John Naber

American swimmer who dominated backstroke events in the 1970s, winning four Olympic gold medals at the 1976 Montreal Olympics and setting multiple world records

Born in Evanston, Illinois, on January 26, 1952, John Phillips Naber grew up in a family that emphasized academic and athletic excellence. His father was a physician, and the family later relocated to California, where Naber's swimming career flourished. He attended Woodrow Wilson High School in Los Angeles before enrolling at the University of Southern California, where he swam for the legendary coach Peter Daland and pursued studies in pre-medicine and business. Naber's breakthrough came in the mid-1970s when he emerged as the world's premier backstroker. At the 1974 World Championships, he announced his arrival on the international stage, but it was the 1976 Montreal Olympics that defined his career. Competing in four events, he captured gold medals in the 100-meter backstroke, 200-meter backstroke, 4×100-meter medley relay, and 4×200-meter freestyle relay. His performance in the individual backstroke events was particularly dominant, winning by margins rarely seen at Olympic competition. His world records in both the 100-meter and 200-meter backstroke events demonstrated his revolutionary approach to the stroke. Naber combined exceptional physical conditioning with technical innovations, including a more aggressive underwater phase and powerful stroke mechanics that maximized propulsion. These records stood for several years, testament to how far ahead of his contemporaries he had advanced the backstroke discipline. Beyond his Olympic success, he claimed multiple NCAA championships while at USC and set numerous American records throughout his career. Naber's impact on competitive swimming extended beyond his race times. His methodical training approach and technical innovations influenced coaching methods and stroke development for subsequent generations of backstrokers. After retiring from competition, he remained connected to the sport through broadcasting, motivational speaking, and business ventures. His systematic approach to training and competition helped establish modern backstroke technique, while his academic achievements at USC demonstrated the possibility of balancing elite athletic performance with scholarly pursuits.

Powerful backstroke technique with exceptional starts

One of the greatest backstrokers in swimming history

• Olympic Gold Medal 100m Backstroke Montreal 1976
• Olympic Gold Medal 200m Backstroke Montreal 1976
• Olympic Gold Medal 4x100m Medley Relay Montreal 1976
• Olympic Silver Medal 200m Individual Medley Montreal 1976
• Olympic Silver Medal 4x200m Freestyle Relay Montreal 1976
• World Record 100m Backstroke 55.49s 1976
• World Record 200m Backstroke 1:59.19s 1976 (first man under 2 minutes)
• AAU Sullivan Award 1977 (Outstanding Amateur Athlete in the United States)
• NCAA Championship 100 Yard Backstroke
• NCAA Championship 200 Yard Backstroke
• inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame 1984
• United States Olympic Committee inducted into USOC Hall of Fame