Carolyn Schuler Jones, a two-time U.S. Olympic Gold Medalist, died at the age of 81 on July 22, 2024.
When she was just 17 years old, Schuler finished second at the 1960 US Olympic Trials in the 100 butterfly behind Carolyn Wood. At the Rome Olympic Games, Schuler set an Olympic record in the 100 butterfly and went on to win the gold medal in the event. She also swam the butterfly leg on the gold medal-winning 4×100 medley relay, which set a new world record alongside her teammates Chris Von Saltza, Lynn Burke, and Patty Kempner.
Her strongest event was the 200 butterfly, but it was not included in the women’s Olympic format until the 1968 Mexico City Games.
She was inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame in 1989 recognizing her remarkable contributions to the sport.
Schuler started swimming at the age of 13 and was never expected to be an Olympic Gold Medalist. She once said, “Sometimes the dark horse wins the big ones”.
Schuler was a long time resident of Mission Viejo, California and went on to graduate with a degree in elementary education from the University of Pacific in 1965.
I swam with Caroline at the Berkeley YMCA when she got her GOLD at the Olympics.
Made sense Mission Viejo is a perfect place for an ex swimmer and she probably brought the property when it was a lot cheaper. Her teammate Chris Van Saltza had the greatest open freestyle turns faster than flip turns. Maybe Carolyn Schuler will get a street name after her. Mission Viejo name a street for Fl Jo Griffin after she died because she lived there.