The run-up to the 2014 International Swimming Hall of Fame induction ceremony was distracting, with calls for Chuck Wielgus to withdraw his name from the class.
Once that dust had settled, there were still 14 members of the class of 2014, who had nothing to do with Wielgus, to be inducted, and so the focused turned to them.
Among the honorees included the great Australian Grant Hackett, American Tom Malchow, and 2000 Olympic gold medalist Agnes Kovacs.
Above, watch as the Hungarian Kovacs gives her induction speech to the Hall of Fame with an introduction from Janet Evans. For a five year period, Kovacs was the world’s dominant 200 breaststroker, winning gold at the 1997 and 1999 European Championships, the 1998 and 2001 World Championships, and the 2000 Summer Olympics. In total, she earned 53 Hungarian National Championships and 15 All-American honors at Arizona State.
Below, see a slideshow, also courtesy of the International Swimming Hall of Fame, from the induction event.
The full list of 14 inductees to the ISHOF Class of 2014:
Grant Hackett (AUS) – honor swimmer
Agnes Kovacs (HUN) – honor swimmer
Tom Malchow (USA) – honor swimmer
Carlo Silpo (ITA) – honor water polo player
Karin Kuipers (NED) – honor water polo player
Sandra Buscha (USA) – honor open water swimmer
Jon Erikson (USA) – honor open water swimmer
Penny & Vicky Vilagos (CAN) – honor synchronized swimmers
Peng Bo (CHN) – honor diver
Charlotte Davis (USA) – honor coach
Jozsef Nagy (HUN, USA, CAN, ESP) – honor coach
Norman Sarsfield (GBR) – honor contributor
Bruce Hopping (USA) – honor pioneer contributor
Wasn’t Josef Nagy, who was also inducted into the HOF this year one of her coaches? He was one of the most influential breaststroke coaches in history!