The International Masters Swimming Hall of Fame (IMSHOF) is proud to announce its class of inductees for 2015. The group of seven outstanding individuals will be inducted at the annual ceremony to be held on Friday evening, October 2nd, 2015, at the Marriott Downtown, in Kansas City, MO, in conjunction with the 2015 United States Aquatic Sports XXXVI Convention. The prestigious IMSHOF class of 2015 includes four swimmers, one diver, one synchronized swimmer and one contributor, from three different countries: the USA, Australia, and Japan.
FEMALE SWIMMERS
MIEKO NAGAOKA (JPN)
Nagaoka, who started her swimming career at 80, achieved her first Japanese Masters record at the age of 84. At the age of 95 she claimed her first world record in the 200m backstroke. She has set 34 long course and 24 short course FINA masters world records, and has competed in 5 FINA World Championships.
SHOKO YONEZAWA (JPN)
Shoko has set 39 FINA Masters World Records, 15 long course meters in the breaststroke and backstroke and 24 short course meters in individual medley, breaststroke and backstroke. She has accumulated 36 -number 1, 21 -number 2 and 21 -number 3 long course meters rankings and 36 -number 1, 24 -number 2 and 16 -number 3 short course rankings for a total of 72 -number 1, 45 -number 2 and 37 -number 3 world rankings. She competed at the 2002 FINA Masters World Championships winning 2 gold, 1 silver and 1 bronze medal.
MALE SWIMMERS
DAVID RADCLIFF (USA)
Radcliff has set 29 FINA Masters World Records, 18 long course meters and 11 short course meters in the freestyle events from the 50 to 1500 meters. Beginning with world rankings in 1997, he has 45 -number 1, 17 -number 2 and 7 -number 3 long course meters rankings and 43 -number 1, 15 -number 2 and 10 -number 3 short course meters rankings for a total of 88 -number 1, 32 -number 2 and 17 -number 3 world rankings. He has competed in the 2006 and 2008 FINA Masters World Championships winning 7 gold, 2 silver and 1 bronze medal. David had a big run in 2014 breaking 12 world records in his new age group (80-85).
JACK GROSELLE (USA)
As a versatile swimmer, he set 23 FINA Masters World Records, 15 long course meters and 8 short course meters in the freestyle, breaststroke, butterfly and I.M. In 2014 alone, he broke seven world records in six events in long and short course. He has competed in 2 FINA Masters World Championships (2006 & 2008) winning 7 gold, 2 silver and 1 bronze medal in the freestyle. Jack is the only man to hold a US Masters Swimming national record in the same event (100m free) across five age groups.
DIVER
ANIELLE CLAVERSTYNE PLOWMAN (AUS)
As an Australian, Anielle Plowman has won 38 USA Masters Diving titles and 25 of the 27 FINA international events she entered as well as every Australian masters event she entered. Most of her winning margins have been very substantial; in many cases she did not require the points of her last dive to win the event.
SYNCHRONIZED SWIMMER
PENNY DEMEULES (USA)
Penny has a lifelong love for the sport of Synchronized Swimming. A member of the Unsyncables of La Mirada, Penny has also been a coach, judge, and committee chair. Penny began synchro masters in 1991 when she was age 49 and has continued now swimming into her 70s. She has participated in 11 Masters World Championships, 23 US National Championships and 1 Canadian National Championship. She was awarded the May McEwan Award in 2002 as someone who has made outstanding contributions to and best exemplifies the spirit of Masters synchro.
CONTRIBUTOR
NANCY RIDOUT (USA)
From the earliest days of Masters Swimming, Nancy has been a seminal force in all things Masters. For her local club (Tamalpais Aquatic Masters), LMSC (Pacific Masters Swimming) and United States Masters Swimming, Nancy has been there to contribute. Key to that commitment is Nancy’s participation as an athlete. While fostering her contributions on the deck, Nancy’s swimming accomplishments and performances have positioned her at the pinnacle of the sport through over 4 decades of competition. While her swimming resume is full of world records, national records, and Top 10 performances, this recognition is for her many roles behind the scenes, that have been a crucial part of Masters Swimming’s growth and success.
About IMSHOF
The purpose of the IMSHOF is to promote a healthy lifestyle, lifelong fitness and participation in adult aquatic programs by recognizing the achievements of individuals who serve as an example for others. To be considered, honorees must have participated in Masters programs through at least four different masters age groups. The IMSHOF is a division of the International Swimming Hall of Fame, in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. For more information, please visit: www.ishof.org
About ISHOF
The International Swimming Hall of Fame, Inc. (ISHOF), established in 1965, is a not-for-profit educational organization located in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, USA. Recognized by FINA, the International Olympic Committee’s recognized governing body for the aquatic sports in 1968, its mission is to promote the benefits and importance of swimming as a key to fitness, good health, quality of life, and the water safety of all children and adults. For more information please visit ISHOF.
Swimming News is courtesy of ISHOF.
Congratulations to NANCY RIDOUT. For years and years going back to the 1970s, Nancy was the person who registered me (and many thousands of other Pacific Masters Swimmers) each year into USMS. Thanks for all you’ve contributed to the sport of Masters swimming!