LOS ANGELES OFFERS A RICH SWIMMING HISTORY

With the announcement that the 2028 Olympic Games will be held in Los Angeles, a city steeped in swimming history will now have the opportunity to host a third Olympic Games.

From record-setting swimmers and coaches to top-flight facilities and USA Swimming clubs, Los Angeles without question ranks as one of the top swimming markets in the United States – past, present and future.

“I am so proud to learn that Los Angeles was awarded the USOC selection for an Olympic host city bid. My first Olympics as a teen in 1984 came in my hometown of Los Angeles, and it will always be one of my greatest Olympic memories. Congratulations and I can’t wait to hopefully see the Games back here in the U.S. ...,” said five-time Olympian and 12-time Olympic medalist Dara Torres.

Fellow Los Angeles native and 2012 Olympic gold medalist Jessica Hardy added, “I'm excited beyond words for the possibility to have the Olympic Games, which I believe to be the most exciting moment of my life, hosted in my hometown. It would be an exciting opportunity for the U.S., and an absolute honor for Los Angeles.”

“Los Angeles is the ideal place to host the 2028 Olympic Games.  We’ve done it before, and really understand all that is involved.  We have the best weather, sporting facilities, hotels and recreational activities for athletes and spectators.  Given our diverse population, competitors from every nation will enjoy a personal cheering section,” said John Naber, 1976 Olympic champion and member of the Southern California Committee for the Olympic Games. 

The facts and figures below demonstrate a track record of swimming success in Los Angeles.

NOTABLE SWIMMERS WITH LOS ANGELES-AREA TIES

LEGENDS

• Shirley Babashoff (1976 Olympic gold medalist, Whittier native)
• Amanda Beard (1996, 2004 Olympic gold medalist, Irvine native)
• Tiffany Cohen (1984 Olympic gold medalist, Born in Culver City)
• Janet Evans (1988, 1992 Olympic gold medalist, Laguna Beach resident)
• Jason Lezak (2004, 2008 Olympic gold medalist, Irvine native)
• Lenny Krayzelburg (2000, 2004 Olympic gold medalist, USC alum)
• John Naber (1976 Olympic gold medalist, USC alum, Pasadena resident)
• Aaron Peirsol (2004, 2008 Olympic gold medalist, Irvine native)
• Kaitlin Sandeno (2004 Olympic gold medalist, USC alum, Lake Forest native)
• Rebecca Soni (2008, 2012 Olympic gold medalist, USC alum)
• Dara Torres (1984, 1992, 2000 Olympic gold medalist, Los Angeles native)

• Haley Anderson (2012 Olympic silver medalist, 2016 Olympian, USC alum)
• Conor Dwyer (2012, 2016 Olympic gold medalist, trains at Trojan Swim Club)
• Anthony Ervin (2000, 2016 Olympic gold medalist, Valencia native)
• Jessica Hardy (2012 Olympic gold medalist, Long Beach native)
• Jordan Wilimovsky (2016 Olympian, Malibu native)
• Abbey Weitzeil (2016 Olympic gold medalist, Saugus native)

NOTABLE SWIMMING COACHES WITH LOS ANGELES-AREA TIES

• Peter Daland (35-year coach at USC, two-time U.S. Olympic Team head coach)
• Flip Darr (Coached Southern California-area swimmers to eight Olympic medals)
• Cyndi Gallagher (Longtime UCLA head coach)
• Don Gambril (Five-time U.S. Olympic Team staff member, former Long Beach State coach)
• Dick Jochums (Coached swimmers to 12 Olympic medals, former Long Beach State coach)
• Bill Rose (Longtime coach with the Mission Viejo Nadadores,)
• Dave Salo (Current USC head coach, three-time U.S. Olympic Team staff member)
• Mark Schubert (Former USC head coach, member of eight U.S. Olympic Team staffs)
• Jon Urbanchek (Former Long Beach State coach, longtime member of U.S. Olympic Team coaching staffs)

OLYMPIC GAMES HIGHLIGHTS

LOS ANGELES 1932

• United States finished second on the medal table with 10 total medals, five gold
• Helene Madison won gold in the 100m free, 400m free and 400m free relay
• Buster Crabbe won the lone men’s gold for Team USA in the 400m free

LOS ANGELES 1984

• Team USA won the medal count in the pool with 34 total medals, including 21 gold
• NBC Olympics analyst Rowdy Gaines won three gold medals – 100m free, 400m free relay, 400m medley relay
• Mary T. Meagher, Tracy Caulkins and Tiffany Cohen each won two individual gold medals as the U.S. women won gold in 11 of 14 events contested

A HISTORY OF FAST SWIMMING

83 all-time world-record swims have taken place in Los Angeles.

2015 LOS ANGELES-AREA USA SWIMMING CLUB EXCELLENCE PROGRAMS

• GOLD
  Aquazot Swim Club (Irvine)
• SILVER
  Buenaventura Swim Club (Ventura)
  Conejo Simi Swim Club (Simi Valley)
  Irvine Novaquatics (Irvine)
  Mission Viejo Nadadores (Mission Viejo)
  San Clemente Aquatics (San Clemente)
  SOCAL Aquatics Association (Tustin/Santa Ana/Irvine)
  Swim Pasadena (Pasadena)
  Rose Bowl Aquatics (Pasadena)
  Team Santa Monica (Santa Monica)
• BRONZE
  Beach Cities Swimming (Redondo Beach)
  Canyons Aquatics (Santa Clarita)
  CLASS Aquatics (Westlake Village)
  FAST Swim Team (Fullerton)
  JCC Waves (Irvine)
  La Mirada Armada (La Mirada)
  Rattler Swim Club (San Fernando)

*Note: Clubs within a 50-mile radius of Los Angeles.

NOTABLE LOS ANGELES-AREA AQUATIC FACILITIES

• Uytengsu Aquatics Center (recently renovated USC pool, site of 1984 Olympic Games)
• Janet Evans Swim Complex (Fullerton)
• Rose Bowl Aquatics Center (Pasadena)
• Spieker Aquatics Center (UCLA)
• William Woollett, Jr. Aquatics Center (Irvine)

NOTABLE FACTS

• There are more than 32,000 USA Swimming members, more than 200 aquatic facilities and more than 100 USA Swimming clubs in the Los Angeles market.
• Nearly 1 million fitness swimmers reside in the Los Angeles market.
• Southern California Swimming is USA Swimming’s largest Local Swimming Committee with 168 swim clubs and more than 22,000 athlete members in 2014.