Duke Kahanamoku: Hawaiian Royalty

A native of Hawaii and of royal blood, swimmer Duke Kahanamoku represented the United States in four Olympic Games and won three gold and two silver medals over the course of his career. His medal count might have been even higher had the 1916 Games not been cancelled due to World War I.

Kahanamoku’s first Olympic victory came in 1912 in Stockholm, where he easily won the 100-metre freestyle. With his teammates, he collected a silver medal in the relay competition. As defending champion at the 1920 Games in Antwerp, Belgium, and on his 30th birthday, Kahanamoku swam the final of the 100-metre freestyle in a world record-setting time of 1:00.4. Because of a foul by one of the other swimmers, who then dropped out of the race, the final had to be swum again. Kahanamoku finished the second final with an equally impressive time of 1:01.4 to win the race. He gained another gold medal when the U.S. team was victorious in the 4 × 200-metre relay.

In his third Olympic appearance, in Paris in 1924, the seasoned swimmer lined up for the start of the 100-metre freestyle with his 19-year-old brother, Sam, and a 20-year-old up-and-coming swimmer named Johnny Weissmuller. The three Americans swept the race, but Kahanamoku lost his crown and settled for the silver behind Weissmuller. Although he was still able to compete with the much younger swimmers in 1924, his second-place finish signaled the end of his Olympic successes. Kahanamoku was a member of the team that competed four years later in Amsterdam, but he did not win any medals.

As his swimming career ended, he devoted himself to promoting another water sport: Kahanamoku is often credited with helping to popularize surfing around the world.