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Ross Wales

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Ross Wales
Personal information
Full nameRoss Elliott Wales
National teamUnited States
Born (1947-10-17) October 17, 1947 (age 77)
Youngstown, Ohio, U.S.
Height5 ft 10 in (178 cm)
Weight165 lb (75 kg)
Sport
SportSwimming
StrokesButterfly
ClubY Neptune Swim Club
Princeton Aquatic Association
College teamPrinceton University
CoachSherman Law (Neptune Club)
Bob Clotworthy (Princeton)
Medal record
Men's swimming
Representing the United States
Olympic Games
Bronze medal – third place 1968 Mexico City 100 m butterfly
Pan American Games
Silver medal – second place 1967 Winnipeg 100 m butterfly

Ross Elliott Wales (born October 17, 1947) is an American former competition swimmer for Princeton University and a 1968 Olympic Games bronze medalist in the 100-meter butterfly.[1] Ross later served as president of the United States Swimming Federation beginning in 1979, and as President of U.S. Aquatic Sports, Inc. through 1988.[2]

Early swimming

Wales was born October 17, 1947, in Youngstown, Ohio, where he grew up swimming for Youngstown's YMCA Neptunes Swim Club under Coach Sherman Law, beginning around the age of 9.[2] Wales attended Youngstown's Rayen High School, which closed to students in 2007, but swam almost exclusively representing the Youngstown Y Neptune Swim Club.[3]

On July 10, 1960, swimming for the Neptune Swim Club at age 12, Wales broke an age group record in the 50-meter butterfly for boys 11-12 with the new record time of 31.5 seconds at the Cuyahoga Falls Senior Open and age group swimming meet.[4] Representing the YMCA Neptune again in November, 1964, he swam a :54.9, winning the 100-yard butterfly at the YMCA-Neptune age group meet in Youngstown, Ohio.[5] At the Lake Erie District meet around late August 1963, at the age of 15, Wales swam a 1:02.9 for the 100-meter butterfly, still representing the Youngstown YMCA Neptunes.[6] On August 4, 1966, at the New Jersey State AAU Swim Meet in Sea Bright, New Jersey, Ross swam a :60.2 to win the 100-meter butterfly.[7]

100-yard fly record

Known for outstanding technique in a stroke that was difficult to perform, Wales's early coach with the Neptune Swim Club, Sherman Law, noted that Ross was "so well coordinated that his finesse in the butterfly, rather than strength and endurance, was the secret of his success.” As a High School Seniro in 1965, while representing Rayen High School, Ross broke the national record for the 100-yard butterfly by swimming a 52.2, breaking the record of 52.4 set by Olympian gold medalist Don Schollander in 1964.[8] Ross was made a High School All American for his record time of 52.2 seconds in the 100-yard butterfly.[9]

Princeton University

Wales swam for Princeton University under Hall of Fame swimming and diving coach Bob Clotworthy, graduating in June, 1969.[2][1] At Princeton, Wales captured two National AAU 100-yard butterfly championships, one in 1966, and one in 1969 and also won the 1967 NCAA National Championship in the 100y butterfly with a time of 50.26, improving on National YMCA record.[2]

1968 Olympic bronze

He represented the United States at the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico City, where he received a bronze medal in the men's 100-meter butterfly, finishing behind compatriots Doug Russell and Mark Spitz.[10][11] Wales swam a 57.2 for the 100-meter butterfly at the Olympics, only .8 seconds behind silver medalist Mark Spitz. On the final lap, though Mark Spitz was the standing world record holder in the event, American Doug Russell pulled ahead of him, and won the gold medal with Spitz taking the Silver medal. The American team took first, second and third in the event.[12]

In International competition, Ross won a silver medal in the 100-meter butterfly at the 1967 Pan American Games.[2]

Through early 1972, as Wales continued in international competition, he was coached by Hall of Fame Coach Don Gambril, with the Phillips 66 Swim Club in Long Beach, California. On April 9, 1971, Wales competed in the 200-yard butterfly at the National AAU short course swimming Championships in Pullman, Washington where he swam against Gary Hall of Indiana.[2][13]

