Steve Clark (swimmer)

American swimmer (born 1943)

Not to be confused with Canadian swimmer Stephen Clarke (swimmer).

Steve Clark

Schollander, Ilman, Austin and Clark display gold medals at 1964 Olympics

Personal information
Full name| Stephen Edward Clark
Nickname| "Steve"
National team| United States
Born|  (1943-06-17) June 17, 1943 (age 81)
Oakland, California, U.S.
Height| 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)
Weight| 148 lb (67 kg)
Sport
Sport| Swimming
Strokes| Freestyle
Club| Santa Clara Swim Club
College team| Yale University
Coach| George Haines
(Santa Clara Swim Club)
Philip Moriarty
(Yale)

Medal record

Men's swimming
Representing the  United States
Olympic Games
|  1964 Tokyo | 4×100 m freestyle relay
|  1964 Tokyo | 4×200 m freestyle relay
|  1964 Tokyo | 4×100 m medley relay
Pan American Games
|  1963 São Paulo | 100 m freestyle

Stephen Edward Clark (born June 17, 1943) is an American former competition swimmer for Yale University, Olympic champion, and former world record-holder.[1]

Clark attended and swam for Los Altos High School under Hall of Fame Coach Nort Thornton Jr., who would later coach the University of California Berkeley. He qualified for the Olympic team in 1960, while still attending High School. Demonstrating his early mastery of the event, at the March, 1961, AAU National Indoor Swimming Championships in New Haven, Connecticut, Clark set an all-time age group record in the 100-yard freestyle of 46.7. With exceptional talent, the Los Altos High School team was considered strong enough to compete with many Varsity college teams, and competed against the Stanford Freshman team in 1961.[2][3]

## Yale University

[edit]

Clark attended Yale University, where he swam for coach Philip Moriarty's Yale Bulldogs swimming and diving team in National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and Ivy League competition. During his tenure at Yale, he won five NCAA titles. He also captured six individual and five AAU relay championships while swimming for the Santa Clara Swim Club, under Hall of Fame Coach George Haines. Clark was the Santa Clara Club's first outstanding male swimmer, and the first of many outstanding swimmers mentored by Haines. A sprint specialist with exceptionally efficient flip turns, he set nine world records, but would have set more as short course records were not accepted for world records at the time. As a senior, he was the Yale swim team captain; he graduated from Yale with his bachelor's degree in 1964. In 2005, he donated one of his three Olympic gold medals to his alma mater.[4][1]

### 1960 Olympics

[edit]

Bennett, Hait, Clark, Gillanders after 4×100-meter medley Olympic record, '60 Olympics.

At the 1960 Summer Olympics in Rome, Clark swam for the first-place U.S. relay teams in the preliminary heats of the men's 4×200-meter freestyle relay and men's 4×100-meter medley relay. Both American relay teams won gold medals, but Clark was ineligible for a medal under the Olympic swimming rules in effect in 1960 because he did not compete in the event finals.

He won his first international gold medal at the 1963 Pan American Games in São Paulo, Brazil, winning the men's 100-metre freestyle in a time of 54.7 seconds, and narrowly edging American swimmer Steven Jackman (54.8 seconds).

### 1964 Olympics

[edit]

At the 1964, U.S. Olympic trials, Clark had developed tendinitis in his shoulder, and was only able to make the team as a member of relays, though he would meet with great success at the Olympic finals.[1]

After travelling with the team to Tokyo for the 1964 Summer Olympics, Clark won three gold medals in record times as a member of three highly competitive U.S. relay teams. His first win in the 4×100-meter freestyle, was a world record with a time of 3:33.2. Clark's individual 100 freestyle leg was a world record, and one of his most notable swims, as the fastest leg of the relay with a time of 52.9 seconds.[1]

Clark also won gold in the 4×200-meter freestyle with a world record combined time of 7:52.1.[1]

His final gold was in the 4×100-meter medley with a world record time of 3:58.4.[5][1]

After Yale, Clark enrolled at Harvard Law School and authored a widely selling book on swimming, entitled Competitive Swimming As I See It.[1]

He was inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame as an "Honor Swimmer" in 1966.[6]

## See also

[edit]

