Jerry_Heidenreich
Jerry Heidenreich
American swimmer (1950–2002)
Jerome Alan Heidenreich (February 4, 1950 – April 18, 2002) was an American competition swimmer, Olympic champion, and former world record-holder. He competed at the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich, Germany, where he received gold medals in the 4×100-meter medley relay, and 4×100-meter freestyle relay.[2] He received a silver medal in 100-meter freestyle, and a bronze medal in 100-meter butterfly.
Personal information | |
---|---|
Full name | Jerome Alan Heidenreich |
Nickname(s) | "Jerry", "The Poet" |
National team | United States |
Born | (1950-02-04)February 4, 1950 Tulsa, Oklahoma, U.S.[1] |
Died | April 18, 2002(2002-04-18) (aged 52) Paris, Texas, U.S. |
Height | 6 ft 0 in (183 cm) |
Weight | 161 lb (73 kg) |
Sport | |
Sport | Swimming |
Strokes | Butterfly, freestyle |
College team | Southern Methodist University |
Medal record |
He set six world records during his swimming career, all as a relay team member.
He swam for Hillcrest High School in Dallas, and then attended Southern Methodist University where he broke nearly all of the college's freestyle, butterfly, and individual medley records. He was an All American four times while at SMU, and won one NCAA title, eighteen individual Southwest Conference Titles, and set a new World Record in the 200 yard freestyle.[3]
He graduated from SMU in 1972 with a business degree.[4]
He became a swimming coach in the 1980s. He was a founder and Coach of the Academy of Texas Aquatic Champion Swim Club in Dallas, and coached at Hockaday a private Dallas girls' school. He also coached Master's Swimming at Ken Cooper Aerobics Center in Dallas.[3] He was married three times.[5] In July 2001, Heidenreich had a mild stroke which left him with a degree of paralysis on his left side. On April 18, 2002, he killed himself with an overdose of prescription medicine at his home in Paris, Texas.[5][6]
Heidenreich was inducted into the Texas Sports Hall of Fame and the International Swimming Hall of Fame as an "Honor Swimmer" in 1992.[7]
- List of members of the International Swimming Hall of Fame
- List of Olympic medalists in swimming (men)
- List of Southern Methodist University people
- World record progression 4 × 100 metres freestyle relay
- World record progression 4 × 100 metres medley relay
- World record progression 4 × 200 metres freestyle relay
- Evans, Hilary; Gjerde, Arild; Heijmans, Jeroen; Mallon, Bill; et al. "Jerry Heidenreich". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on June 15, 2013.
- "1972 Olympics – München, Germany – Swimming". databaseOlympics.com. Archived from the original on August 20, 2008. Retrieved May 1, 2008.
- Foreman, Mike, "Heidereich, right man at wrong time", Victoria Advocate, Victoria, Texas, pg. 11, 25 April 2002
- "Former Olympic Gold Medalist Dies", Victoria Advocate, Victoria, Texas, pg. 21, 24 April 2002
- Harvey, Randy (September 3, 2002). "Spitz Cast Shadow Over Heidenreich". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on March 6, 2022. Retrieved August 9, 2002.
- Keller, Julia (May 17, 2002). "The descent of an Olympic champion". Chicago Tribune. Archived from the original on November 3, 2021. Retrieved August 9, 2020.
- "Jerry Heidenreich (USA)". ISHOF.org. International Swimming Hall of Fame. Archived from the original on April 2, 2015. Retrieved March 18, 2015.
- Jerry Heidenreich at World Aquatics
- Jerry Heidenreich at SwimRankings.net
- Jerry Heidenreich at the International Swimming Hall of Fame
- Jerry Heidenreich at Olympics.com
- Jerry Heidenreich at Olympedia
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