Anita Nall
Encyclopedia
Nadia Anita Nall more familiarly known as Anita Nall and now Anita Nall-Richesson since her marriage to Luke Richesson in 2002, is a U.S. Olympic medalist
in competitive swimming
. As a 16-year old at the 1992 Summer Olympics
in Barcelona
, Spain
, Nall won a gold medal in Women's 4x100 m Medley Relay, a silver medal in Women's 100 m Breaststroke
, and a bronze in Women's 200 m Breaststroke. Earlier that year, she set a then-world record time in the Women's 200 m Breaststroke, as a 15-year old at the Olympic trials in Indianapolis, Indiana
.
, who competed that year in the 1976 Summer Olympics
as a 14-year old. As a girl, Nall moved with her family to Towson, Maryland
. She trained in the late 1980s and early 1990s at the North Baltimore Aquatic Club
, the same place where another Towson teen swimming sensation, Michael Phelps
, trained a decade later and who, like Nall, would set a world swimming record at age 15 (in the 200 m butterfly
).
, Nall set a then-world record at the Olympic trials. Murray Stephens, her coach at the North Baltimore Aquatic Club, said of Nall after she broke the world record, "Physically she's a strong girl. Competitively, she's probably 25. She knows how to compete and she likes to compete. She likes to swim aggressively."
Nall's specialty at the 1992 Summer Olympics was the breaststroke
. She made the U.S. Olympic team that year as a 15-year old, the youngest swimmer on the U.S. Olympics women's team. The head coach of Northwestern University
's women's swim team was quoted just prior to the Olympics that year as saying, "Anita has technically a perfect breaststroke. The breaststroke is very much a lower body stroke where you really use your legs. She uses her body perfectly and gets the most out of her stroke technique-wise". Nall went on to swim the breaststroke leg of the 4x100m medley relay
at the 1992 Summer Olympics
in Barcelona
, winning the team gold medal and becoming the youngest American gold medalist in swimming since 1976.
The next year, Nall's swimming faltered, attributed to chronic fatigue syndrome
and blood pressure
abnormalities. She retired from swimming in 2000, after failing to qualify for the 2000 U.S. Olympics team.
in communications and Spanish at Arizona State University
, graduating in 2002. That same year, she married former University of Kansas
football player Luke Richesson. They currently reside in Jacksonville, Florida
, where Luke is employed as strength and conditioning coach for the Jacksonville Jaguars
. The couple has two children, son Luther (born 2003) and daughter Sunny (born 2005). Nall attributes her past health problems to food sensitivities affecting her immune system
, which went undiagnosed until 2005, combined with poor nutrition. She is now a holistic nutrition
specialist and Certified Life Coach with her own business.
, which cited her swim medals won at such a young age and her technically perfect breaststroke.
United States at the 1992 Summer Olympics
- Gold:* Michael Marsh — Athletics, Men's 200 metres* Quincy Watts — Athletics, Men's 400 metres* Kevin Young — Athletics, Men's 400 m Hurdles...
in competitive swimming
Swimming (sport)
Swimming is a sport governed by the Fédération Internationale de Natation .-History: Competitive swimming in Europe began around 1800 BCE, mostly in the form of the freestyle. In 1873 Steve Bowyer introduced the trudgen to Western swimming competitions, after copying the front crawl used by Native...
. As a 16-year old at the 1992 Summer Olympics
1992 Summer Olympics
The 1992 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the Games of the XXV Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event celebrated in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain, in 1992. The International Olympic Committee voted in 1986 to separate the Summer and Winter Games, which had been held in the same...
in Barcelona
Barcelona
Barcelona is the second largest city in Spain after Madrid, and the capital of Catalonia, with a population of 1,621,537 within its administrative limits on a land area of...
, Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
, Nall won a gold medal in Women's 4x100 m Medley Relay, a silver medal in Women's 100 m Breaststroke
Breaststroke
The breaststroke is a swimming style in which the swimmer is on his or her chest and the torso does not rotate. It is the most popular recreational style due to its stability and the ability to keep the head out of the water a large portion of the time. In most swimming classes, beginners learn...
, and a bronze in Women's 200 m Breaststroke. Earlier that year, she set a then-world record time in the Women's 200 m Breaststroke, as a 15-year old at the Olympic trials in Indianapolis, Indiana
Indianapolis, Indiana
Indianapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Indiana, and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population is 839,489. It is by far Indiana's largest city and, as of the 2010 U.S...
.
Early years
Born in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, in 1976, Nall is named after record-setting gymnast Nadia ComăneciNadia Comaneci
Nadia Elena Comăneci is a Romanian gymnast, winner of three Olympic gold medals at the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, and the first female gymnast ever to be awarded a perfect score of 10 in an Olympic gymnastic event. She is also the winner of two gold medals at the 1980 Summer...
, who competed that year in the 1976 Summer Olympics
1976 Summer Olympics
The 1976 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXI Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event celebrated in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, in 1976. Montreal was awarded the rights to the 1976 Games on May 12, 1970, at the 69th IOC Session in Amsterdam, over the bids of Moscow and...
as a 14-year old. As a girl, Nall moved with her family to Towson, Maryland
Towson, Maryland
Towson is an unincorporated community and a census-designated place in Baltimore County, Maryland, United States. The population was 55,197 at the 2010 census...
. She trained in the late 1980s and early 1990s at the North Baltimore Aquatic Club
North Baltimore Aquatic Club
The North Baltimore Aquatic Club is an amateur swim club based in and around Baltimore, Maryland. Founded in 1968, it continues to offer training for young swimmers. It is best known for developing seven Olympic gold medal swimmers.-Facilities:...
, the same place where another Towson teen swimming sensation, Michael Phelps
Michael Phelps
Michael Fred Phelps is an American swimmer who has, overall, won 16 Olympic medals—six gold and two bronze at Athens in 2004, and eight gold at Beijing in 2008, becoming the most successful athlete at both of these Olympic Games editions...
, trained a decade later and who, like Nall, would set a world swimming record at age 15 (in the 200 m butterfly
World record progression 200 metres butterfly
The first world record in the men's 200 metres butterfly in long course swimming was recognised by the International Swimming Federation in 1959. The women's official acknowledged top time came one year earlier...
).
Competitive swimming career
While competing for a place on the U.S. swimming team for the 1992 Summer Olympics1992 Summer Olympics
The 1992 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the Games of the XXV Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event celebrated in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain, in 1992. The International Olympic Committee voted in 1986 to separate the Summer and Winter Games, which had been held in the same...
, Nall set a then-world record at the Olympic trials. Murray Stephens, her coach at the North Baltimore Aquatic Club, said of Nall after she broke the world record, "Physically she's a strong girl. Competitively, she's probably 25. She knows how to compete and she likes to compete. She likes to swim aggressively."
Nall's specialty at the 1992 Summer Olympics was the breaststroke
Breaststroke
The breaststroke is a swimming style in which the swimmer is on his or her chest and the torso does not rotate. It is the most popular recreational style due to its stability and the ability to keep the head out of the water a large portion of the time. In most swimming classes, beginners learn...
. She made the U.S. Olympic team that year as a 15-year old, the youngest swimmer on the U.S. Olympics women's team. The head coach of Northwestern University
Northwestern University
Northwestern University is a private research university in Evanston and Chicago, Illinois, USA. Northwestern has eleven undergraduate, graduate, and professional schools offering 124 undergraduate degrees and 145 graduate and professional degrees....
