Bob Skelton (swimmer)

Bob Skelton

Ralph Breyer, Bob Skelton, Johnny Weissmüller, c. 1925
Personal information
Full name Robert Danforth Skelton
Nickname(s) "Bob"
National team  United States
Born (1903-06-25)June 25, 1903
Wilmette, Illinois
Died June 25, 1977(1977-06-25) (aged 74)
Houston, Texas
Sport
Sport Swimming
Strokes Breaststroke
Club Illinois Athletic Club
College team Northwestern University

Robert Danforth Skelton (June 25, 1903 – June 25, 1977) was an American competition swimmer, Olympic champion, and former world record-holder.

Skelton competed at the 1924 Summer Olympics in Paris, where he won a gold medal in the men's 200-meter breaststroke event. Skelton finished in 2:56.6, decisively defeating Belgian swimmer Joseph De Combe (2:59.2), and fellow American Bill Kirschbaum (3:01.0).

Skelton was born in Wilmette, Illinois. He attended Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois, where he swam for the Northwestern Wildcats swimming and diving team in National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) competition. He was the first American to set a world record for the 200-meter breaststroke.

He died in Houston, Texas in 1977; he was 74 years old.

See also

References


Records
Preceded by

Erich Rademacher		 Men's 200-meter breaststroke
world record-holder (long course)
March 21, 1924 – April 7, 1924 		Succeeded by

Erich Rademacher



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