100 Greatest Swimmers in History - by John Lohn Hardcover

About the Book

This book looks at the 100 greatest swimmers in history and features such icons and rising stars as Michael Phelps, Katie Ledecky, and Mark Spitz. Each chapter includes biographical information, accomplishments, records, and finest performances. This edition has been updated t...

Book Synopsis

This book looks at the 100 greatest swimmers in history and features such icons and rising stars as Michael Phelps, Katie Ledecky, and Mark Spitz. Each chapter includes biographical information, accomplishments, records, and finest performances. This edition has been updated to include two additional World Championships and the 2016 Olympics.

Review Quotes

The 100 Greatest Swimmers in History provides good biographies for anyone interested in the history of swimming. The book is a revised edition, updating the selections to include recent Olympic champions. The additional appendixes help people find specific individuals and see a quick list of their top accomplishments. The biography selections come from over 100 years of swimming history and primarily focus on those who have set world or Olympic records.

This book chronicles some of the best swimmers across the world in the history of the sport. Lohn's criteria for inclusion are based mostly on Olympic and World Championship medals, which tends to bias his findings toward more recent swimmers (the World Championships started in 1973), but he also includes other measures, such as stroke versatility and head-to-head performances in many competitions to include notable legends of the sport, like Johnny Weissmuller, in the top 10. An enjoyable read for adults and young adults interested in this sport, suitable for circulating collections.

About the Author

John Lohn has served as the United States correspondent for SwimVortex and as the senior writer for Swimming World Magazine. He has covered the sport at the national and international levels since 2000, including the 2008, 2012 and 2016 Olympics. Lohn is the author of Historical Dictionary of Competitive Swimming (2010), They Ruled the Pool: The 100 Greatest Swimmers in History (2013), and The Most Memorable Moments in Olympic Swimming (2014).