeth Linzmeier • Mary T. Meagher • Joan Pennington • Susan Rapp • Jill Sterkel • Susie Thayer • Sue Walsh • Sippy Woodhead
Coaches

Paul Bergen • Don Gambril • George Haines • Denny Pursley • Randy Reese • Mark Schubert
Men's Team

Matt Biondi • Rick Carey • Chris Cavanaugh • George DiCarlo • Jeff Float • Geoffrey Gaberino • Rowdy Gaines • Matt Gribble • Bruce Hayes • Mike Heath • Tom Jager • Patrick Kennedy • Jeff Kostoff • David Larson • Robin Leamy • Steve Lundquist • John Moffet • Pablo Morales • John Mykkanen • Mike O'Brien • Rich Saeger • Rich Schroeder • Jesse Vassallo • Dave Wilson
Women's Team

Theresa Andrews • Tracy Caulkins • Tiffany Cohen • Sue Heon • Nancy Hogshead • Jenna Johnson • Kim Linehan • Mary T. Meagher • Betsy Mitchell • Susan Rapp • Kim Rhodenbaugh • Michele Richardson • Carrie Steinseifer • Jill Sterkel • Dara Torres • Tori Trees • Mary Wayte • Amy White • Sippy Woodhead
Coaches

Ron Ballatore • Ray Bussard • Don Gambril • George Haines • Charlie Hodgson • Doug Ingram • Frank Keefe • Skip Kenney • Richard Quick • Randy Reese • Mark Schubert