jcollingsworth
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Making The List: Ford Hiroshi Konno
jcollingsworth via our good friends at Buckeye Battle Cry
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
The weather for these next two days here on the East Coast is predicted to be oven-like. 105˚ to 110˚ with what is termed as the heat-factoring is predicted. With all of that in mind and the Olympics now in full-swing – Michael Phelps ruling in the swimming category – certainly no surprise – I feel it should be refreshing to mention another swimmer to our growing list.
In the past we mentioned Yoshi Oyakawa who won Gold in the backstroke back in Helsinki’s 1952 Summer Olympics. So with all of this lapsed time why haven’t I mentioned Ford Konno?
Ford Hiroshi Konno was born January 1, 1933. His father had said to many who’d listen that his son was born to swim – because he came into the world doing the breast stroke. “His little arms were swaying magically – in total rhythm. The first thing I saw in these actions was a gold medal for my boy.” His father’s premonition would be on target.
Konno would attend McKinley High School in where he swam on the swimming team, setting numerous records while wining nearly every race he was in. He later received an athletic scholarship to attend The Ohio State University. With the Buckeyes would make the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) All-American Squad all of his four years with the Buckeyes. Konno would set world records of 2:03.9 in the 200-meter and 4:26.7 in the 400-meter freestyle during 1954 college meets.
He won four medals at the 1952 and 1956 Summer Olympics. At the 1952 Summer Olympics in Helsinki, Finland, Konno won gold medals in the men’s 1,500 meter freestyle and the 4×200-meter freestyle relay. His time of 18:30:3 in the 1,500 freestyle was a new Olympic record. He also won a silver medal in the 400-meter freestyle. Four years later at the 1956 Summer Olympics in Melbourne, Australia, he won silver in the men’s 4×200-meter freestyle relay.
Konno is married to fellow 1952 Olympic medalist Evelyn Kawamoto. He is also a member of the International Swimming Hall of Fame.
It is also worth mentioning that a wonderful book exists: The Three Year Swim Club – the untold story of Maui’s Sugar Ditch kids and their quest for Olympic glory – by Julie Checkoway. Ford Konno has a nice detailing in this wondrous read.
Ford Konno is now a member of our deserving Buckeyes due their recognition – or re-recognition. It’s funny – often we do not think of certain sports especially when we are so ingrained in football, basketball, baseball, and perhaps something else, such as in my case, rugby. But swimming is a wonderful sport that is highly competitive. In my past conversation with Yoshi Oyakawa I told him that swimmers are the complete athletic package. I meant that. Try competitive swimming and find out how tiring it is – stamina is gold. And in Ford’s case it was twice.
The post Making The List: Ford Hiroshi Konno appeared first on The Buckeye Battle Cry: Ohio State News and Commentary.
Continue reading...
jcollingsworth via our good friends at Buckeye Battle Cry
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here
The weather for these next two days here on the East Coast is predicted to be oven-like. 105˚ to 110˚ with what is termed as the heat-factoring is predicted. With all of that in mind and the Olympics now in full-swing – Michael Phelps ruling in the swimming category – certainly no surprise – I feel it should be refreshing to mention another swimmer to our growing list.
In the past we mentioned Yoshi Oyakawa who won Gold in the backstroke back in Helsinki’s 1952 Summer Olympics. So with all of this lapsed time why haven’t I mentioned Ford Konno?
Ford Hiroshi Konno was born January 1, 1933. His father had said to many who’d listen that his son was born to swim – because he came into the world doing the breast stroke. “His little arms were swaying magically – in total rhythm. The first thing I saw in these actions was a gold medal for my boy.” His father’s premonition would be on target.
Konno would attend McKinley High School in where he swam on the swimming team, setting numerous records while wining nearly every race he was in. He later received an athletic scholarship to attend The Ohio State University. With the Buckeyes would make the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) All-American Squad all of his four years with the Buckeyes. Konno would set world records of 2:03.9 in the 200-meter and 4:26.7 in the 400-meter freestyle during 1954 college meets.
He won four medals at the 1952 and 1956 Summer Olympics. At the 1952 Summer Olympics in Helsinki, Finland, Konno won gold medals in the men’s 1,500 meter freestyle and the 4×200-meter freestyle relay. His time of 18:30:3 in the 1,500 freestyle was a new Olympic record. He also won a silver medal in the 400-meter freestyle. Four years later at the 1956 Summer Olympics in Melbourne, Australia, he won silver in the men’s 4×200-meter freestyle relay.
Konno is married to fellow 1952 Olympic medalist Evelyn Kawamoto. He is also a member of the International Swimming Hall of Fame.
It is also worth mentioning that a wonderful book exists: The Three Year Swim Club – the untold story of Maui’s Sugar Ditch kids and their quest for Olympic glory – by Julie Checkoway. Ford Konno has a nice detailing in this wondrous read.
Ford Konno is now a member of our deserving Buckeyes due their recognition – or re-recognition. It’s funny – often we do not think of certain sports especially when we are so ingrained in football, basketball, baseball, and perhaps something else, such as in my case, rugby. But swimming is a wonderful sport that is highly competitive. In my past conversation with Yoshi Oyakawa I told him that swimmers are the complete athletic package. I meant that. Try competitive swimming and find out how tiring it is – stamina is gold. And in Ford’s case it was twice.
The post Making The List: Ford Hiroshi Konno appeared first on The Buckeye Battle Cry: Ohio State News and Commentary.
Continue reading...