Susie Atwood

Susie Atwood

Personal information
Full name	Susanne Jean Atwood
Nickname(s)	"Susie"
National team	United States
Born	(1953-06-05) June 5, 1953 Long Beach, California
Height	5 ft 7 in (1.70 m)
Weight	146 lb (66 kg)
Sport
Sport	Swimming
Strokes	Backstroke, individual medley
Club	Lakewood Aquatic Club
Medal record Women's swimming Competitor for the United States Olympic Games Silver 1972 Munich 200 m backstroke Bronze 1972 Munich 100 m backstroke Pan American Games Silver 1971 Cali 100 m backstroke Silver 1971 Cali 200 m backstroke Silver 1971 Cali 200 m medley Silver 1971 Cali 4x100 m medley Bronze 1971 Cali 400 m medley Universiade Gold 1973 Moscow 200 m medley

Susanne Jean Atwood (born June 5, 1953) is an American former competition swimmer, two-time Olympic medalist, and former world record-holder in two events.

Atwood represented the United States as a 15-year-old at the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico City.^[1] She competed in the preliminary heats of the women's 200-meter backstroke, recording a time of 2:35.2, but did not advance.^[1]

She garnered significant success three years later at the 1971 Pan American Games in Cali, Colombia, where she received three medals.^[2] She received silver medals in the 100-meter and 200-meter backstroke events, and a bronze in the 400-meter individual medley.^[2]

Before the 1972 Olympics, she held the world record in the 200-meter backstroke (2:21.5),^[3] though her record would be broken in Munich.

Atwood won two medals at the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich, Germany.^[4] She received the silver medal for her second-place performance (2:20.38) in the women's 200-meter backstroke, finishing behind American Melissa Belote, who set a new world record time in the event (2:19.19).^[1] She also received a bronze medal for her third-place finish in the women's 100-metyer backstroke, coming behind Belote and Hungarian Andrea Gyarmati.^[1]

Atwood was inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame as an "Honor Swimmer" in 1992.^[5]

See also

• List of Olympic medalists in swimming (women)
• World record progression 200 metres backstroke
• World record progression 4 × 100 metres medley relay

References

External links

• Susie Atwood – Olympic athlete profile at Sports-Reference.com
• Susie Atwood (USA) – Honor Swimmer profile at International Swimming Hall of Fame

1968 USA Olympic swimming team Men's Team Larry Barbiere Brent Berk Greg Buckingham Mike Burton John Ferris Gary Hall Charlie Hickcox Jack Horsley Mitch Ivey Chet Jastremski Brian Job David Johnson William Johnson John Kinsella Philip Long Don McKenzie Ken Merten Ronnie Mills John Nelson David Perkowski Stephen Rerych Carl Robie Doug Russell Don Schollander Andy Strenk Mark Spitz Ross Wales Michael Wall Ken Walsh Zac Zorn Women's Team Susie Atwood Catie Ball Jane Barkman Patty Caretto Ellie Daniel Diane Giebel Linda Gustavson Kaye Hall Jan Henne Toni Hewitt Cathy Jamison Suzy Jones Claudia Kolb Pam Kruse Kendis Moore Debbie Meyer Susan Pedersen Susan Pitt Susan Shields Jane Swagerty Lynn Vidali Lillian Watson Sharon Wichman Staff Sherman Chavoor (women's head coach) Frank Elm (assistant) Don Gambril (assistant) George Haines (men's head coach) Bill Lippman, Jr. (manager) Olive Mucha (assistant) Edwin Olson (assistant) Kenneth Treadway (manager)

1972 USA Olympic swimming team Men's Team Robin Backhaus Tom Bruce Mike Burton Mark Chatfield Rick Colella Gary Conelly Rick DeMont David Edgar Dave Fairbank Steve Furniss Steve Genter Gary Hall Jerry Heidenreich John Hencken Mitch Ivey Brian Job John Kinsella Tom McBreen Tim McKee John Murphy Doug Northway Mark Spitz Mike Stamm Fred Tyler Women's Team Susie Atwood Shirley Babashoff Jane Barkman Jenny Bartz Melissa Belote Cathy Carr Claudia Clevenger Lynn Colella Ellie Daniel Deena Deardurff Jo Harshbarger Jenny Kemp Ann Marshall Judy Melick Barbara Mitchell Karen Moe Mary Montgomery Sandy Neilson Kim Peyton Keena Rothhammer Dana Schoenfield Dana Shrader Ann Simmons Lynn Skrifvars Lynn Vidali Carolyn Woods Jenny Wylie