Four-time Olympic champion Greg Louganis is widely considered the greatest diver in history. The only male to sweep both the 3m and 10m diving events in consecutive Olympic Games (’84 and ’88), Greg earned a total of 5 Olympic medals, 5 World Championship titles and 47 national titles (more than anyone in U.S. history).
Often remembered for the shocking moment in 1988 when he struck his head on the springboard, Greg revealed his remarkable courage and tenacity when he returned to the board shortly after and performed the best dive of the competition. The next day, he won the gold and secured his legacy.
In 1984, Greg received the AAU’s James E. Sullivan Award for outstanding achievements. The following year, he was inducted into the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame. In 1987, he won the Jesse Owens Award. In 1993, he was inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame. And in 1994, he was presented with the U.S. Olympic Committee’s Robert J. Kane Award. His 1995 autobiography, Breaking the Surface spent five weeks as the New York Times #1 best seller.
Currently, Greg is a mentor for the US Olympic diving team, a judge for the Red Bull Cliff Diving Tour, a dog agility expert, and a motivational speaker. He is the subject of a forthcoming feature-length documentary film, Back on Board (2014), and recently starred in both ABC’s prime-time competition show, Splash and Channel 7’s Celebrity Splash. He is a regular contributor to the Huffington Post.
Diving Career Highlights
- 1984 and 1988 Olympic double gold medalist for 3-meter springboard and 10-meter platform
- 1976 Olympic silver medalist on 10 m platform
- Five-time world champion
- Four-time FINA World Cup gold medalist
- 47 U.S. national titles, more than anyone in U.S. history
- Swept Pan American Games gold medals three times and U.S. Olympic Festival titles five times
- Three-time NCAA champion
- Winner of the AAU’s James E. Sullivan Award for outstanding achievements in 1984
- Winner of the 1987 Jesse Owens Award
- Inducted into the Olympic Hall of Fame in 1985 and the International Swimming Hall of Fame in 1993
- Winner of the U.S. Olympic Committee’s Robert J. Kane Award in 1999
Check out his website www.louganis.com