's women's swim team was quoted just prior to the Olympics that year as saying, "Anita has technically a perfect breaststroke. The breaststroke is very much a lower body stroke where you really use your legs. She uses her body perfectly and gets the most out of her stroke technique-wise". Nall went on to swim the breaststroke leg of the 4x100m medley relay
Swimming at the 1992 Summer Olympics - Women's 4 x 100 metre medley relay
The qualifying heats and the final of the Women's 4x100 metres Medley Relay event for the 1992 Summer Olympics were held on 1992-07-30 in Barcelona, Spain.-Final:-Qualifying Heats:-See also:* 1993 World SC Championships Women's 4x100m Medley Relay...
at the 1992 Summer Olympics
1992 Summer Olympics
The 1992 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the Games of the XXV Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event celebrated in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain, in 1992. The International Olympic Committee voted in 1986 to separate the Summer and Winter Games, which had been held in the same...
in Barcelona
Barcelona
Barcelona is the second largest city in Spain after Madrid, and the capital of Catalonia, with a population of 1,621,537 within its administrative limits on a land area of...
, winning the team gold medal and becoming the youngest American gold medalist in swimming since 1976.
The next year, Nall's swimming faltered, attributed to chronic fatigue syndrome
Chronic fatigue syndrome
Chronic fatigue syndrome is the most common name used to designate a significantly debilitating medical disorder or group of disorders generally defined by persistent fatigue accompanied by other specific symptoms for a minimum of six months, not due to ongoing exertion, not substantially...
and blood pressure
Blood pressure
Blood pressure is the pressure exerted by circulating blood upon the walls of blood vessels, and is one of the principal vital signs. When used without further specification, "blood pressure" usually refers to the arterial pressure of the systemic circulation. During each heartbeat, BP varies...
abnormalities. She retired from swimming in 2000, after failing to qualify for the 2000 U.S. Olympics team.
Personal life and later years
Nall graduated from Towson Catholic High School in 1994 and then earned a Bachelor's degreeBachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for three or four years, but can range anywhere from two to six years depending on the region of the world...
in communications and Spanish at Arizona State University
Arizona State University
Arizona State University is a public research university located in the Phoenix Metropolitan Area of the State of Arizona...
, graduating in 2002. That same year, she married former University of Kansas
University of Kansas
The University of Kansas is a public research university and the largest university in the state of Kansas. KU campuses are located in Lawrence, Wichita, Overland Park, and Kansas City, Kansas with the main campus being located in Lawrence on Mount Oread, the highest point in Lawrence. The...
football player Luke Richesson. They currently reside in Jacksonville, Florida
Jacksonville, Florida
Jacksonville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Florida in terms of both population and land area, and the largest city by area in the contiguous United States. It is the county seat of Duval County, with which the city government consolidated in 1968...
, where Luke is employed as strength and conditioning coach for the Jacksonville Jaguars
Jacksonville Jaguars
The Jacksonville Jaguars are a professional American football team based in Jacksonville, Florida, U.S. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
. The couple has two children, son Luther (born 2003) and daughter Sunny (born 2005). Nall attributes her past health problems to food sensitivities affecting her immune system
Immune system
An immune system is a system of biological structures and processes within an organism that protects against disease by identifying and killing pathogens and tumor cells. It detects a wide variety of agents, from viruses to parasitic worms, and needs to distinguish them from the organism's own...
, which went undiagnosed until 2005, combined with poor nutrition. She is now a holistic nutrition
Nutritionist
A nutritionist is a person who advises on matters of food and nutrition impacts on health. Different professional terms are used in different countries, employment settings and contexts — some examples include: nutrition scientist, public health nutritionist, dietitian-nutritionist, clinical...
specialist and Certified Life Coach with her own business.
Awards
In 2008, Nall was inducted as an Honor Swimmer by the International Swimming Hall of FameInternational Swimming Hall of Fame
The International Swimming Hall of Fame and Museum is a history museum and hall of fame, located at One Hall of Fame Drive, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, United States, operated by private interests serving as the central point for the study of the history of swimming in the United States and around...
, which cited her swim medals won at such a young age and her technically perfect breaststroke.