* List of members of the International Swimming Hall of Fame
* List of multiple Olympic gold medalists
* List of multiple Olympic gold medalists at a single Games
* List of Olympic medalists in swimming (men)
* List of Yale University people
* World record progression 100 metres freestyle
* World record progression 4 × 100 metres freestyle relay
* World record progression 4 × 100 metres medley relay
* World record progression 4 × 200 metres freestyle relay

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b c d e f g "Olympedia Bio, Steve Clark". olympedia.com. International Swimming Hall of Fame. Retrieved May 5, 2024.
2. ^ "Steve Clark to Swim at Stanford", The Peninsula Times Tribune, Palo Alto, California, 7 April 1961, pg. 23
3. ^ "Foothill Aquatics Coach Wins Call Swimming Job", The Berkeley Gazette, Berkeley, California, 19 April 1974, pg. 14
4. ^ Yale Athletic Communications, "Clark '64 Donates Olympic Medal to Bulldogs," Yale University Athletic Department (May 26, 2005). Archived August 14, 2007; retrieved May 31, 2015.
5. ^ Sports-Reference.com, Olympic Sports, Athletes, Steve Clark. Retrieved March 15, 2015.
6. ^ "Steve Clark (USA)". ISHOF.org. International Swimming Hall of Fame. Archived from the original on September 5, 2015. Retrieved March 15, 2015.

## External links

[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Stephen Clark (swimmer).

* Evans, Hilary; Gjerde, Arild; Heijmans, Jeroen; Mallon, Bill; et al. "Steve Clark". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on April 17, 2020.
* Steve Clark (USA) – Honor Swimmer profile at International Swimming Hall of Fame at the Wayback Machine (archived 2015-09-05)

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1960 USA Olympic swimming team

Men's team|

* Bob Bennett
* Dick Blick
* George Breen
* Steve Clark
* Bill Darnton
* Jeff Farrell
* Dave Gillanders
* Paul Hait
* George Harrison
* Bruce Hunter
* Lance Larson
* Gene Lenz
* Frank McKinney
* Bill Mulliken
* Alan Somers
* Mike Troy
* Thomas Winters

Women's team|

* Molly Botkin
* Lynn Burke
* Donna de Varona
* Susan Doerr
* Nina Harmer
* Carolyn House
* Patty Kempner
* Sylvia Ruuska
* Carolyn Schuler
* Joan Spillane
* Shirley Stobs
* Chris von Saltza
* Anne Warner
* Carolyn Wood

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1964 USA Olympic swimming team

Men's team|

* Wayne Anderson
* Mike Austin
* Bob Bennett
* Steve Clark
* Bill Craig
* Gary Dilley
* Bill Farley
* Jed Graef
* Gary Ilman
* Chet Jastremski
* Virgil Luken
* David Lyons
* Thompson Mann
* Richard McGeagh
* Bill Mettler
* John Nelson
* Walter Richardson
* Philip Riker
* Carl Robie
* Dick Roth
* Roy Saari
* Fred Schmidt
* Don Schollander
* Lary Schulhof
* Ed Townsend
* Tom Trethewey
* Michael Wall

Women's team|

* Lynne Allsup
* Erika Bricker
* Donna de Varona
* Ginny Duenkel
* Kathy Ellis
* Cathy Ferguson
* Sharon Finneran
* Cynthia Goyette
* Jeanne Hallock
* Nina Harmer
* Tammy Hazleton
* Claudia Kolb
* Sandra Nitta
* Susan Pitt
* Marilyn Ramenofsky
* Martha Randall
* Judy Reeder
* Patience Sherman
* Terri Stickles
* Sharon Stouder
* Lillian Watson

Staff|

* James Counsilman (men's head coach)
* Peter Daland (women's head coach)
* George Haines (men's assistant coach)
* Harold Henning (manager)
* Elizabeth Philcox (assistant manager)
* Albert J. Sehorn (manager)
* Kenneth Treadway (assistant manager)

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Olympic champions in men's 4 × 100 m freestyle relay

