Carolyn Wood (swimmer)
Encyclopedia
Carolyn Wood is a former competitive freestyle
and butterfly
swimmer from the United States
who won a gold medal the 4×100m freestyle relay
in the 1960 Summer Olympics
in Rome, Italy. At the time of the Olympics, Wood was 14 and the youngest member of the 1960 United States Olympic team.
swim team in her hometown of Portland, Oregon
. At the U.S. Olympic swimming trials in 1960, she finished first in the 100 meter butterfly event and was favored to win the gold medal in that event at the Olympics. However, during the Olympic finals, she accidentally swallowed water during the turn and did not finish the race.
Four days later, she swam the third leg of the 4 × 100 meter relay, during which she caught up to and passed Australian
swimmer Lorraine Crapp
and gave a two-foot lead to anchor swimmer Chris von Saltza
, who finished the relay in first place to give the American team the gold medal, setting a new world record of 4:08.9, nine seconds faster than the previous record.
following the Olympics where she attended Beaverton High School
. During one summer, she worked as a lifeguard
and was ruled a professional, and was therefore ineligible to swim collegiately or in subsequent Olympics. Wood attended the University of Oregon
and became a high school English teacher in Portland. She was inducted into the Oregon Sports Hall of Fame
in 1992.
Freestyle swimming
Freestyle is an unregulated swimming style used in swimming competitions according to the rules of FINA. The front crawl stroke is almost universally used during a freestyle race, as this style is generally the fastest...
and butterfly
Butterfly stroke
The butterfly is a swimming stroke swum on the breast, with both arms moving simultaneously. The butterfly kick was developed separately, and is also known as the "dolphin kick"...
swimmer from the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
who won a gold medal the 4×100m freestyle relay
Swimming at the 1960 Summer Olympics
At the 1960 Summer Olympics in Rome, 15 swimming events were contested, eight for men and seven for women. There was a total of 380 participants from 45 countries competing. For the first time, the 4×100 metres medley relay was contested...
in the 1960 Summer Olympics
1960 Summer Olympics
The 1960 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XVII Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event held from August 25 to September 11, 1960 in Rome, Italy...
in Rome, Italy. At the time of the Olympics, Wood was 14 and the youngest member of the 1960 United States Olympic team.
Olympics
Wood swam for the Multnomah Athletic ClubMultnomah Athletic Club
The Multnomah Athletic Club is a private social club and athletic club in Portland, Oregon, United States.Founded in 1891, the club has expanded greatly from its beginnings. It now fills two buildings totaling , making it the largest indoor athletic club in the world...
swim team in her hometown of Portland, Oregon
Portland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
. At the U.S. Olympic swimming trials in 1960, she finished first in the 100 meter butterfly event and was favored to win the gold medal in that event at the Olympics. However, during the Olympic finals, she accidentally swallowed water during the turn and did not finish the race.
Four days later, she swam the third leg of the 4 × 100 meter relay, during which she caught up to and passed Australian
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
swimmer Lorraine Crapp
Lorraine Crapp
Lorraine Crapp is a former Olympic swimming champion representing Australia. She competed in two Olympic Games — the 1956 Summer Olympics and the 1960 Summer Olympics. She won two Olympic gold medals in 1956...
and gave a two-foot lead to anchor swimmer Chris von Saltza
Chris von Saltza
Susan Christina von Saltza is a former competitive freestyle swimmer from the United States who, at the age of 16, won one silver and three gold medals at the 1960 Summer Olympics in Rome, Italy. She set the world record in the 400 meter freestyle at the U.S. Olympic trials...
, who finished the relay in first place to give the American team the gold medal, setting a new world record of 4:08.9, nine seconds faster than the previous record.
After the Olympics
Wood returned to her hometown of Portland, OregonPortland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
following the Olympics where she attended Beaverton High School
Beaverton High School
Beaverton High School, is a public high school located in Beaverton, Oregon. Opened in 1902, it is the oldest high school in Beaverton.-History:...
. During one summer, she worked as a lifeguard
Lifeguard
A lifeguard supervises the safety and rescue of swimmers, surfers, and other water sports participants such as in a swimming pool, water park, or beach. Lifeguards are strong swimmers and trained in first aid, certified in water rescue using a variety of aids and equipment depending on...
and was ruled a professional, and was therefore ineligible to swim collegiately or in subsequent Olympics. Wood attended the University of Oregon
University of Oregon
-Colleges and schools:The University of Oregon is organized into eight schools and colleges—six professional schools and colleges, an Arts and Sciences College and an Honors College.- School of Architecture and Allied Arts :...
and became a high school English teacher in Portland. She was inducted into the Oregon Sports Hall of Fame
Oregon Sports Hall of Fame
The Oregon Sports Hall of Fame honors Oregon athletes, teams, coaches, and others who have made a significant contribution to sports in Oregon. The first class was inducted in 1980, with new inductees added in the fall...
in 1992.