Roy Saari
Saari in 1963 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Full name | Roy Allen Saari | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
National team | United States | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Born | (1945-02-26)February 26, 1945 Buffalo, New York, U.S. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Died | December 30, 2008(2008-12-30) (aged 63) Mammoth Lakes, California, U.S. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Height | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)[2] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Weight | 190 lb (86 kg) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Sport | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Sport | Swimming | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Strokes | Freestyle | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Club | El Segundo Swim Club | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
College team | University of Southern California | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Coach | Peter Daland[1] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Medal record
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Roy Allen Saari (February 26, 1945 – December 30, 2008) was an American swimmer and water polo player. He qualified for the 1964 Summer Olympics in both disciplines, and chose swimming, as the Olympic rules of the time did not allow him to compete in two sports. He won a gold medal as a member of the first-place U.S. team in the 4×200-meter freestyle relay, setting a new world record in the final with teammates Steve Clark, Gary Ilman and Don Schollander (7:52.1). Individually he earned a silver medal in the 400-meter individual medley (4:47.1). He also advanced to the finals of the 400-meter freestyle and 1,500-meter freestyle, placing fourth and seventh, respectively. Before the Olympics Saari became the first person to break the 17 minute barrier over 1500 m, but in the Olympic final he was suffering from a cold and clocked a mere 17:29.2.[2][1]
He and his younger brother Robert Saari were on the 1964 Olympic water polo team, which was coached by their father, Urho Saari. He attended the University of Southern California and swam for the USC Trojans swimming and diving team.[3] He also played water polo at the national level. He graduated from USC in 1967 and received his law degree from Loyola Marymount University in 1973. Between 1973 and 1978 he practiced law in Orange County, California, and then worked as a real estate agent and planning commissioner in Mammoth Lakes, California.[2][1]
Saari died on December 30, 2008, of heart failure, aged 63.[1][4] Earlier in 1976 he was inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame.[5] In 1982, he was inducted into the USA Water Polo Hall of Fame.[6][7]
See also
- List of Olympic medalists in swimming (men)
- List of members of the International Swimming Hall of Fame
- List of University of Southern California people
- World record progression 1500 metres freestyle
- World record progression 4 × 200 metres freestyle relay
References
- ^ a b c d "Roy Saari Passes Away". ISHOF.org. International Swimming Hall of Fame.[dead link]
- ^ a b c Evans, Hilary; Gjerde, Arild; Heijmans, Jeroen; Mallon, Bill; et al. "Roy Saari". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on April 17, 2020.
- ^ "Saari Leads USC Swimming Victory". Independent. Long Beach, CA. February 20, 1966. p. 64. Retrieved December 28, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Valerie J. Nelson (January 3, 2009) "Roy Saari, 63; USC swimming star won gold and silver in 1964 Olympics," Los Angeles Times. Retrieved October 6, 2012.
- ^ "Roy Saari (USA) – 1976 Honor Swimmer". ISHOF.org. International Swimming Hall of Fame.[dead link]
- ^ "Roy Saari (1982)". usawaterpolo.org. USA Water Polo. Retrieved September 18, 2020.
- ^ "Hall of Fame Inductees". usawaterpolo.org. USA Water Polo. Retrieved September 18, 2020.
External links
- Roy Saari at the International Swimming Hall of Fame
- Roy Saari at the USA Water Polo Hall of Fame
- Roy Saari at Olympics.com
- Roy Saari at Olympedia
Records | ||
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Preceded by | Men's 1,500-meter freestyle world record-holder (long course) August 17, 1963 – August 2, 1964 | Succeeded by |
Preceded by Murray Rose | Men's 1,500-meter freestyle world record-holder (long course) September 2, 1964 – August 15, 1965 | Succeeded by Stephen Krause |
- v
- t
- e
- 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
- 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
- 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)