Duncan Armstrong
Encyclopedia
Duncan John D'Arcy Armstrong, OAM
, (born 7 April 1968) is a former Australian swimmer
and Olympic gold medal
ist.
Armstrong was a freestyle swimmer in international competition during the 1980s, who won gold in the 200-metre freestyle at the 1988 Seoul Olympics
. He is currently a swimming commentator on Channel Nine
's Wide World of Sports and is also a well-known swimming safety advocate. He attended the selective Brisbane State High School
.
Duncan Armstrong was born in Rockhampton, Queensland
, Australia. He was coached by the flamboyant Laurie Lawrence
, and made his debut in the 1986 Commonwealth Games
in Edinburgh
, Scotland
, where he won gold in the 400-metre freestyle and the 4x200-metre freestyle relay. However, the Australian selectors controversially rested him from the 200-metre event even though he was the national champion in the event.
Armstrong arrived in Seoul as a rank outsider, facing the trio of past and current world record holders in the 200-metre event, Matt Biondi
of the United States
, Artur Wojdat
of Poland
and Michael Gross
of West Germany
. As a back-end swimmer, Lawrence devised a plan for Armstrong to swim as close to Biondi in the adjacent lane as possible, benefiting from Biondi's wake. It worked, with Armstrong storming home in the last fifty metres to claim gold with a world record time of 1 minute 47.25 seconds.
Armstong attended the University of Florida
in Gainesville, Florida
, where he swam for coach Randy Reese
's Florida Gators swimming and diving team in National Collegiate Athletic Association
(NCAA) competition in 1988 and 1989. He was named an All-American in the 400-metre and 800-metre freestyle in 1989.
Later in the 400-metre, Armstrong was once again slow out of the blocks, turning last at the 100-metre mark, and still being second last at the 300-metre mark. However he stormed home, and in a photo finish, claimed the silver medal behind East Germany's Uwe Dassler. He had carved more than five seconds off his previous personal best. For his efforts, Armstrong was awarded the Young Australian of the Year award for 1989.
Armstrong was again the favourite as the 1990 Commonwealth Games
in Auckland
approached in 1990. However, a bout of glandular fever forced him to withdraw. He proceeded to compete at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics
but was a shadow of his former self. He retired from competitive swimming after the Games. In June 1998, at the age of 30, he announced that he would come out retirement and commence training for the 200-metre freestyle for the 2000 Summer Olympics
, as Australia had won the 4x200-metre freestyle event in that year's World Championships, and were expected to win in Sydney, with the likes of Ian Thorpe
, Grant Hackett
and Michael Klim
. However, after two months of training, Armstrong announced that he would abandon his comeback and retire again. Australia, led by Thorpe, proceeded to win the gold in the relay event by over five seconds.
as an "Honor Swimmer" in 1996. In 2008, Armstrong was guest speaker at a Charity Appeal to raise funds for the Frontline. He is also a swimming commentator on television.
Order of Australia
The Order of Australia is an order of chivalry established on 14 February 1975 by Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia, "for the purpose of according recognition to Australian citizens and other persons for achievement or for meritorious service"...
, (born 7 April 1968) is a former Australian swimmer
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...
and Olympic gold medal
Gold medal
A gold medal is typically the medal awarded for highest achievement in a non-military field. Its name derives from the use of at least a fraction of gold in form of plating or alloying in its manufacture...
ist.
Armstrong was a freestyle swimmer in international competition during the 1980s, who won gold in the 200-metre freestyle at the 1988 Seoul Olympics
1988 Summer Olympics
The 1988 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIV Olympiad, were an all international multi-sport events celebrated from September 17 to October 2, 1988 in Seoul, South Korea. They were the second summer Olympic Games to be held in Asia and the first since the 1964 Summer Olympics...
. He is currently a swimming commentator on Channel Nine
Nine Network
The Nine Network , is an Australian television network with headquarters based in Willoughby, a suburb located on the North Shore of Sydney. For 50 years since television's inception in Australia, between 1956 and 2006, it was the most watched television network in Australia...
's Wide World of Sports and is also a well-known swimming safety advocate. He attended the selective Brisbane State High School
Brisbane State High School
Brisbane State High School is a partially selective, co-educational, state secondary school, located in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. It is a member of the Great Public Schools' Association of Queensland, and the Queensland Girls' Secondary Schools Sports Association...
.
Duncan Armstrong was born in Rockhampton, Queensland
Rockhampton, Queensland
Rockhampton is a city and local government area in Queensland, Australia. The city lies on the Fitzroy River, approximately from the river mouth, and some north of the state capital, Brisbane....
, Australia. He was coached by the flamboyant Laurie Lawrence
Laurie Lawrence
Laurie Joseph Lawrence , is an Australian swimming coach. He was also an Australia national rugby union team member in 1964.-Early life:...
, and made his debut in the 1986 Commonwealth Games
1986 Commonwealth Games
The 1986 Commonwealth Games were held in Edinburgh, Scotland for the second time. The Games were held from 24 July-2 August 1986.-Organisation and Controversy:...
in Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
, where he won gold in the 400-metre freestyle and the 4x200-metre freestyle relay. However, the Australian selectors controversially rested him from the 200-metre event even though he was the national champion in the event.
