Willy Otto Jordan

Willy Otto Jordan took up swimming at the age of 12 and rapidly demonstrated a strong proficiency in the sport. In 1940 he set South American records in the 100 metre breaststroke and 200 metre freestyle, in addition to a Brazilian national record in the 100 metre freestyle. The following year he earned his first of many national titles, which he continued to collect during World War II. Despite being offered an athletic scholarship to Yale University, he opted to work in his father’s factory during the conflict. After the war he was selected to represent Brazil at the 1948 London Olympics, where he finished sixth in the 200 metre breaststroke and eighth in the 4x200 metres freestyle relay alongside Sérgio Rodrígues, Rolf Kestener, and Aram Boghossian.

Jordan continued swimming into the 1950s, most notably winning a silver medal in the 200 metres breaststroke event at the 1951 Pan American Games, behind non-Olympian Héctor Domínguez of Argentina. He was selected to represent his country again at the 1952 Helsinki Olympics, but did not actually take part and retired in 1954. He later moved to the United States and settled in Florida.