* 1964:  Steve Clark, Mike Austin, Gary Ilman, Don Schollander (USA)
* 1968:  Zac Zorn, Stephen Rerych, Mark Spitz, Ken Walsh (USA)
* 1972:  David Edgar, John Murphy, Jerry Heidenreich, Mark Spitz (USA)
* 1984:  Chris Cavanaugh, Mike Heath, Matt Biondi, Rowdy Gaines (USA)
* 1988:  Chris Jacobs, Troy Dalbey, Tom Jager, Matt Biondi (USA)
* 1992:  Joe Hudepohl, Matt Biondi, Tom Jager, Jon Olsen, Shaun Jordan, Joel Thomas (USA)
* 1996:  Jon Olsen, Josh Davis, Brad Schumacher, Gary Hall Jr., David Fox, Scott Tucker (USA)
* 2000:  Michael Klim, Chris Fydler, Ashley Callus, Ian Thorpe, Todd Pearson, Adam Pine (AUS)
* 2004:  Roland Schoeman, Lyndon Ferns, Darian Townsend, Ryk Neethling (RSA)
* 2008:  Michael Phelps, Garrett Weber-Gale, Cullen Jones, Jason Lezak, Nathan Adrian, Ben Wildman-Tobriner, Matt Grevers (USA)
* 2012:  Amaury Leveaux, Fabien Gilot, Clément Lefert, Yannick Agnel, Alain Bernard, Jérémy Stravius (FRA)
* 2016:  Caeleb Dressel, Michael Phelps, Ryan Held, Nathan Adrian, Jimmy Feigen, Blake Pieroni, Anthony Ervin (USA)
* 2020:  Caeleb Dressel, Blake Pieroni, Bowe Becker, Zach Apple, Brooks Curry (USA)
* 2024:  Jack Alexy, Chris Guiliano, Hunter Armstrong, Caeleb Dressel, Ryan Held, Matt King (USA)

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Olympic champions in men's 4 × 200 m freestyle relay

* 1908:  John Derbyshire, Paul Radmilovic, William Foster, Henry Taylor (GBR)
* 1912:  Cecil Healy, Malcolm Champion, Leslie Boardman, Harold Hardwick (ANZ)
* 1920:  Perry McGillivray, Pua Kealoha, Norman Ross, Duke Kahanamoku (USA)
* 1924:  Johnny Weissmuller, Wally O'Connor, Harry Glancy, Ralph Breyer (USA)
* 1928:  Johnny Weissmuller, Austin Clapp, Walter Laufer, George Kojac (USA)
* 1932:  Masanori Yusa, Yasuji Miyazaki, Takashi Yokoyama, Hisakichi Toyoda (JPN)
* 1936:  Masanori Yusa, Shigeo Sugiura, Shigeo Arai, Masaharu Taguchi (JPN)
* 1948:  Wally Ris, Jimmy McLane, Wally Wolf, Bill Smith (USA)
* 1952:  Wayne Moore, Bill Woolsey, Ford Konno, Jimmy McLane (USA)
* 1956:  Kevin O'Halloran, John Devitt, Murray Rose, Jon Henricks (AUS)
* 1960:  George Harrison, Dick Blick, Mike Troy, Jeff Farrell (USA)
* 1964:  Don Schollander, Steve Clark, Roy Saari, Gary Ilman (USA)
* 1968:  Don Schollander, Mark Spitz, John Nelson, Stephen Rerych (USA)
* 1972:  Mark Spitz, John Kinsella, Fred Tyler, Steve Genter (USA)
* 1976:  Mike Bruner, Bruce Furniss, John Naber, Jim Montgomery (USA)
* 1980:  Sergey Koplyakov, Vladimir Salnikov, Ivar Stukolkin, Andrey Krylov (URS)
* 1984:  Mike Heath, David Larson, Jeff Float, Bruce Hayes (USA)
* 1988:  Troy Dalbey, Matt Cetlinski, Doug Gjertsen, Matt Biondi (USA)
* 1992:  Dmitry Lepikov, Vladimir Pyshnenko, Veniamin Tayanovich, Yevgeny Sadovyi, Aleksey Kudryavtsev, Yury Mukhin (EUN)
* 1996:  Josh Davis, Joe Hudepohl, Brad Schumacher, Ryan Berube, Jon Olsen (USA)
* 2000:  Ian Thorpe, Michael Klim, Todd Pearson, Bill Kirby, Grant Hackett, Daniel Kowalski (AUS)
* 2004:  Michael Phelps, Ryan Lochte, Peter Vanderkaay, Klete Keller, Dan Ketchum, Scott Goldblatt (USA)
* 2008:  Michael Phelps, Ryan Lochte, Ricky Berens, Peter Vanderkaay, David Walters, Erik Vendt, Klete Keller (USA)
* 2012:  Ryan Lochte, Conor Dwyer, Ricky Berens, Michael Phelps, Charlie Houchin, Matt McLean, Davis Tarwater (USA)
* 2016:  Conor Dwyer, Townley Haas, Ryan Lochte, Michael Phelps, Clark Smith, Jack Conger, Gunnar Bentz (USA)
* 2020:  Tom Dean, James Guy, Matt Richards, Duncan Scott, Calum Jarvis (GBR)
* 2024:  James Guy, Tom Dean, Matt Richards, Duncan Scott, Jack McMillan, Kieran Bird (GBR)