Armstrong arrived in Seoul as a rank outsider, facing the trio of past and current world record holders in the 200-metre event, Matt Biondi
Matt Biondi
Matthew Nicholas Biondi is a three-time U.S. Olympic swimmer in the 1984, 1988, and 1992 Summer Olympics, winning a total of 11 medals...
of the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, Artur Wojdat
Artur Wojdat
Artur Wojdat is a former international swimmer from Poland, who won the bronze medal in the men's 400 metres freestyle at the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul, South Korea. Four years later he also competed at the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona, Spain.-References:*...
of Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
and Michael Gross
Michael Gross (swimmer)
Michael Gross , spelled Michael Groß in German, is a former swimmer from Germany. He is 201 centimeters tall, and received the nickname "The Albatross" due to his especially long arms that gave him a total span of 2.13 meters...
of West Germany
West Germany
West Germany is the common English, but not official, name for the Federal Republic of Germany or FRG in the period between its creation in May 1949 to German reunification on 3 October 1990....
. As a back-end swimmer, Lawrence devised a plan for Armstrong to swim as close to Biondi in the adjacent lane as possible, benefiting from Biondi's wake. It worked, with Armstrong storming home in the last fifty metres to claim gold with a world record time of 1 minute 47.25 seconds.
Armstong attended the University of Florida
University of Florida
The University of Florida is an American public land-grant, sea-grant, and space-grant research university located on a campus in Gainesville, Florida. The university traces its historical origins to 1853, and has operated continuously on its present Gainesville campus since September 1906...
in Gainesville, Florida
Gainesville, Florida
Gainesville is the largest city in, and the county seat of, Alachua County, Florida, United States as well as the principal city of the Gainesville, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area . The preliminary 2010 Census population count for Gainesville is 124,354. Gainesville is home to the sixth...
, where he swam for coach Randy Reese
Randy Reese
Randy Reese is an American college and Olympic swimming coach. Reese is best known for coaching the Florida Gators swimming and diving teams to four national championships, and coaching the winners of eighteen Olympic gold, eight silver and eight bronze medals...
's Florida Gators swimming and diving team in National Collegiate Athletic Association
National Collegiate Athletic Association
The National Collegiate Athletic Association is a semi-voluntary association of 1,281 institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals that organizes the athletic programs of many colleges and universities in the United States...
(NCAA) competition in 1988 and 1989. He was named an All-American in the 400-metre and 800-metre freestyle in 1989.
Armstrong was again the favourite as the 1990 Commonwealth Games
1990 Commonwealth Games
The 1990 Commonwealth Games were held in Auckland, New Zealand from 24 January-3 February 1990. It was the 14th Commonwealth Games, and part of New Zealand's 1990 sesquicentennial celebrations. Participants competed in ten sports: athletics, aquatics, badminton, boxing, cycling, gymnastics, judo,...
in Auckland
Auckland
The Auckland metropolitan area , in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest and most populous urban area in the country with residents, percent of the country's population. Auckland also has the largest Polynesian population of any city in the world...
approached in 1990. However, a bout of glandular fever forced him to withdraw. He proceeded to compete at the 1992 Barcelona 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...
but was a shadow of his former self. He retired from competitive swimming after the Games. In June 1998, at the age of 30, he announced that he would come out retirement and commence training for the 200-metre freestyle for the 2000 Summer Olympics
2000 Summer Olympics
The Sydney 2000 Summer Olympic Games or the Millennium Games/Games of the New Millennium, officially known as the Games of the XXVII Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event which was celebrated between 15 September and 1 October 2000 in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia...
, as Australia had won the 4x200-metre freestyle event in that year's World Championships, and were expected to win in Sydney, with the likes of Ian Thorpe
Ian Thorpe
Ian James Thorpe OAM , nicknamed the Thorpedo and Thorpey, is an Australian swimmer who specialises in freestyle, but also competes in backstroke and the individual medley. He has won five Olympic gold medals, the most won by any Australian, and with three gold and two silver medals, was the most...
, Grant Hackett
Grant Hackett
Grant Hackett OAM is an Australian former swimmer most famous for winning the men's 1500 metres freestyle race at both the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney and the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens. This achievement has led him to be regarded as one of the greatest distance swimmers in history...
and Michael Klim
Michael Klim
Michael Klim OAM is a Polish-born Australian swimmer. He was born in Gdynia. He was educated at the University High School, Melbourne and Wesley College, Melbourne where he is currently employed as the College's elite Head Coach of swimming...
. However, after two months of training, Armstrong announced that he would abandon his comeback and retire again. Australia, led by Thorpe, proceeded to win the gold in the relay event by over five seconds.
Honours
- 12 June 1989: Medal of the Order of AustraliaOrder of AustraliaThe Order of Australia is an order of chivalry established on 14 February 1975 by Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia, "for the purpose of according recognition to Australian citizens and other persons for achievement or for meritorious service"...
in recognition of service to swimming - 23 June 2000: Australian Sports MedalAustralian Sports MedalThe Australian Sports Medal was an award given during 2000 to recognise achievements in Australian sport.Recipients of the award included competitors, coaches, sports scientists, office holders, and people who maintained sporting facilities and services. Over 18,000 Medals were...
- 1 January 2001: Centenary MedalCentenary MedalThe Centenary Medal is an award created by the Australian Government in 2001. It was established to commemorate the Centenary of Federation of Australia and to honour people who have made a contribution to Australian society or government...
for service to Australian society through the sport of swimming
Life after competition swimming
Armstrong was inducted into 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...
as an "Honor Swimmer" in 1996. In 2008, Armstrong was guest speaker at a Charity Appeal to raise funds for the Frontline. He is also a swimming commentator on television.
See also
- Florida GatorsFlorida GatorsThe Florida Gators are the intercollegiate sports teams that represent the University of Florida located in Gainesville, Florida. The "Lady Gators" is an alternative nickname sometimes used by the Gators women's teams...
- List of multiple Olympic gold medalists
- List of University of Florida alumni
- List of University of Florida Olympians