 | |
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Full name | Keena Ruth Rothhammer |
| National team | United States |
| Born | (1957-02-26)February 26, 1957 (age 68) Little Rock, Arkansas, U.S. |
| Height | 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m) |
| Weight | 146 lb (66 kg) |
| Sport | |
| Sport | Swimming |
| Strokes | Freestyle |
| Club | Santa Clara Swim Club |
| Coach | George Haines (Santa Clara SC) |
Medal record | |
Keena Ruth Rothhammer (born February 26, 1957) is an American former competitionswimmer, Olympic champion, and former world record-holder in two events.
Rothhammer was born to Jewish parents Grant Roy Rothhammer and Dianne Becker Rothhammer inLittle Rock, Arkansas, on February 26, 1957. When their daughters exceptional potential as a competitive swimmer became apparent, the Rothhammers left Little Rock for southern California, where there was a greater availability of outstanding youth programs for exceptional age-group swimmers.[1]
As a teenager, she grew up inSanta Clara, California,[2] and trained with theSanta Clara Swim Club under Hall of Fame CoachGeorge Haines, who was noted for training many U.S. Olympic swimmers during the 1960s and 1970s.
Diverse in her stroke skills, she won the 100-meter backstroke in a close finish at the Santa Clara Invitational in July, 1971.[3]
As a 15-year-old, Rothhammer represented the United States at the1972 Summer Olympics in Munich, Germany. She became the youngest person to ever win the gold medal in thewomen's 800-meter freestyle and set a new world record of 8:53.68, while establishing world records in the event on two successive days. She also won the bronze medal in thewomen's 200-meter freestyle at the 1972 Olympics.[1][4]
At the1973 World Aquatics Championships, she won the200-meter freestyle and finished second in the400-meter freestyle.[5] The same year, she was named North American Athlete of the Year.[1]
At only 16, to highlight her remarkable achievements, Keena had captured an Olympic gold and bronze medal, and held two world records. She had won fifteen U.S. National championships, set ten American records, and won a gold and silver medal at the first World Championships in 1973.[6]
Keena’s retirement from competitive swimming was due in part to serious migraine headaches which started in junior high school. After her retirement, she traveled the country and worked with Special Olympics programs.[6]
Already retired from competitive swimming, she attended theUniversity of Southern California, and majored in broadcast journalism. She eventually went into financial services, and worked as a comptroller at several different companies.[4]
In 1976, she married Scott Weisbly, though they later divorced. She lived with her second husband, John Zorovich, in the San Luis Obispo area.[7]
She was inducted into theInternational Swimming Hall of Fame as an "Honor Swimmer" in 1991.[8] She was one of the first inductees into the Arkansas Swimming Hall of Fame.[7]
| Records | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Women's 400-meter freestyle world record-holder (long course) August 22, 1973 – June 28, 1974 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Women's 800-meter freestyle world record-holder (long course) September 3, 1972 – September 9, 1973 | Succeeded by |
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| Women's team |
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