Dick Cleveland

Biographical information

RolesCompeted in Olympic Games
SexMale
Full nameRichard Fitch "Dick"•Cleveland
Used nameDick•Cleveland
Nick/petnamesSpoofy
Born21 September 1929 in Honolulu, Hawaiʻi (USA)
Died27 July 2002 in Kailua-Kona, Hawaiʻi (USA)
AffiliationsThe Ohio State Buckeyes, Columbus (USA)
NOC United States

Biography

One of the first swimmers to incorporate weight training in his regimen, Cleveland was a top sprinter. He won three individual NCAA titles, two in the 50 metres freestyle, and one in the 100 m freestyle. The 50 metres was not an Olympic event at the time, and Cleveland therefore only competed in the 100, being eliminated in the semis in Helsinki. He was more successful at the 1951 Pan American Games in Buenos Aires, winning three gold medals - 100 metre freestyle, 4×200 metre freestyle (with Ronald Gora, Burwell Jones, and Bill Heusner), and 3×100 metre medley (with Allen Stack and Bowen Stassforth). He broke four World Records, most famously the 100 m freestyle record in 1954. Cleveland is inductee in the International Swimming Hall of Fame.

Results

Games Discipline (Sport) / Event NOC / Team Pos Medal As
1952 Summer Olympics Swimming (Aquatics) USA Dick Cleveland
100 metres Freestyle, Men (Olympic) 10

Special Notes