Linda Lee Gustavson (born November 30, 1949), also known by her married name Linda McGuire, is an American former competition

swimmer Swimming is an individual or team racing sport that requires the use of one's entire body to move through water. The sport takes place in pools or open water (e.g., in a sea or lake). Competitive swimming is one of the most popular Olympic ...

, three-time Olympic medalist, and surpassed world record-holder in two events. As an 18-year-old, she was on the United States Olumpic team at the

1968 Summer Olympics The 1968 Summer Olympics ( es, Juegos Olímpicos de Verano de 1968), officially known as the Games of the XIX Olympiad ( es, Juegos de la XIX Olimpiada) and commonly known as Mexico 1968 ( es, México 1968), were an international multi-sport eve ...

in Mexico City, a medalist in the three events she competed in.Sports-Reference.com, Olympic Sports, Athletes
Linda Gustavson
. Retrieved September 7, 2015.

Career

Gustavson was a product of the powerhouse training program at the Santa Clara Swim Club, led by coach

George Haines George Frederick Haines (March 9, 1924 – May 1, 2006) was a swimmer and swimming coach who coached at the Santa Clara Swim Club, Stanford University and UCLA. He also coached for seven U.S. Olympic swim teams. He was inducted into the In ...

.Robert Bao,
Spartan Olympians: Linda (Gustavson) McGuire
" ''MSU Alumni'' (Summer 2008). Retrieved September 9, 2015. The club trained U.S. Olympic level swimmers during the 1960s and 1970s, including eight men and eight women of the 1968 U.S. Olympic swimming team. She received a gold medal as a member of the first-place U.S. team in the women's 4×100-meter freestyle relay (4:02.5). Together with her teammates Jane Barkman,

Sue Pedersen Susie (Sue) Pedersen (born 1977) is a Canadian physician, a Specialist in Endocrinology & Metabolism, and a Diplomate of the American Board of Obesity Medicine. She is a member of the Expert Committee for the Diabetes Canada Clinical Practice Gui ...

and

Jan Henne Jan Margo Henne (born August 11, 1947), also known by her married name Jan Hawkins, is an American former competition swimmer, Olympic champion, and former world record-holder. At the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico City, she received four meda ...

, she set a new Olympic record of 4:02.5 in the event final. In individual competition, she also won a silver medal in the 400-meter freestyle (4:35.5), and a bronze medal in the 100-meter freestyle (1:00.3). Gustavson attended

Michigan State University Michigan State University (Michigan State, MSU) is a public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in East Lansing, Michigan. It was founded in 1855 as the Agricultural College of the State of Michigan, the fi ...

with fellow Olympic swimmer

Pam Kruse Pamela Jean Kruse (born June 3, 1950) is an American former competition swimmer, Olympic medalist, and former world record-holder in two events. Kruse represented the United States as an 18-year-old at the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico City, wh ...

, and the two friends joined Kappa Alpha Theta sorority. She swam for the Michigan State Spartans swimming and diving team in

Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women The Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women (AIAW) was founded in 1971 to govern collegiate women's athletics in the United States and to administer national championships (see AIAW Champions). It evolved out of the Commission on Interc ...

(AIAW) and Big Ten Conference competition, and she and Kruse won the Big Ten championship in the 400-yard freestyle relay in 1971.Michigan State Spartans, Swimming & Diving
Women's Swimming Big Ten Champions
Retrieved September 9, 2015. Gustavson graduated from Michigan State in 1972.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Gustavson, Linda 1949 births Living people American female freestyle swimmers World record setters in swimming Michigan State Spartans women's swimmers Olympic bronze medalists for the United States in swimming Olympic gold medalists for the United States in swimming Olympic silver medalists for the United States in swimming Sportspeople from Santa Cruz, California Swimmers at the 1968 Summer Olympics Medalists at the 1968 Summer Olympics Medalists at the 1967 Summer Universiade Universiade medalists in swimming FISU World University Games gold medalists for the United States Swimmers at the 1967 Pan American Games Medalists at the 1967 Pan American Games Pan American Games gold medalists for the United States in swimming

Career

See also

References

External links