Samuel Alapai Kahanamoku (November 4, 1902 – April 26, 1966) was an American 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 ...

who represented the United States at the

1924 Summer Olympics The 1924 Summer Olympics (french: Jeux olympiques d'été de 1924), officially the Games of the VIII Olympiad (french: Jeux de la VIIIe olympiade) and also known as Paris 1924, were an international multi-sport event held in Paris, France. The op ...

in Paris, where he won a bronze medal in the men's 100-meter freestyle event. He was the younger brother of surfer and Olympic gold medalist

Duke Kahanamoku Duke Paoa Kahinu Mokoe Hulikohola Kahanamoku (August 24, 1890 – January 22, 1968) was a Hawaiian competition swimmer who popularized the sport of surfing. A Native Hawaiian, he was born to a minor noble family less than three years before th ...

and the elder brother of

Sargent Kahanamoku Sargent Hiikua Kahanamoku (March 5, 1910 – May 16, 1993) was a Native Hawaiian aquatic athlete and public relations spokesperson for Standard Oil Company. Sculptor Malvina Hoffman used him as her model for part of The Races of Mankind exhibit a ...

Biography

He was born to Duke Halapu Kahanamoku and Julia Paakonia Paoa in 1902. He was described by his brother Louis to be a "musical savant". Like his elder brother Duke, who was 12 years older than Sam, he was a talented swimmer and surfer. He was also one of the top sprinters in Hawaii. Sam and Duke competed together at the 1924 Summer Olympics in the men's 100-meter freestyle event. Duke came in second at 1:01.4 while Sam came in third at 1:01.8. Sam's daughter Jo-Anne Kahanamoku-Sterling suggested in 2010 that Sam slowed down for his elder brother to overtake him, but Duke Kahanamoku biographer David Davis suggested this to be unlikely since the brothers were separated by three lanes and it would be hard for Sam to judge Duke's progress. In 1935, the Kahanamoku brothers hosted

Doris Duke Doris Duke (November 22, 1912 – October 28, 1993) was an American billionaire tobacco heiress, philanthropist, art collector, Horticulture, horticulturalist, and socialite. She was often called "the richest girl in the world". Her great wealt ...

and her husband

James Cromwell James Oliver Cromwell (born January 27, 1940) is an American actor and activist. Some of his best-known films include ''Babe'' (1995), '' Star Trek: First Contact'' (1996), ''L.A. Confidential'' (1997), '' The Green Mile'' (1999), ''The Queen'' ...

, who were visiting Hawaii on her honeymoon tour. Sam taught her how to surf, and acted as her chauffeur, leading to reports that they had become lovers. In 1939, Sam introduced Duke to his future wife, Nadine Alexander. Following his sports career, Samuel Kahanamoku became a real estate agent before he died in 1966. Kahanamoku had two children by his first wife. He also had an affair with Winifred Powell, a Navy officer’s wife, while they were on . Sonia Vrooman Lien Kahanamoku (September 20, 1935 – March 9, 2016), their daughter, did not know her father's true identity until 2010.

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Samuel Kahanamoku
– Olympic Games results at databaseOlympics.com {{DEFAULTSORT:Kahanamoku, Samuel 1902 births 1966 deaths American male freestyle swimmers Medalists at the 1924 Summer Olympics Native Hawaiian sportspeople Olympic bronze medalists for the United States in swimming Swimmers from Honolulu Swimmers at the 1924 Summer Olympics

Biography

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