Later life

Wales competed into the early 1970's, before entering the University of Virginia law school. He served in Vietnam, but later returned to complete his law degree at the University of Virginia's Charlottesville campus. While in the military, he swam for an Army team managed by Hall of Fame Coach Skip Kenney. After completing his law degree, he practiced law in Cincinnati, spending much of his law career with the firm of Taft, Stettinius, and Hollister and later served as president of the U.S. Swimming Federation from 1979-1984.[1][14]

Swimming community executive

In the 1970's, Wales served as a representative for athletes to the National AAU Swimming Committee and served on the Swimming Rules Committee. While serving as President of the United States Swimming Federation beginning in 1979, Ross also served as President of U.S. Aquatic Sports, Inc. (USAS) through 1988. Ross was also a member of the U.S. Olympic Committee Executive Board from 1985-1989 and was the President of the National Swimming Foundation from 1984-1987.[15]

Significantly, Wales also served four years as the secretary to the FINA's Technical Swimming Committee from 1984-1988. In 1988, he was elected Honorary Secretary to FINA, the Federation Internationale de Natation Amateur and served as FINA's Vice-President in 1992. With his legal background, Ross was able to explain complex rules and other issues with clarity and detail, and he took part in writing a range of rules proposals including rules that controlled doping, particularly when doping rules which had to face major rewrites, were in 1995, 1996, and 1999. In 1992, he helped FINA form an Open Water Swimming Committee.[2]

Honors

Graduating Princeton in 1969, Wales was awarded the William Winston Roper Trophy.[16] For his service as an administrator and executive in the American Swimming Community, he received the Capt. Ransom J. Author M.D. award, presented by United States Masters Swimming in 1987.[15] As a cornerstone to his contributions to the swimming community and as a competitor, Wales was inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame in 2004.[17]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c "Olympedia Bio, Ross Wales". olympedia.org. Retrieved November 22, 2024.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g "Robert Clotworthy (USA)". ISHOF.org. International Swimming Hall of Fame. Archived from the original on October 28, 2017. Retrieved July 28, 2017.
  3. ^ "Dressman, Denny, Locals Excell in State Swim", The Cincinnati-Enquirer, Cincinnati, Ohio, 27 February 1971, pg. 18
  4. ^ Plath, Don, "Cleveland Swim Club Makes Splash", The Akron Beacon Journal, Akron, Ohio, 11 July 1960, pg.20
  5. ^ "Clevelander Sweeps in Swim Meet", The Plain Dealer, Cleveland, Ohio, 22 November 1964, pg. 56
  6. ^ "Swimming Summaries", The Plain Dealer, Cleveland, Ohio, 2 September 1963, pg. 71
  7. ^ "Corcione, Wales are Swim Standouts", The Daily Register, Red Bank, New Jersey, 5 August 1966, pg. 14
  8. ^ "Westfield Swim Draws Top", The Courier News, Bridgewater, New Jersey, 16 April 1965, pg. 24
  9. ^ "Bright Future," The Star Ledger, Newark, New Jersey, 4 December 1965, pg. 12
  10. ^ Evans, Hilary; Gjerde, Arild; Heijmans, Jeroen; Mallon, Bill; et al. "Swimming at the 1968 Ciudad de México Summer Games: Men's 100 metres butterfly". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on April 17, 2020. Retrieved January 13, 2012.
  11. ^ Evans, Hilary; Gjerde, Arild; Heijmans, Jeroen; Mallon, Bill; et al. "Ross Wales". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on April 17, 2020.
  12. ^ "1968 Olympics, Men's 100-meter Butterfly Finals Results". olympedia.org/. Retrieved November 22, 2024.
  13. ^ "Hall Breaks Swim Mark", The Herald-News, Passaic, New Jersey, 10 April 1971, pg. 18
  14. ^ "Harmon, Pat, Cincinnatian Reshaping AAU", The Cincinnati Post, Cincinnati, Ohio, 16 February 1979, pg. 35
  15. ^ a b "USMS Masters Swimming, Ransom J. Author Award". usms.org. Retrieved November 22, 2024.
  16. ^ "Princeton Grads Receive Awards", The Central New Jersey Home News, New Brunswick, New Jersey, 9 June 1969, pg. 4
  17. ^ "Ross Wales (USA) – Honor Contributor". ISHOF.org. International Swimming Hall of Fame. Archived from the original on November 24, 2010.


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