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Olympic champions in men's 4 × 100 m medley relay

* 1960:  Frank McKinney, Paul Hait, Lance Larson, Jeff Farrell (USA)
* 1964:  Thompson Mann, Bill Craig, Fred Schmidt, Steve Clark (USA)
* 1968:  Charlie Hickcox, Don McKenzie, Doug Russell, Ken Walsh (USA)
* 1972:  Mike Stamm, Tom Bruce, Mark Spitz, Jerry Heidenreich (USA)
* 1976:  John Naber, John Hencken, Matt Vogel, Jim Montgomery (USA)
* 1980:  Mark Kerry, Peter Evans, Mark Tonelli, Neil Brooks (AUS)
* 1984:  Rick Carey, Steve Lundquist, Pablo Morales, Rowdy Gaines (USA)
* 1988:  David Berkoff, Richard Schroeder, Matt Biondi, Chris Jacobs (USA)
* 1992:  Jeff Rouse, Nelson Diebel, Pablo Morales, Jon Olsen, David Berkoff, Hans Dersch, Melvin Stewart, Matt Biondi (USA)
* 1996:  Jeff Rouse, Jeremy Linn, Mark Henderson, Gary Hall Jr., Josh Davis, Kurt Grote, John Hargis, Tripp Schwenk (USA)
* 2000:  Lenny Krayzelburg, Ed Moses, Ian Crocker, Gary Hall Jr., Neil Walker, Tommy Hannan, Jason Lezak (USA)
* 2004:  Aaron Peirsol, Brendan Hansen, Ian Crocker, Jason Lezak, Lenny Krayzelburg, Mark Gangloff, Michael Phelps, Neil Walker (USA)
* 2008:  Aaron Peirsol, Brendan Hansen, Michael Phelps, Jason Lezak, Matt Grevers, Mark Gangloff, Ian Crocker, Garrett Weber-Gale (USA)
* 2012:  Matt Grevers, Brendan Hansen, Michael Phelps, Nathan Adrian, Nick Thoman, Eric Shanteau, Tyler McGill, Cullen Jones (USA)
* 2016:  Ryan Murphy, Cody Miller, Michael Phelps, Nathan Adrian, David Plummer, Kevin Cordes, Tom Shields, Caeleb Dressel (USA)
* 2020:  Ryan Murphy, Michael Andrew, Caeleb Dressel, Zach Apple, Hunter Armstrong, Andrew Wilson, Tom Shields, Blake Pieroni (USA)
* 2024:  Xu Jiayu, Qin Haiyang, Sun Jiajun, Pan Zhanle, Wang Changhao (CHN)

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Pan American Champions in Men's 100 m freestyle

* 1951:  Dick Cleveland (USA)
* 1955:  Clarke Scholes (USA)
* 1959:  Jeff Farrell (USA)
* 1963:  Steve Clark (USA)
* 1967:  Don Havens (USA)
* 1971:  Frank Heckl (USA)
* 1975:  Richard Abbott (USA)
* 1979:  David McCagg (USA)
* 1983:  Rowdy Gaines (USA)
* 1987:  Todd Dudley (USA)
* 1991:  Gustavo Borges (BRA)
* 1995:  Gustavo Borges (BRA)
* 1999:  Fernando Scherer (BRA)
* 2003:  José Meolans (ARG)
* 2007:  César Cielo (BRA)
* 2011:  César Cielo (BRA)
* 2015:  Federico Grabich (ARG)
* 2019:  Marcelo Chierighini (BRA)
* 2023:  Guilherme Caribé (BRA)

Authority control databases

International|

* ISNI
* VIAF
* WorldCat

National|

* Germany
* United States

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