John Naber

John Naber (born January 20, 1956, Evanston, Illinois, U.S.) is a former American swimmer who won four gold medals—all in world-record time—and a silver at the 1976 Montreal Olympic Games.

Primarily a specialist in the backstroke, Naber competed at the University of Southern California, where he won 15 collegiate championships. He won three gold medals at the 1975 Pan-American Games.

At the 1976 Olympics, Naber became the first swimmer to break the 2-minute barrier in the 200-meter backstroke, winning the gold and setting a world record (1 min 59.19 sec) that would stand for seven years. His gold-medal-winning world record time in the 100-meter backstroke (55.49 sec) also lasted seven years. In the 200-meter freestyle he finished behind Bruce Furniss, who set a world record, to win the silver. Naber also competed for the U.S. team that won gold medals in the 4 × 100-meter medley relay and the 4 × 200-meter freestyle relay.

Britannica Quiz

The Olympics Quiz

Naber received the James E. Sullivan Memorial Award as the best American amateur athlete of 1977 and retired from swimming that same year after completing his collegiate eligibility. He is a member of the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame, a three-time carrier of the Olympic Torch, a member of the board of directors of the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee, and the author of three Olympic-themed books.